Chapter 13 - THE MAN AT THE DOORNobody moved.
The knocking came again.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Leo whispered:
“It's them.”
Daniel raised his weapon.
Marcus stood despite his injury.
Sarah positioned herself between the children and the door.
“Who is it?”
A man's voice answered.
“Family.”
Marcus went white.
He recognized the voice.
“No.”
The door opened.
An elderly man stepped inside.
Gray coat.
Silver hair.
Dark eyes.
Leo had seen his photograph all his life.
His grandfather.
But he was supposed to be dead.
Mia screamed.
Marcus raised his gun.
The man smiled.
“Put it down.”
Marcus fired.
The bullet struck the man's shoulder.
He staggered.
Then smiled again.
Two men rushed through the doorway.
Daniel shot one.
Sarah shot the other.
The grandfather ducked behind the wall.
“Leo!”
The boy froze.
“Come here.”
Leo shook his head.
“You're dead.”
The man laughed.
“Not quite.”
Marcus shouted:
“Don't listen!”
The grandfather looked at him.
“You always were a disappointing son.”
Leo understood.
Marcus was his son.
The man was his grandfather.
The entire family had been tied to Blackridge.
The grandfather continued.
“Your mother betrayed us.”
“She protected us.”
“She ruined everything.”
Leo stepped forward.
“Why did you take Lucy?”
“Because she survived.”
“Survived what?”
His grandfather smiled.
“Your birth.”
Leo frowned.
“What?”
“You weren't supposed to be twins.”
Lucy looked at him.
The man continued.
“Your mother was carrying three children.”
Silence.
Mia whispered:
“Three?”
“One died.”
Leo stared.
The grandfather's smile disappeared.
“But the third child wasn't dead.”
Sarah looked shocked.
“That's impossible.”
“He survived.”
Leo's heart raced.
“Where is he?”
The grandfather looked directly at him.
“Closer than you think.”
A gunshot erupted.
The grandfather fell.
Marcus stared at the smoking weapon.
Daniel looked at him.
“You killed him.”
Marcus lowered the gun.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
The front window shattered.
A sniper round had passed through the grandfather's chest.
The shooter was outside.
Sarah pulled Leo to the floor.
“Someone else is here.”
The grandfather's final breath came as a whisper.
“He's already inside.”
Leo looked around.
Inside the farmhouse.
Who?
May you like
Then Mia screamed.
Lucy was gone.
