Chapter 4 - Liam had spent fifteen years learning how to control fear.It was the first rule of survival.
Never show it.
Never let the enemy know what scares you.
Never let emotion control your decisions.
But when Clara said Lily had been taken, something inside him shifted.
“Tell me exactly what the caller said.”
She repeated every word.
Bobby returned with a tablet.
“We have cameras from the diner.”
He played the footage.
Lily was sitting at a booth.
Then the power flickered.
A man entered through the kitchen.
He walked directly toward her.
Lily seemed to recognize him.
She actually smiled.
Clara stared.
“Who is that?”
Liam leaned closer.
The footage paused.
The man turned.
His face was visible for half a second.
Liam froze.
Bobby noticed.
“You know him?”
Liam nodded.
“Everybody knows him.”
“Who?”
Liam's voice dropped.
“Marcus Vale.”
Clara frowned.
“Who's that?”
“Former member.”
“Former?”
“He betrayed the chapter six years ago.”
Bobby looked at the screen.
“He shouldn't be alive.”
Liam turned.
“Apparently he is.”
They traced the vehicle.
A black SUV had been spotted near an abandoned motel outside town.
Liam and six riders left immediately.
Clara followed.
Nobody argued.
The motel sat in the middle of the desert.
Broken windows.
Faded sign.
No cars.
No lights.
Liam raised a hand.
Everyone stopped.
A child's voice echoed from inside.
“Clara?”
Clara nearly ran forward.
Liam caught her.
“Wait.”
Lily shouted again.
“Clara!”
A gunshot followed.
Clara screamed.
“LILY!”
Liam entered first.
The room was empty.
A speaker on the floor played Lily's voice.
Bobby stared.
“Recorded.”
Liam looked around.
Then he saw something.
A red envelope.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Clara.
Tommy.
Their parents.
And a fourth person.
A man Clara had never seen before.
On the back was one sentence.
ASK YOUR MOTHER.
Clara stared.
“My mother?”
Liam turned to her.
“What did your mother do?”
“She died when I was eleven.”
“That isn't an answer.”
Clara looked at the photograph.
“I don't know.”
A second envelope fell from Liam's hand.
Inside was a hospital bracelet.
The name read:
LILY HIGGINS.
Clara's face went pale.
“That isn't possible.”
“What?”
“Lily was born six years ago.”
The bracelet was dated seven years earlier.
Clara shook her head.
“No.”
Liam studied her.
“Where was Lily born?”
“At County General.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He looked at Bobby.
“Call someone.”
Minutes later, the hospital record came back.
Lily had never been born there.
Clara stared at the phone.
“No.”
Liam watched her.
“The certificate?”
“County records say the birth certificate was filed privately.”
“By whom?”
Clara whispered.
“My mother.”
Liam went still.
“Your mother?”
“She was dead before Lily was born.”
The room became silent.
Then Clara remembered something.
A wooden box.
Her mother's old jewelry box.
She had never opened it because Tommy had always told her there was nothing inside.
She looked at Liam.
“I think Tommy knew.”
A phone rang.
Not Clara's.
Liam's.
He answered.
Marcus Vale's voice filled the room.
“You've finally started asking the right questions.”
Liam's face hardened.
“Where is the girl?”
“Safe.”
“Put her on.”
A pause.
Then Lily's tiny voice.
“Clara?”
Clara cried.
“Lily!”
“I'm okay.”
Marcus returned.
“You have six hours.”
“For what?”
“Bring me the Red Ledger.”
“We don't have it.”
“You do.”
Clara stared at Liam.
Marcus continued.
“And bring the key.”
Clara looked at the red key in Liam's hand.
Marcus laughed softly.
“Your brother hid more than a book, Clara.”
The call ended.
Liam looked at her.
“Your family has been lying to you.”
Clara whispered.
“How long?”
Then Bobby walked over.
He looked shaken.
“President.”
Liam turned.
“What?”
“We checked Clara's mother's records.”
May you like
Bobby swallowed.
“She wasn't who Clara thought she was.”
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