The Three Daughters Who Remembered Their Mother's Murder

The gunshot shattered the archive's silence.

Raymond slammed into me, knocking me sideways as the bullet struck the metal cabinet behind us.

"Move!"" he shouted.

Grace grabbed Nora while Elena pulled Olivia and Sophie toward the hidden passage. Ethan seized my arm and dragged me behind the desk.

Vincent advanced through the doorway.

"You've made this much harder than it needed to be, Dominic.""

I fired once toward the doorframe.

He ducked behind the wall.

"You're not getting out of here," he shouted.

"Not with the key. Not with the boy.""

Ethan crouched beside me.

"He's always been like this," he whispered.

"He thinks everyone belongs to him.""

"How long have you been working against him?""

"Since I found the birth certificate. I thought if I could prove who he was, he'd leave my mother alone.""

"Did you find her?""

"No.""

He looked away.

"Not yet.""

Another shot struck the desk.

I pushed Ethan toward the passage.

"Get the girls out. I'll hold him here.""

Ethan shook his head.

"I'm not leaving you.""

"I'm not asking.""

For a second, we stared at each other. I saw the same stubbornness I recognized in myself, the same refusal to retreat even when retreat was the sensible choice.

He finally nodded.

"Don't die before I get to know you.""

Then he disappeared into the passage.

I waited until the others were gone before moving toward the opposite exit.

Vincent's footsteps approached.

"Dominic," he called, "you don't understand what you've uncovered.""

I kept my pistol trained on the doorway.

"Then explain it.""

He laughed.

"You think this is about money? You think I spent eighteen years beside you because I wanted your company?""

"Didn't you?""

"I wanted what your father promised me.""

The words struck a nerve.

"My father is dead.""

"Yes. And he took his secrets with him.""

Vincent stepped into view, his gun pointed at my chest.

"Your father built his fortune by making agreements with people who didn't forgive broken promises. When he died, those agreements passed to you.""

"I inherited a company.""

"You inherited a debt.""

I studied his face.

"What debt?""

"Twenty-six years ago, your father paid Mara's family to disappear. He promised that you would never know about the child. In exchange, he was supposed to surrender a collection of records that could destroy several powerful men.""

"Ethan's mother?""

"She was part of the arrangement.""

My grip tightened around the pistol.

"You murdered Isabelle because she found out?""

"Isabelle was never supposed to discover any of it.""

"That isn't an answer.""

Vincent's expression hardened.

"She found the records and threatened to expose everyone involved. I gave her a chance to walk away. She refused.""

"So you had her killed.""

"I arranged for her to be frightened into silence.""

"She was shot outside her children's school.""

"That wasn't the original plan.""

For one terrible moment, I understood that he wasn't denying anything.

He was negotiating the details of his guilt.

"Who fired the shot?"" I demanded.

Vincent looked toward the passage.

"Mara.""

I felt the air leave my lungs.

"Why?""

"Because she believed Isabelle had betrayed her. Your wife told Mara that you knew about Ethan. She convinced Mara that you intended to take the boy away from her.""

"Is that true?""

"No. But Mara believed it.""

I remembered the photograph of Mara outside the courthouse. The matching silver ring. The report Raymond had carried.

"Where is she now?""

Vincent smiled faintly.

"Closer than you think.""

A crash sounded in the corridor.

I glanced toward the passage.

Vincent lunged.

We collided against the desk. My pistol skidded across the floor. He drove an elbow into my ribs, and I struck him across the jaw.

For a moment, we were two old men fighting over the wreckage of a life we had built together.

Then he grabbed my throat.

"You should have trusted me," he hissed.

I drove my knee into his stomach.

He staggered backward.

I reached for the pistol, but Vincent kicked it beneath a cabinet.

Then the archive lights flickered.

A voice rang out from the doorway.

"Get away from him!""

Grace stood there, holding a fire extinguisher.

She swung it with both hands.

The metal cylinder struck Vincent's shoulder. He cried out and dropped to one knee.

I seized his wrist and twisted until his weapon fell from his hand.

Grace kicked it away.

"Are you hurt?"" she asked.

I struggled to catch my breath.

"No. Where are the girls?""

"With Elena and Ethan. Raymond is leading them toward the chapel.""

Vincent tried to stand.

I pressed his arm against the desk.

"Stay down.""

He looked up at me with hatred in his eyes.

"You have no idea what you're protecting.""

"My children.""

"Your children are the reason Isabelle died.""

I froze.

Grace's face changed.

Vincent seized the moment and shoved me away. He scrambled to his feet, snatched his gun, and ran toward the opposite exit.

I started after him.

Grace caught my arm.

"Dominic, wait!""

"He's getting away.""

She shook her head.

"Listen to me. He wants you to chase him.""

I stopped.

From somewhere beyond the archive, an alarm began to sound.

Then my phone rang.

The caller ID displayed a number I hadn't seen in fourteen months.

Isabelle's old phone.

I answered with trembling fingers.

A woman's voice whispered, "Dominic?""

My knees nearly buckled.

"Who is this?""

"It's Mara.""

I gripped the phone.

"Where are you?""

"At the chapel.""

"Are my daughters safe?""

A pause followed.

"They're with me.""

I closed my eyes.

"Why did you kill Isabelle?""

Her breathing became ragged.

"I didn't mean to.""

"That doesn't answer my question.""

"I was trying to save my son. Vincent told me Isabelle was going to hand Ethan over to you. He said you would use the boy to destroy everyone who had helped your father.""

"Did you shoot her?""

Silence.

Then Mara whispered, "Yes.""

My hand shook so badly I nearly dropped the phone.

"Why are you calling me now?""

"Because Vincent is coming here. And because Isabelle left something for you beneath the altar.""

"What?""

Mara began to cry.

"Proof that I wasn't the only one who wanted your wife dead.""

The line crackled.

Then she spoke again.

"Dominic, there's something else. The night Isabelle died, she wasn't going to the preschool to pick up the girls.""