Chapter 8 - They escaped through a maintenance tunnel.Lily was waiting inside the car.
When Ethan opened the door, Daniel stepped forward.
Lily stared.
Her face went pale.
“Daddy?”
Daniel stopped.
He couldn't speak.
Lily threw herself into his arms.
He caught her.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Ethan watched.
Something inside his chest tightened.
“I thought you died.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I know.”
Lily cried into his jacket.
“Mommy said you were gone.”
“I had to be.”
“Why?”
“To keep you alive.”
Ethan interrupted.
“Where is Sarah?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Marcus has her.”
“We know.”
“No.”
Daniel's expression darkened.
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
“Marcus isn't the only one.”
Ethan stared at him.
“There are people above him.”
“Who?”
“People your father was terrified of.”
Daniel opened the trunk.
Inside were files.
Hundreds.
Government documents.
Bank records.
Photographs.
Names.
Daniel pulled out one folder.
“Your father spent his last year trying to expose them.”
Ethan looked at the documents.
One name appeared repeatedly.
President.
Senator.
Judge.
Police commissioner.
Business magnates.
It was larger than Mercer.
Much larger.
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“Marcus is expendable.”
“Then who runs it?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Lily.
“Ask her what she remembers.”
Ethan hesitated.
“She's eight.”
“I know.”
“She shouldn't have to relive this.”
“She already is.”
Lily looked up.
“Daddy?”
Daniel knelt.
“What do you remember?”
Lily was silent.
Then she whispered:
“A clock.”
“What else?”
“A red door.”
Daniel's face changed.
“Anything else?”
“A man shouting.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Can you remember the room?”
She nodded.
“There's a painting.”
“What painting?”
“A bird.”
Daniel looked at Ethan.
“The room in the warehouse.”
Ethan shook his head.
“There was no painting.”
“There was,” Lily said.
Everyone went silent.
She continued.
“Behind the painting was a door.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
“You're sure?”
She nodded.
“And there was a little box.”
“What kind?”
“Black.”
“With a silver lock.”
Daniel grabbed Ethan's shoulder.
“That's it.”
“What?”
“The original ledger.”
Ethan stared.
“What ledger?”
“The one that can destroy them.”
Daniel turned toward the city.
“Marcus has spent eleven years searching for it.”
“And your father hid it.”
“Where?”
Daniel looked at Lily.
“She knows.”
Ethan's stomach dropped.
Lily's memory was the key.
And Marcus knew it.
A phone rang.
Daniel answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then slowly said:
“Where?”
Silence.
“Don't touch her.”
He hung up.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Sarah?”
Daniel nodded.
“They moved her.”
“Where?”
Daniel looked at him.
“The hospital.”
Ethan frowned.
“She works there.”
“No.”
May you like
Daniel's face hardened.
“They're going to use Sarah to force Lily to remember.”
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