Chapter 9 - THE BROTHER AT THE DOOR
Adrian raced home with two patrol cars behind him.
Julia opened the door.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Where are the girls?”
“Upstairs.”
Adrian ran to them.
Olivia was sitting beside Emma’s crib.
“Dad?”
He hugged her.
Hard.
“Dad, you’re hurting me.”
“Sorry.”
He pulled back.
“Has Uncle Ethan been here?”
Olivia frowned.
“No.”
“Think.”
She looked at Emma.
Then her face changed.
“Last week.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
“He came by when you were at work.”
“Who let him in?”
“Vanessa.”
Adrian’s stomach dropped.
“What did he do?”
“They talked downstairs. Then he came upstairs and saw Emma.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did he say anything?”
Olivia nodded slowly.
“He said Emma looked like Mom.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Emma wasn’t Rachel’s child.
“He said that?”
“Yes.”
Then Olivia added, “It was weird.”
A knock sounded downstairs.
Everyone froze.
Adrian looked toward the hallway.
Another knock.
Slow.
Three taps.
Julia whispered, “Police are outside, right?”
“Yes.”
Adrian walked downstairs.
An officer checked the security camera.
“It’s your brother.”
Ethan stood on the porch holding both hands up.
Adrian stared at the screen.
“Why would he come here?”
“Maybe he doesn’t know we found the files.”
Adrian opened the door with officers behind him.
Ethan smiled.
“Hey, little brother.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Ethan looked at the police.
“Wow. Warm welcome.”
“Why are you here?”
“I heard about Vanessa.”
“From who?”
“People talk.”
“What people?”
Ethan’s smile faded.
“Can I come in?”
“No.”
Ethan looked offended.
“Adrian, we’re family.”
“You lost the right to say that.”
Ethan stared at him.
Then his eyes moved past Adrian toward the staircase.
Toward Olivia.
“Hey, kiddo.”
Olivia didn’t answer.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Stay away from my children.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
Just slightly.
“You’ve always been dramatic.”
“That’s exactly what Vanessa said.”
Silence.
Ethan blinked.
Adrian saw it.
Recognition.
Fear.
“You two rehearse together?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The shell accounts.”
Ethan’s face went still.
“The old hotel fraud.”
Nothing.
“Rachel’s recordings.”
Ethan took one step backward.
An officer moved.
“Mr. Hayes, we need you to stay where you are.”
Ethan laughed.
“You’re arresting me because my dead sister-in-law kept some paranoid files?”
Adrian said, “You kidnapped Clara.”
Ethan’s eyes flicked toward him.
Too fast.
The officer noticed too.
Then Ethan ran.
He jumped off the porch.
“STOP!”
Police chased him across the lawn.
Ethan reached a black SUV parked around the corner.
He pulled something from beneath his jacket.
A gun.
Adrian’s heart stopped.
Ethan fired once into the air.
Everyone ducked.
Then he jumped into the SUV.
The tires screamed.
Police vehicles followed.
Adrian stood frozen.
Olivia came running downstairs.
“Dad!”
He turned.
And then he heard Emma crying.
But the crying wasn’t coming from upstairs.
It was coming from a baby monitor sitting on the hallway table.
Adrian looked at the screen.
May you like
Emma’s crib was empty.
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