Chapter 11 - The Betrayal Behind the Gun
Gavin's men surrounded the garage.
Matthew fired twice.
Savannah dragged Amelia toward the exit.
“Move!”
“But Gavin…”
“That's not Gavin.”
Amelia looked at her.
“What?”
Savannah pointed.
The man leading the attackers had Gavin's face.
But Matthew shouted:
“It's a decoy!”
The man turned.
His skin around the jaw shifted slightly.
A mask.
Amelia stared.
The fake Gavin pulled it away.
Underneath was a stranger.
“Who is he?”
“Belladonna operative,” Matthew said.
The man smiled.
“Very good.”
He raised a gun.
“Now give me the girl.”
Matthew fired.
The man dropped behind the SUV.
Savannah grabbed Amelia's arm.
“Run.”
They escaped through another tunnel.
Three hours later, they reached a farmhouse in the mountains.
Amelia was exhausted.
She sat at the kitchen table.
Matthew placed the microfilm reader in front of her.
“You need to see this.”
The images appeared one by one.
Financial records.
Property transfers.
Hidden corporations.
Politicians.
Police officers.
Judges.
Then names.
Hundreds of names.
At the center was Anthony Voss.
But beneath him was another signature.
M. VOSS.
Amelia looked up.
“Matthew?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
The door opened.
Declan walked inside.
Amelia stood so quickly her chair fell backward.
“Declan.”
He looked worse.
Bruised.
Blood on his collar.
But alive.
She crossed the room.
Then stopped herself.
He saw the hesitation.
It hurt.
But he accepted it.
Matthew stepped forward.
“You escaped.”
Declan nodded.
“Barely.”
“How?”
“Anthony got careless.”
“Anthony?”
“He tried to make me believe you killed me.”
Matthew laughed.
“Still dramatic.”
Declan looked at Amelia.
“I need to tell you something.”
She stared at him.
“What?”
“The night Matthew died.”
Her heart pounded.
“I never saw him.”
“I know.”
“But I heard something.”
“What?”
“Someone told me I had a brother.”
“Who?”
“My mother.”
Declan's eyes dropped.
“She said Matthew survived the crash.”
Amelia whispered, “Then why did you believe he died?”
“Because the next morning, she was dead.”
Silence.
Declan sat down.
“My father told me Matthew's death was my fault.”
Amelia stared.
“What?”
“He said Matthew had been in my car.”
Matthew's face changed.
“I was.”
Declan looked at him.
“What?”
“The night of the crash.”
Matthew's voice trembled.
“I was in your car.”
Declan stood.
“That wasn't what they told me.”
“You were six.”
Matthew swallowed.
“You were driving down the service road.”
Declan's eyes widened.
“I remember the rain.”
“Yes.”
“I remember the explosion.”
“Yes.”
“You were there.”
Matthew nodded.
“You pulled me out.”
Declan froze.
“All these years…”
Matthew stepped closer.
“You saved me.”
A tear appeared in Declan's eye.
He looked away.
Amelia felt something in her chest break open.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
Something smaller.
Possibility.
Then Matthew looked at the microfilm.
“There's one page missing.”
Declan asked, “Which one?”
Matthew answered:
“The page that names the final heir.”
A knock sounded at the farmhouse door.
Everyone froze.
A voice came from outside.
“Amelia?”
Her blood froze.
May you like
She knew that voice.
Her mother.
