Chapter 12 - The Brother Nobody KnewNobody spoke.
Alex stared at Noah.
The boy looked down.
Megan seemed unable to breathe.
Daniel stepped backward.
“You never told me.”
Alex barely heard him.
“My father…”
His voice cracked.
“He had another family?”
His mother closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Alex felt something inside him break.
“For how long?”
“Years.”
“Did Dad know Noah?”
“Yes.”
“Did he raise him?”
“No.”
“Why?”
His mother looked at Noah.
“Because Noah was the reason everything started.”
Alex crouched.
“Tell me.”
The boy stared at Jet.
“Dad took pictures.”
“What pictures?”
“People.”
“Who?”
“People who owed money.”
Alex looked at his mother.
She nodded.
“Your father discovered that powerful families were paying Elias to collect secrets.”
“And he helped?”
“At first.”
Alex stared.
“He helped.”
“He thought he could control it.”
His mother began crying.
“Then Claire tried to expose them.”
Megan stepped forward.
“What happened to her?”
“Thomas helped her escape.”
“Then why did she die?”
“She didn't.”
Megan froze.
“What?”
Alex looked up.
“What are you saying?”
His mother swallowed.
“Claire is alive.”
Silence.
A sound came from the hallway.
Jet barked.
Everyone turned.
A woman stood at the end.
No blue scarf.
Dark coat.
Wet hair.
Megan's face went white.
“Claire?”
The woman took one step forward.
“Yes.”
Megan covered her mouth.
Alex lowered his weapon.
“Who are you?”
Claire looked at Noah.
“My son.”
Noah ran to her.
They embraced.
Megan began crying.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I needed them to think that.”
Alex stared.
“Why did you let your daughter disappear?”
Claire's face hardened.
“I didn't.”
“Then what happened?”
“Eva escaped.”
“From who?”
Claire looked at Jet.
“He remembered where she went.”
Alex frowned.
“Where?”
Claire reached into her coat.
She produced a photograph.
Eva.
Older.
Alive.
Standing beside a house in the mountains.
Megan stared at the image.
“She's alive.”
Claire nodded.
“And she's been waiting.”
“For what?”
“For Noah.”
Alex looked at his younger brother.
The boy whispered:
“She told me she'd come back.”
“When?”
Noah pointed toward the window.
“Tonight.”
At that exact moment, a car stopped outside.
Headlights filled the house.
Jet began barking.
Claire grabbed Noah.
Alex raised his weapon.
A woman stepped from the vehicle.
She was carrying a backpack.
She looked up at the house.
Then she smiled.
Eva.
Alive.
She had come home.
But she wasn't alone.
May you like
Three vehicles followed behind her.
And every passenger was carrying a weapon.
