Chapter 5 - The Man Who Should Be DeadDavid pounded against the steel door.
“Who are you?”
The hooded man removed the hood.
David stared.
The face was older.
Scarred.
Thinner.
But unmistakable.
Arthur Carrow.
His grandfather.
The man David had buried six years ago.
Lily looked confused.
“Daddy, is that Grandpa?”
David couldn't answer.
Arthur smiled.
“You finally opened the archive.”
“How are you alive?”
Arthur's smile disappeared.
“Because your family was never what you thought.”
David turned to Karen.
“You knew.”
Karen lowered her eyes.
“I knew Arthur was alive.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he told me not to.”
David laughed bitterly.
“You married me under his orders.”
Karen didn't deny it.
Arthur opened the steel door.
“Come.”
David stepped out slowly.
“You've been manipulating all of us.”
Arthur looked at Lily.
“No. I was protecting this child.”
“From what?”
“From the inheritance.”
David frowned.
Arthur continued.
“Blackthorn Mansion isn't simply a house. It sits above land worth billions.”
David stared.
“I already know its value.”
“You know nothing.”
Arthur walked toward the old nursery.
“Your great-grandfather created a trust. The family fortune passes through the first surviving heir.”
David looked at Lily.
“You're telling me Lily isn't the heir?”
Arthur shook his head.
“She was born second.”
David stopped.
“And Benjamin?”
“First.”
Silence.
“Where is he?”
Arthur looked at him.
“Closer than you think.”
Karen suddenly whispered, “No.”
Arthur turned.
“You knew the danger.”
“Yes.”
“You knew someone was searching.”
“Yes.”
“So why did you try to destroy the box?”
David looked at Karen.
Arthur answered for her.
“She wasn't trying to steal it.”
David frowned.
“She was trying to burn it.”
“What?”
Karen's eyes filled with tears.
“The box contains names.”
“What names?”
“The people who tried to kill Benjamin.”
David stared.
Arthur reached into his coat.
He pulled out a burned envelope.
“There are seven names.”
David opened it.
The first six were crossed out.
The seventh remained.
David read it.
His blood ran cold.
DAVID CARROW.
He looked up.
“No.”
Arthur nodded.
“Your son was hidden because someone inside this family was willing to sacrifice him.”
“I would never hurt my son.”
“I know.”
“Then why is my name there?”
Arthur's expression became grim.
“Because the person controlling this game wants you to believe you did.”
A sound came from downstairs.
Glass breaking.
Arthur looked toward the staircase.
“They're here.”
“Who?”
Arthur handed David the envelope.
“The people who have been watching Lily.”
David grabbed Lily's hand.
“Where do we go?”
Arthur pointed toward a concealed door.
“Underground.”
Karen hesitated.
David glared at her.
“Move.”
They entered the passage.
Behind them, the mansion doors burst open.
A dozen armed men flooded the foyer.
One of them looked around.
“Find the girl.”
Another voice answered from the stairs.
“And find the box.”
May you like
David heard it.
Then the mansion alarms began screaming.
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