Chapter 8 - The Dead Man
Thomas Thornton had supposedly died of pancreatic cancer.
James attended the funeral.
At least, Victor said he had.
James couldn't remember it.
They opened the grave forty-eight hours later.
The coffin contained ashes.
Not a body.
DNA analysis of preserved medical samples revealed another truth.
Thomas Thornton had never had pancreatic cancer.
His death had been staged.
James sat inside the family chapel staring at his father's portrait.
Evelyn entered slowly.
She was still recovering, but refused to remain in bed.
“You look angry.”
“I am.”
“At him?”
“At myself.”
“You lost your memory, James.”
“I also built an empire on information, and apparently everyone around me knew my life better than I did.”
Evelyn sat beside him.
“Not everyone.”
He looked at her.
“You remembered who you were even when I couldn't.”
She smiled sadly.
“I remembered who you were to me.”
Their hands nearly touched.
Neither completed the movement.
Too much time stood between them.
Victor entered.
“We found Rebecca.”
She had turned herself in.
Not to James.
To federal agents.
Rebecca demanded immunity in exchange for Thomas Thornton.
James met her in an interrogation room.
She looked exhausted.
“Your father is alive,” she said.
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Then you're useless.”
“No.”
Rebecca pushed a folder toward him.
“He's the reason Richard tried to kill you.”
James opened it.
Thomas had been laundering the family's criminal money into legitimate businesses for decades.
Richard discovered it.
Then joined him.
James discovered both.
Evelyn had helped him trace the accounts.
“The accident wasn't only meant to kill you,” Rebecca said. “It was supposed to destroy evidence.”
“Why did you help them?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“Because your father promised me you.”
James felt sick.
“He knew I loved you. He said Evelyn was temporary. He said if she disappeared, eventually you'd see me.”
“And when I survived without memories?”
“I convinced myself fate had given me what I wanted.”
Rebecca cried.
“I became the worst version of myself, James.”
He didn't comfort her.
“But you helped Evelyn.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she was pregnant.”
Rebecca's voice broke.
“I could hate her. I couldn't murder a baby.”
James stared through the glass.
“Where is my father?”
“He'll come for Luna.”
James turned sharply.
“Why?”
“Because Luna is the only living person besides you who can legally claim controlling ownership of Thornton Consolidated if certain trusts are activated.”
James understood.
“This was never only criminal.”
“No. It's billions.”
His phone vibrated.
Victor.
James answered.
“Luna is gone.”
The room became silent.
“What?”
“Someone triggered a fire alarm at the hospital. Hannah was injured. Evelyn is safe. Luna disappeared during evacuation.”
James looked at Rebecca.
She whispered, “Thomas.”
James grabbed her arm.
“Where would he take her?”
“I don't know.”
“Think.”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Then opened them.
“The lake house.”
James remembered moonlight.
A dock.
Evelyn barefoot.
A promise.
The lake house.
They reached it in under an hour.
James entered alone.
Luna sat at a dining table.
An elderly man stood behind her.
Thomas Thornton.
His father.
Older.
Thinner.
Alive.
“Hello, son.”
James raised his gun.
“Move away from her.”
Thomas smiled.
“You always were dramatic.”
Luna stared at James.
“Daddy.”
“It's okay.”
Thomas laughed.
“No, it isn't.”
He placed a hand on Luna's shoulder.
James's finger tightened against the trigger.
“Touch her again and you'll lose the hand.”
Thomas's smile vanished.
“There he is.”
“Who?”
“My son.”
James stared at him.
“You tried to kill me.”
“I tried to save what generations of Thorntons built.”
“You poisoned Evelyn.”
Thomas shrugged.
“She wouldn't stop.”
Luna suddenly bit his hand.
Thomas shouted.
She ran.
James lunged forward.
A gunshot exploded.
James fell.
“Daddy!”
Luna screamed.
Thomas grabbed her.
Then another shot rang out.
Thomas collapsed.
Rebecca stood in the doorway holding a gun.
Blood spread across her shoulder.
“Take the girl,” she gasped.
Victor's men flooded the house.
James struggled upright.
The bullet had grazed his side.
Luna threw herself into his arms.
Rebecca sank against the doorway.
James caught her before she hit the floor.
She looked at him.
“I know this doesn't fix anything.”
“No.”
“I loved you badly.”
James said nothing.
Rebecca smiled weakly.
“Evelyn loved you better.”
Paramedics rushed in.
As they carried Rebecca away, Thomas Thornton was handcuffed.
For the first time in decades, the Thornton empire had no enemy left at its center.
Or so James believed.
Then Victor walked out of the lake house holding a document found inside Thomas's safe.
“James.”
“What now?”
Victor looked troubled.
“This is Luna's birth certificate.”
James stared at it.
His name appeared under Father.
But beneath the certificate was another document.
A guardianship order.
Signed five years earlier.
By James himself.
Granting custody of Luna, in the event of his death or incapacity, to one person.
Not Evelyn.
Not Victor.
May you like
Not Richard.
Rebecca Hartwell.
