Chapter 5 - THE HOUSE ON HARROW STREET
47 Harrow Street looked abandoned.
Damian knew better.
The windows were boarded, but fresh tire marks cut through the wet gravel.
He arrived with only two trusted men.
Not because Evelyn had ordered him to come alone.
Because Damian no longer knew who belonged to Evelyn.
Inside, the house smelled of dust.
He found no Claire.
Instead, he found history.
Photographs covered one wall.
Arthur Cross.
Evelyn.
Politicians.
Police officers.
And Thomas Bennett.
Damian moved closer.
One photograph showed Thomas meeting Victoria secretly.
Another showed Damian’s mother entering a courthouse carrying an envelope.
Then came the final photograph.
Victoria’s damaged car.
Damian stared at it for a long time.
A handwritten note beneath it read:
BRAKE LINE COMPLETE.
He closed his eyes.
Twenty-two years.
For twenty-two years he had wondered whether his mother had been afraid in her final moments.
Now he knew she had been murdered.
A floorboard creaked.
Damian turned with his gun raised.
Marcus stood behind him.
“You came alone enough,” Marcus said.
Damian’s expression remained calm.
“You work for Evelyn.”
“I work for whoever understands reality.”
“Where’s Claire?”
“Alive.”
“Wrong answer.”
Marcus smiled.
“You’re exactly like Arthur.”
Damian struck him before Marcus saw it coming.
The fight was short and brutal.
Marcus was strong.
Damian was furious.
He slammed Marcus against the wall.
“Where?”
Marcus laughed through blood.
“You think saving her changes what you are?”
Damian hit him again.
“Where?”
“Old Cross textile mill.”
Damian stopped.
Marcus smiled.
“Evelyn expected you to figure it out.”
“Why tell me?”
“Because she doesn’t need me anymore.”
Claire had been right.
Marcus knew it.
“She’ll kill you.”
“Yes.”
“So help me.”
Marcus stared at him.
“You’d let me live?”
“No.”
Marcus laughed.
“At least you’re honest.”
Damian stepped back.
“But Claire might convince me.”
That made Marcus hesitate.
Damian saw the opening.
“Help me get her out.”
Marcus finally nodded.
At the textile mill, Claire had already started her own escape.
She had worked one hand free by rubbing the plastic restraint against a broken metal edge behind the chair.
Her wrist bled.
She ignored it.
Caroline watched.
“Almost.”
Claire pulled again.
The restraint snapped.
She freed her sister.
“Run when I tell you.”
“What about you?”
“I’m behind you.”
They reached the hallway.
A guard appeared.
Claire threw a metal tray into his face.
Caroline ran.
Claire followed.
An alarm sounded.
They reached a stairwell.
Then Evelyn appeared above them.
Gun in hand.
“Enough.”
Claire stopped.
Caroline stood behind her.
Evelyn descended.
“You have caused this family more trouble than your father ever did.”
“My father beat you.”
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
“He kept evidence.”
“You don’t know what he kept.”
“I know you’re terrified of it.”
Evelyn pointed the gun at Claire.
“Where is the original ledger?”
“Somewhere you’ll never find.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Then Caroline dies first.”
Claire moved in front of her sister.
“No.”
A voice echoed from below.
“She dies second.”
Damian.
Evelyn turned.
Damian stood at the bottom of the stairs.
Marcus was beside him.
Evelyn’s expression changed.
“Traitor.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“You were going to kill me.”
“Eventually.”
Gunfire erupted.
Claire pulled Caroline down.
Damian fired toward Evelyn’s guards.
Marcus covered them.
For thirty seconds, the stairwell became chaos.
Then silence.
Marcus lay wounded.
Evelyn had disappeared.
Damian ran upstairs.
“Claire!”
She stood.
He reached her and stopped.
For a second neither moved.
Then Damian pulled her against him.
Claire buried her face against his chest.
“You found me.”
“Always.”
The word escaped before he could stop it.
Claire looked up.
Something changed between them.
But Caroline interrupted.
“We need to leave.”
Damian nodded.
They carried Marcus outside.
Police sirens approached in the distance.
Claire looked confused.
“You called the police?”
“Not exactly.”
Damian showed her his phone.
He had sent the evidence from Harrow Street to a federal prosecutor.
Claire stared at him.
“You’re exposing your father’s network.”
“Yes.”
“That could expose you.”
“I know.”
“Damian…”
“I’m finished protecting dead men.”
He touched her cheek where Evelyn had struck her.
“And I’m finished allowing this family to decide what kind of man I become.”
Claire covered his hand with hers.
Then Marcus coughed.
“There’s something you need to know.”
Damian crouched beside him.
Marcus struggled to speak.
“Evelyn isn’t running.”
“What?”
“She’s going back to the estate.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked at Claire.
“Because Victoria Cross hid one final piece of evidence.”
“Where?”
May you like
Marcus smiled weakly.
“In the bedroom where Damian found Claire.”
