CHAPTER 5 THE BOY WHO DISAPPEARED
Gavin stared at the photograph.
The words on the back seemed to burn into his mind.
THE DAY GAVIN WAS REPLACED.
He read them again.
Then again.
His fingers tightened around the photograph until the paper bent.
“You said I may not be Gavin Roberson.”
Priscilla didn't answer.
Gavin stepped toward her.
“Say it again.”
She swallowed.
“I said you may not be the biological son of Richard Roberson.”
The world seemed to tilt.
For twenty years, Gavin had built his entire identity around one fact.
He was a Roberson.
His father's son.
The heir to an empire.
The man who would eventually control everything his grandfather had built.
And now, in the space of a few minutes, that identity had become a question.
He held up the photograph.
“Who is this boy?”
Priscilla stared at it.
“I don't know.”
“You just told me I may not be who I think I am.”
“I said you may not be his biological son.”
“Then who is?”
“I don't know.”
Gavin laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“Everyone knows something except me.”
Priscilla looked away.
“Gavin…”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“You're going to tell me everything.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“I'll get you killed.”
He froze.
Priscilla's voice dropped.
“They've already killed people to keep this secret.”
Gavin looked at the photograph again.
“Who?”
“People who knew about your birth.”
“My birth?”
“Yes.”
“Where was I born?”
“San Diego.”
“Which hospital?”
Priscilla hesitated.
Gavin's eyes hardened.
“Which hospital?”
“St. Catherine's.”
Gavin frowned.
He had never heard that name.
“That's not where my birth certificate says.”
Priscilla nodded.
“Because the hospital record was changed.”
“By whom?”
“Your grandfather.”
Gavin stepped backward.
“Why?”
Priscilla's eyes filled with tears.
“Because the real child died.”
Silence.
Gavin couldn't breathe.
“What?”
“The boy who was supposed to inherit the Roberson fortune…”
She looked at him.
“…died when he was three days old.”
Gavin stared at her.
“No.”
“Your grandfather couldn't accept it.”
“No.”
“He ordered the records changed.”
“No.”
“He found another baby.”
Gavin's voice became almost inaudible.
“Me?”
Priscilla nodded.
“You were brought into the Roberson family.”
Gavin shook his head.
“That's impossible.”
“It's true.”
“Then who were my biological parents?”
Priscilla looked toward Evelyn's missing purse lying on the floor.
“Your mother knows.”
Gavin immediately reached for his phone.
He called Evelyn.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
He called his security team.
“Track my mother's phone.”
A voice replied.
“Already doing it.”
“Where is it?”
“Moving toward the harbor.”
Gavin looked at Priscilla.
“How long?”
“Seven minutes.”
He started toward the door.
Priscilla followed.
“Gavin.”
He stopped.
“What?”
“If you go there, don't trust anyone.”
He stared at her.
“Not even you?”
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Gavin walked out.
The mansion was almost empty now.
The guests had been evacuated.
Security officers searched every room.
The once-glamorous engagement party looked like the aftermath of a storm.
Broken glasses covered the floor.
Blood stained the marble.
The giant floral arrangements had been knocked over.
A champagne fountain still flowed quietly in the corner.
Gavin barely noticed.
He walked straight to the garage.
His black SUV waited.
Taylor followed him.
Nora grabbed her.
“Taylor, stay here.”
The little girl shook her head.
“No.”
Gavin turned.
“Taylor.”
She ran to him.
“Your mommy said I should stay with you.”
Gavin looked at Nora.
She nodded.
“She won't leave your side.”
Gavin crouched.
“It's dangerous.”
Taylor looked at him seriously.
“I know.”
“You could get hurt.”
She shook her head.
“I found you before.”
Gavin almost smiled.
“Found me?”
Taylor nodded.
“You were lost.”
The words hit him strangely.
He stared at the little girl.
Maybe she was right.
Maybe he had been lost long before tonight.
Gavin opened the SUV door.
“Get in.”
Priscilla appeared behind them.
“I’m coming.”
Gavin looked at her.
“No.”
“I know where the warehouse is.”
“I can find it.”
“You don't know the old harbor roads.”
He hesitated.
Priscilla stepped closer.
“You need me.”
Gavin's jaw tightened.
“I don't trust you.”
“You don't have to.”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“But if your mother is there, you may need someone who knows what Richard Bell is capable of.”
Gavin stared at her.
Finally, he opened the passenger door.
“Get in.”
Priscilla climbed inside.
Taylor sat in the back.
Gavin slammed the door.
The SUV roared out of the driveway.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
Then Gavin broke the silence.
“Tell me about Richard Bell.”
Priscilla looked through the windshield.
“He was brilliant.”
“That's not an answer.”
“He was your grandfather's most trusted strategist.”
“My uncle.”
“Yes.”
“Why did my mother say she was an only child?”
“Because Richard disappeared.”
“People don't just disappear.”
“This one did.”
“How?”
Priscilla shook her head.
“Your grandfather had him arrested.”
“For what?”
“Fraud.”
Gavin frowned.
“Was he guilty?”
“No.”
“Then why arrest him?”
“Because Richard discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
Priscilla looked at him.
“The Roberson empire was built on stolen identities.”
Gavin's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“What does that mean?”
“Your grandfather bought companies using shell corporations.”
“That's not unusual.”
“He didn't just buy companies.”
She paused.
“He bought people.”
Gavin looked at her.
“What?”
“Doctors. Lawyers. Judges. Bankers. Police officers.”
A cold sensation crawled up Gavin's spine.
“Why?”
“To control records.”
“Which records?”
“Birth records.”
Gavin suddenly understood.
His entire body went numb.
“You're saying…”
“Yes.”
Priscilla's voice was barely audible.
“Your grandfather had the power to change who legally existed.”
The highway blurred past them.
Gavin couldn't speak.
He remembered childhood photographs.
Birthday parties.
Family vacations.
His grandfather's stern face.
His mother standing beside him.
His father holding Gavin's hand.
Everything looked normal.
But perhaps none of it had been.
“Why would they replace a dead baby with me?”
Priscilla answered quietly.
“Because your father had already promised his shares to his son.”
Gavin looked at her.
“His son?”
“The biological heir.”
“The baby who died.”
“Yes.”
“So if the baby died…”
“The shares would have gone to your grandfather.”
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“But my father didn't want that.”
“No.”
“What did he do?”
“He created a trust.”
“For me?”
“For his child.”
Gavin swallowed.
“How much?”
Priscilla didn't answer.
“How much, Priscilla?”
“Forty-two percent of Roberson Holdings.”
Gavin nearly lost control of the steering wheel.
Forty-two percent.
Worth billions.
The trust was the reason his grandfather needed an heir.
The reason someone needed Gavin to exist.
The reason the truth had been buried.
Gavin's phone rang.
His security chief.
“Mr. Roberson.”
“Talk.”
“We found the vehicle.”
“Where?”
“Harbor District.”
Gavin accelerated.
“Is my mother inside?”
“We don't know.”
“Why?”
“There are three vehicles.”
“Whose?”
“Two belong to unknown companies.”
“And the third?”
A pause.
“Registered to Priscilla Ashford.”
Gavin's eyes moved toward her.
Priscilla went pale.
“That isn't my car.”
Gavin stared at her.
“You have three vehicles?”
“No.”
“Then who registered it?”
“I don't know.”
His phone rang again.
This time, it was an unknown number.
He answered.
“Where is my mother?”
A man's voice replied.
“You're almost here.”
Gavin recognized it.
Richard Bell.
“Let me speak to her.”
“You'll hear her soon.”
A muffled sound came through the phone.
Then Evelyn's voice.
“Gavin!”
His heart stopped.
“Mom!”
“Don't come here!”
The line went silent.
Gavin slammed his hand against the steering wheel.
“Mom!”
Richard returned.
“Your mother still believes she can protect you.”
“Let her go.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When you bring me the photograph.”
Gavin glanced at the picture on the passenger seat.
“What photograph?”
“The one Taylor found.”
Gavin's blood froze.
Richard knew about Taylor.
He knew about the photograph.
He knew what was happening inside the mansion.
He had been watching them.
“You've been there.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Richard laughed.
“Gavin…”
The voice became softer.
“You've spent your whole life believing you inherited your father's company.”
Gavin said nothing.
“You didn't.”
“What do you mean?”
“You inherited his mistake.”
The call ended.
Gavin's eyes stayed on the road.
Priscilla whispered,
“Stop the car.”
“What?”
“Stop.”
“Why?”
“Because we're not going to the warehouse.”
Gavin slammed the brakes.
The SUV stopped.
“What are you talking about?”
Priscilla pointed behind them.
“We've been followed.”
Gavin looked into the rearview mirror.
A black sedan sat fifty yards behind them.
Its headlights were off.
Gavin's security instincts kicked in.
He accelerated.
The sedan followed.
Gavin turned sharply onto a side street.
The sedan followed again.
Priscilla grabbed the dashboard.
“Faster.”
“I know.”
The sedan gained ground.
Taylor began crying in the back.
Gavin looked at her in the mirror.
“Stay down.”
A gunshot cracked.
The rear window exploded.
Taylor screamed.
Gavin swerved.
Another bullet struck the side of the vehicle.
Priscilla ducked.
“They're trying to force us off the road!”
Gavin pushed the accelerator.
The SUV raced toward the harbor.
Then another car appeared ahead.
Blocking the street.
Gavin slammed the brakes.
The SUV skidded sideways.
Before he could react, four men in black suits surrounded them.
Gavin reached for the gun beneath his seat.
Too late.
The driver's door was ripped open.
A masked man pointed a weapon at him.
“Get out.”
Gavin raised his hands.
“Where is my mother?”
The man didn't answer.
He looked at Priscilla.
Then at Taylor.
His expression changed.
He whispered into his radio.
“We found them.”
Gavin's blood ran cold.
A second voice came through the radio.
“Which one?”
The masked man looked at Taylor.
Then at Gavin.
“The girl.”
A pause.
Then the voice replied:
“Take the girl alive.”
Gavin's face went white.
He suddenly understood.
Taylor had never been a random child who wandered into his engagement party.
She had been part of the secret from the beginning.
And someone had been waiting for her to find him.
The masked man reached for Taylor.
May you like
Gavin lunged.
And the night exploded into gunfire.
