Chapter 13 - THE NIGHT THE BLACKWOOD FAMILY BROKE
Ethan dropped behind a steel support beam.
His security team moved through the flood-control tunnel exactly as planned.
Victor’s men fired toward the loading dock.
Emergency lights flashed red across the warehouse.
Amelia screamed Rose’s name.
Ethan moved toward them.
A guard stepped into his path.
Ethan hit him hard and drove him into the railing.
Another shot struck the floor beside Ethan’s hand.
Then Rose kicked the chair beneath her backward.
The metal legs slammed into Victor.
His gun fell.
Amelia twisted desperately against her restraints.
Ethan reached her first.
For one second, he forgot the warehouse.
The gunfire.
Victor.
Everything.
He touched Amelia’s face.
She stared at him as if afraid he would disappear.
“You came.”
Ethan’s voice broke.
“I should have come seven years ago.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have known.”
Amelia shook her head.
“Later.”
She pointed toward Rose.
“Get our daughter.”
Our daughter.
Ethan cut Rose’s restraints.
She did not know whether to hug him.
So Ethan made the decision for her.
He pulled her into his arms.
Rose went rigid.
Then slowly relaxed.
Victor crawled toward his gun.
Amelia saw him.
“Ethan!”
Ethan turned.
Victor fired.
A body stepped between them.
The bullet struck Charles Blackwood.
Ethan stared in shock.
Charles collapsed beside the loading platform.
He had escaped the hospital and entered through the flood tunnel.
Victor’s face twisted.
“You pathetic old man.”
Charles looked up.
“For once…”
He coughed.
“I chose my son.”
Security tackled Victor.
His gun skidded away.
Within minutes, the terminal was secured.
Victor was handcuffed.
Rose and Amelia were placed inside an armored medical vehicle.
Charles was rushed into emergency surgery.
Ethan climbed beside Amelia.
She reached for his hand.
Her fingers were thin.
Scarred.
But familiar.
He pressed them against his lips.
“I thought you were dead.”
Amelia’s eyes filled with tears.
“I thought you stopped looking.”
“Never.”
She closed her eyes.
“Victor told me you remarried.”
“I didn’t.”
“He showed me photographs.”
“Fake.”
“He told me Lily died.”
Ethan looked toward the other side of the ambulance.
Lily had been brought from the command vehicle.
She climbed inside.
Amelia opened her eyes.
Mother and daughter stared at each other.
Lily whispered.
“Mommy?”
Amelia covered her mouth.
Then she pulled Lily against her chest.
Rose remained near the door.
Watching.
Unsure.
Amelia reached out her other hand.
“Rose.”
The girl did not move.
Amelia began to cry.
“You were my baby before you were ever his prisoner.”
Rose finally stepped forward.
The four of them held one another while the ambulance raced toward Manhattan.
For the first time in seven years, Ethan believed the nightmare might actually be ending.
Then Samuel received a message from forensic investigators.
He looked at Ethan.
“We found the full account number Amelia remembered.”
“What does it contain?”
Samuel’s expression became grave.
“Payments connected to the hospital fire.”
“And?”
“Payments to Dr. Reed.”
“Victor.”
“Charles.”
He paused.
“And someone in your own company who has been helping them since the beginning.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Who?”
May you like
Samuel turned the screen.
Margaret Sloan.
