Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO RAISED HIMShawn stared at Maria.
“Mom?”
She pointed the weapon at Emma.
“Stay away from her.”
Emma froze.
“What are you doing?”
Maria's face was wet with tears.
“I didn't want you to find out like this.”
Shawn stepped forward.
“You're not my mother?”
Maria closed her eyes.
“No.”
The word destroyed him.
“Twelve years,” Shawn whispered.
“I raised you.”
“That's not what I asked.”
“I know.”
“Who am I?”
Maria lowered the gun.
“You are Evelyn's son.”
Emma stared.
“My brother?”
Maria nodded.
Shawn felt as if the ground had disappeared.
“That means…”
“Yes.”
Shawn looked at Emma.
“She’s your sister.”
Emma whispered:
“Then the photograph…”
Maria nodded.
“Kane lied about her mother.”
Shawn struggled to breathe.
“What about Dad?”
“Don isn't your biological father.”
The cemetery seemed to spin.
“Then why did you raise me?”
“Because Evelyn asked me.”
“When?”
“The night you were born.”
Maria told them everything.
Evelyn had discovered Kane's operation.
She was pregnant with Shawn.
Kane wanted the child because he believed Evelyn had hidden the list inside him somehow.
“Inside me?”
“Your grandfather left instructions. He believed the code would be passed down through memory.”
“Why?”
“He knew Kane would search computers, safes, banks. He wouldn't search a child's mind.”
Shawn stared at the grave.
“My entire childhood was a hiding place.”
Maria nodded.
“Your father protected you.”
“Don?”
“Yes.”
“Why did he lie?”
“Because Kane believed you were his greatest threat.”
A car engine started behind them.
Maria looked up.
“He found us.”
Black SUVs entered the cemetery.
Kane stepped out.
He didn't bring his men.
Only one person.
Brenda.
Shawn stared at her.
“You betrayed us.”
Brenda cried.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
Kane walked forward.
“You always were a difficult man, Shawn.”
Shawn stepped between him and Maria.
“What do you want?”
“The code.”
“I don't know it.”
“You do.”
Kane smiled.
“Your grandfather taught you a number sequence when you were ten.”
Shawn's eyes narrowed.
“Eight. Four. One. Nine.”
Kane's smile disappeared.
“You remember.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
He pulled out a phone.
A live video appeared.
Don was on the screen.
Kane pressed a button.
The lights flickered.
Don's scream came through the speakers.
Shawn's fists tightened.
“Stop.”
“You'll give me the list.”
“How?”
“I'll tell you.”
Kane pointed toward an old stone chapel.
“Inside is a safe.”
Shawn looked at Maria.
She shook her head.
“No.”
Kane smiled.
“Your choice.”
Shawn entered the chapel.
The safe was hidden behind a wooden cross.
He entered the code.
Eight.
Four.
One.
Nine.
The safe opened.
Inside was a black notebook.
Shawn took it.
Kane approached.
“Give it to me.”
Shawn opened the notebook.
Pages of names.
Police.
Judges.
Mayors.
Bankers.
Businessmen.
At the very bottom was one final entry.
THOMAS MILLER.
His grandfather.
But beside the name was another.
KANE.
Shawn looked at Kane.
“You were both on it.”
Kane nodded.
“Your grandfather was going to expose me.”
“And you killed him.”
“No.”
Kane smiled.
“Your mother did.”
Maria gasped.
“That’s a lie.”
Kane held up a final photograph.
Maria standing beside Thomas Miller.
Blood on her hands.
Shawn looked at her.
“Mom?”
Maria's face collapsed.
“I didn't kill him.”
“Then why were you there?”
She whispered:
“Because I found him after Kane did.”
Kane smiled.
“Believe whoever you want.”
Then Brenda suddenly fired.
The bullet struck Kane in the shoulder.
Everyone froze.
Brenda pointed the gun at him.
“You've taken enough from this family.”
Kane dropped to one knee.
He looked at Brenda.
Then laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
A second gunshot rang out.
May you like
Maria collapsed.
Shawn screamed.
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