Chapter 13 - The Pendleton Family LieEverybody Had Been Lying to MeWe escaped the church through the crypt.
Arthur carried Marcus.
I carried Noah.
Owen clung to my dress.
Nobody spoke.
When we reached the car, Arthur finally told me the truth.
“Your father didn't betray me.”
I stared.
“Then who did?”
“My father.”
“Why?”
“Because he discovered Thomas wanted to expose Julian.”
“And you?”
“I tried to stop him.”
I looked at Arthur.
“You killed your own father?”
Arthur looked through the windshield.
“No.”
“Then?”
“My father was killed by Julian.”
My mind spun.
“You said you killed him.”
“I told everyone I did.”
“Why?”
“To protect Thomas.”
Arthur explained everything.
Thomas had discovered Julian's trafficking network.
Their father found out.
Julian murdered him.
Then framed Thomas.
Arthur helped Thomas disappear.
Daniel helped hide the evidence.
When Julian found out, he hunted Daniel.
Mom took me and Noah.
Thomas took Owen.
Then something happened.
A mistake.
Thomas returned Noah to Elena because he believed the boy would be safer with us.
Julian found out.
And started tracking him.
“Then why did everyone say Thomas was dead?”
“Because that was the only way to keep him alive.”
I stared at Arthur.
“And my father?”
Arthur swallowed.
“Daniel was captured.”
“When?”
“Eight years ago.”
I felt cold.
“He's alive?”
Arthur looked at me.
“We don't know.”
That answer hurt.
Then Mom woke.
She was weak but conscious.
She whispered:
“Daniel is alive.”
Arthur turned.
“How do you know?”
“He contacted me before the poisoning.”
“Where?”
Mom struggled.
“Old river warehouse.”
Arthur's phone rang.
A message appeared.
You have thirty minutes. Come alone.
Coordinates followed.
I recognized the address.
The grocery store.
The place where Arthur first found me.
“No.”
Arthur looked at me.
“What?”
“That's the store.”
He stared at the message.
His face changed.
“They're bringing this back to the beginning.”
We arrived with no backup.
The store was closed.
The sign was dark.
Martin Kelly stood inside.
The manager.
He had a gun pointed at a man tied to a chair.
My father.
I stopped breathing.
“Dad?”
Daniel lifted his head.
Our eyes met.
He started crying.
“My God.”
I ran.
Arthur caught my shoulder.
“Wait.”
Martin laughed.
“There's your little girl.”
He looked at Arthur.
“And your biggest mistake.”
Arthur raised his gun.
“Let him go.”
Martin shook his head.
“You still don't understand.”
He pressed the gun to Daniel's temple.
“Julian never wanted the girl.”
Arthur froze.
“Then what?”
Martin smiled.
“He wanted Arthur.”
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Martin turned toward me.
“It was never about Noah.”
He pointed at Arthur.
“It was never about the ledger.”
Then he smiled.
“Julian wanted Arthur to become exactly what he feared.”
Arthur's face went cold.
“To become?”
Martin fired.
But the bullet struck the wall.
Daniel had moved.
And as the gunfire erupted, I saw something fall from my father's pocket.
A photograph.
On it were Arthur, Thomas, Daniel...
And a fourth person.
May you like
My mother.
Standing beside Julian.
