Chapter 9
Arthur could barely breathe.
“Let me speak to them.”
Daniel laughed.
“You always were impatient.”
“Daniel.”
“Say please.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“Please.”
There was movement on the line.
Then Ethan’s voice.
“Dad?”
Arthur nearly collapsed with relief.
“Ethan! Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Maya?”
“She’s here.”
Maya cried in the background.
“Daddy!”
Arthur gripped the phone.
“I’m coming.”
Daniel returned.
“No police.”
“You know that isn’t happening.”
“Then choose carefully.”
Arthur looked at Detective Harris.
Harris was already tracing the call.
Daniel continued.
“Do you remember the lake house?”
Arthur froze.
The lake house belonged to their family when they were children.
It had been sold decades earlier.
“Yes.”
“One hour.”
The call ended.
Police found the current property records.
The lake house had recently been purchased by a shell company connected to Daniel.
Harris immediately organized a rescue operation.
Arthur insisted on going.
“You stay behind the perimeter.”
“No.”
“Arthur—”
“He wants me.”
“That makes you leverage.”
“He already has my children.”
Harris stared at him.
Finally, he nodded.
“But you follow every instruction.”
The lake house stood beside dark water.
Police positioned themselves out of sight.
Arthur approached alone.
The front door opened before he knocked.
Daniel stood there.
For the first time in twelve years, the brothers faced each other.
Daniel looked older.
His hair was gray at the temples.
A scar crossed his jaw.
But his eyes were exactly the same.
“Little brother.”
Arthur stepped inside.
“Where are they?”
Daniel pointed toward the living room.
Ethan sat on the couch holding Maya.
They were frightened but unharmed.
Arthur moved toward them.
Daniel blocked him.
“Not yet.”
Arthur stared at him.
“What do you want?”
“An apology.”
“For what?”
“For taking my life.”
Arthur almost laughed.
“You disappeared.”
“Because Dad forced me.”
“After Mom died.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“You think you know everything now?”
“I know you followed her.”
“She was destroying our family.”
“You hit her car.”
Daniel became silent.
Arthur stepped closer.
“You killed her.”
“I didn’t mean for her to go over.”
There it was.
The confession.
Arthur prayed Harris’s team was recording.
Daniel realized what he had said.
His expression changed.
Arthur continued before he could stop.
“You hit her car.”
“She wouldn’t stop!”
Maya began crying.
Ethan covered her ears.
Arthur’s anger exploded.
“Look at them!”
Daniel glanced toward the children.
“You became exactly what Mom feared.”
“Shut up.”
“You spent your entire life blaming an eight-year-old boy for being loved.”
“I said shut up!”
Daniel shoved Arthur backward.
Arthur did not fight.
Not yet.
He needed time.
He needed police closer.
Daniel pointed toward Ethan.
“You even got the son I should have had.”
Arthur’s stomach turned.
“What does that mean?”
“Family. Children. Company. Everything.”
“You could have had a life.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Arthur stepped forward.
“You chose this.”
Daniel suddenly grabbed a fireplace poker.
Ethan stood.
“Leave my dad alone!”
Daniel turned toward him.
Arthur moved instantly.
He knocked the poker aside and tackled Daniel.
They crashed against the table.
Police burst through the doors.
“Hands where we can see them!”
Daniel pushed Arthur away and ran toward the back exit.
Arthur raced to Ethan and Maya instead.
“Dad!”
Both children threw themselves into his arms.
Outside, officers chased Daniel toward the lake.
A moment later, a gunshot sounded.
Arthur pulled the children down.
Maya screamed.
Harris shouted from outside.
Then silence.
Arthur refused to move until an officer entered.
“We have Daniel.”
Arthur looked up.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
Arthur held his children tighter.
Hours later, Daniel was taken into custody.
His confession had been recorded.
Evidence from the old vehicle supported the investigation into their mother’s death.
Victoria agreed to testify about Daniel’s recent crimes.
Arthur thought it was finally over.
Then Harris approached him at the station.
“There’s something else.”
Arthur looked exhausted.
“What now?”
Harris placed a folder on the table.
“We finished reviewing Daniel’s files.”
Arthur opened it.
Inside was a photograph of Victoria standing beside another man.
Arthur did not recognize him.
But the date was recent.
Harris pointed to the man.
“Daniel wasn’t working alone.”
Arthur stared at the photograph.
“Who is he?”
May you like
Harris answered quietly.
“Your father’s former attorney.”
