Chapter 8 - THE OTHER BABY
Clara stared at the photograph.
“What does this mean?”
Leo shook his head.
“Vanessa told me to give it to you.”
Marcus looked at the image.
“That’s my father.”
“And my mother.”
Clara turned it over again.
CLARA WAS NOT THE ONLY CHILD.
Marcus’s phone rang.
Vanessa.
He answered.
“Where are you?”
“Outside the hotel.”
“You were told to stay at the mansion.”
“I’m done following orders.”
“You know what that picture means?”
A long silence.
“Yes.”
Clara grabbed the phone.
“Tell me.”
Vanessa spoke softly.
“Your mother had twins.”
Clara stopped breathing.
“No.”
“You and a boy.”
“Where is he?”
“She kept you.”
“And him?”
“Richard took him.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Dad took the baby?”
“He arranged a private adoption.”
Clara felt nauseous.
“Who?”
Vanessa whispered, “Derek Shaw.”
Clara’s knees almost gave out.
The man who had fired at them at Harbor Road.
The man who had kidnapped Leo.
Her brother.
Marcus stared at her.
Clara stared back.
Neither knew what to say.
Then an explosion shook the building.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Leo screamed.
Marcus dragged him down.
Smoke rushed through the hallway.
Julian’s voice came through the speaker.
“Time to move.”
They climbed.
Thirty-three.
Thirty-four.
Thirty-five.
On the thirty-sixth floor, they found Richard tied to a chair.
Blood ran down the side of his face.
“Dad!”
Marcus rushed forward.
Richard opened his eyes.
“Don’t.”
Marcus stopped.
Richard looked down.
A pressure trigger sat beneath the chair.
Julian stepped from behind a concrete pillar holding a pistol.
He was fifty, elegant, calm, almost cheerful.
“Everybody together.”
Clara had seen his face in business magazines.
Now she saw Marcus in it.
Same jaw.
Same eyes.
Same father.
Julian smiled at her.
“My sister.”
Clara’s voice was ice.
“Don’t call me that.”
“You should be thanking me. I brought the family together.”
“You kidnapped a child.”
“Details.”
Marcus stepped forward.
Julian aimed the gun at Leo.
“Another step and your son dies.”
Marcus stopped.
Julian looked at Richard.
“Tell them.”
Richard’s voice was weak.
“Julian…”
“Tell them what you did.”
Richard closed his eyes.
“I abandoned him.”
“And?”
“I hid him.”
“And?”
“I gave him nothing.”
Julian’s face finally cracked.
“You gave Marcus everything.”
“I raised Marcus.”
“You erased me.”
Julian shouted now.
“You gave me another man’s last name and watched me grow up across town!”
Richard looked at Clara.
“I did worse to your mother.”
Clara’s throat tightened.
“You paid her to disappear.”
“Yes.”
“You took my brother.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Richard began to cry.
“Because I was a coward.”
A gunshot exploded.
Everyone jumped.
Julian looked down.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Behind him stood Derek Shaw.
Clara’s twin brother.
Holding a gun.
Julian turned in disbelief.
“You?”
Derek’s eyes moved to Clara.
Then to Richard.
Then to Leo.
“I’m done kidnapping kids for a family that threw me away.”
Julian raised his weapon.
Derek fired again.
But Julian moved.
The bullet struck a steel beam.
Julian fired back.
Derek fell.
Clara screamed.
And Richard’s chair shifted.
May you like
The pressure trigger clicked.
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