Chapter 7
Daniel’s car was found forty minutes later.
Abandoned.
The driver’s door was open.
His phone lay on the passenger seat.
A trail of footprints led toward a commuter station.
By the time police arrived, Daniel was gone.
Richard stood in the mansion hallway while officers searched every room.
Margaret sat on the sofa.
She looked smaller.
Older.
But Richard felt no sympathy.
Detective Ruiz approached.
“We’re issuing an alert.”
“You think he left the state?”
“He may try.”
“His passport?”
“Flagged.”
Richard looked at Margaret.
“She knows where he went.”
Margaret laughed weakly.
“You always do this.”
Richard turned.
“Do what?”
“You decide everything is my fault.”
Richard stared at her.
“That may be the most extraordinary sentence you’ve ever spoken.”
She stood.
“I protected this family.”
“You destroyed it.”
“I protected Daniel.”
“At Emily’s expense.”
“He made mistakes.”
“He stole millions.”
“He was young.”
“He was thirty-two.”
“He panicked.”
“And Emily?”
Margaret’s eyes filled.
“She was going to destroy him.”
“She was going to tell the truth.”
“You don’t understand motherhood.”
Richard went still.
Margaret continued.
“You worked constantly. Daniel needed someone.”
“So did Emily.”
“She had you.”
“No, she didn’t.”
Richard’s voice broke.
“She thought she had me.”
He looked toward Noah.
“She was wrong.”
Margaret saw the guilt in him.
And she attacked it.
“Exactly.”
Richard stared at her.
“You want to blame me because you know you failed her too.”
Thomas stepped between them.
“Richard.”
But Richard raised a hand.
“No. She’s right about one thing.”
Margaret looked surprised.
Richard continued.
“I failed Emily.”
His eyes hardened.
“But I’m done using that shame as an excuse not to see what you are.”
Margaret’s face changed.
Richard pulled off his wedding ring.
He placed it on the table.
“We’re finished.”
She stared at it.
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“I’ve already told Thomas to begin divorce proceedings.”
Margaret laughed.
Then realized no one else was laughing.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You would throw away twenty-seven years because of a dead girl’s accusations?”
Noah flinched.
Richard crossed the room before anyone could stop him.
But he didn’t touch Margaret.
He stood inches away.
“Say that again.”
Margaret swallowed.
Richard’s voice was almost a whisper.
“She was my daughter.”
Margaret looked away.
“Police will be searching your finances,” Richard continued. “Anything you did with company money will be found.”
“You’ll destroy your own reputation.”
“I don’t care.”
“You’ll destroy Bennett Construction.”
“I don’t care.”
“You’ll lose everything.”
Richard looked toward Noah and Lily.
“No.”
His voice softened.
“I already lost everything.”
Margaret stared at him.
Richard continued.
“I’m trying to save what’s left.”
A car stopped outside.
Michael Hayes arrived.
Noah stood frozen near the staircase.
Michael entered slowly.
He was forty-three.
Tall.
Dark blond hair touched with gray.
He looked exhausted.
His eyes immediately found Noah.
He stopped breathing.
Noah stared back.
Neither spoke.
Then Lily whispered, “Is that Dad?”
Noah looked at Richard.
Richard said softly, “He might be.”
Michael’s face collapsed.
He knelt.
“Hi.”
Noah stayed still.
Michael noticed the locket.
“I gave that to your mom.”
Noah touched it.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“My mom said it was from someone who loved her before everything got bad.”
Michael started crying.
“I never stopped.”
Noah’s jaw tightened.
“Then why didn’t you find us?”
Michael nodded as if he had been expecting the question.
“I should have tried harder.”
“Everyone says that.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
Noah’s voice rose.
“She worked nights.”
Michael closed his eyes.
“She skipped dinner so we could eat.”
Richard looked down.
“She got sick and still went to work.”
Noah’s tears spilled over.
“She was scared all the time.”
Michael whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t get to be sorry!”
Lily began crying.
Michael stopped.
Noah turned away.
Michael didn’t follow him.
He sat on the floor instead.
After several seconds, he said, “You’re right.”
Noah looked back.
“I don’t get to walk in here and ask you to forgive me.”
Michael wiped his face.
“But if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life showing up.”
Noah didn’t answer.
Lily slowly walked toward Michael.
She stared at him.
“Mommy had your picture.”
Michael smiled through tears.
“She did?”
Lily nodded.
“Behind the cereal.”
Noah almost laughed.
Michael covered his face.
Then Lily touched his knee.
“Are you my dad too?”
Michael looked at Richard.
Richard didn’t know.
Emily’s letter named Michael as Noah’s father, but Lily had been born four years later.
Michael asked gently, “Did Mommy ever tell you?”
Lily shook her head.
“She said Daddy was far away.”
Michael looked confused.
Noah spoke.
“Mom said Lily’s dad couldn’t come home.”
Richard looked at him.
“You never mentioned that.”
“You never asked.”
Another mystery.
Before anyone could continue, Detective Ruiz’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression sharpened.
“Where?”
She listened.
“We’re coming.”
Richard stepped forward.
“What?”
Ruiz looked at Michael.
Then Noah.
“They found Daniel.”
“Where?”
“At an old Bennett Construction warehouse in Ravenswood.”
Richard froze.
Ravenswood.
The project Emily had written about.
Ruiz said, “He’s barricaded inside.”
“With anyone?”
“We don’t know.”
Richard reached for his coat.
“You’re not coming,” Ruiz said.
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
“My daughter told me to look there.”
“And your son is potentially dangerous.”
“He’s still my son.”
Ruiz held his stare.
“Then don’t make this worse.”
A uniformed officer entered.
“Detective.”
He whispered something.
Ruiz’s face changed.
“What?”
Richard demanded.
Ruiz turned.
“There’s someone inside with Daniel.”
“Who?”
“We have a cell signal registered to Gavin Cross.”
The attorney.
Michael asked, “Who’s Gavin?”
Richard answered.
“The man who helped cover up Emily’s death.”
Ruiz’s phone buzzed.
She looked at the screen.
“A message from Daniel.”
Richard’s stomach tightened.
“What does it say?”
Ruiz read it.
“Dad comes alone or I burn everything.”
Richard didn’t hesitate.
“I’m going.”
“No.”
“He asked for me.”
“He could be armed.”
“I don’t care.”
Noah suddenly grabbed Richard’s sleeve.
“Don’t go.”
Richard looked down.
Noah’s face had gone pale.
“My mom went to that warehouse.”
Richard froze.
“When?”
“The week before she got sick.”
“How do you know?”
“I waited outside.”
Richard crouched.
“Why were you there?”
“She said she had to meet someone.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Noah’s breathing quickened.
“She came out crying.”
“What did she say?”
“She said, ‘I finally know who started it.’”
Richard felt a chill.
“Started what?”
“She wouldn’t tell me.”
Noah grabbed his coat tighter.
“But she said if anything happened, the truth was under the floor.”
Richard stared.
May you like
“What floor?”
Noah whispered, “Ravenswood.”
