Chapter 4 - The Lake House
At 11:43 p.m., Adrian Blackwood broke the first rule that had kept him alive for twenty years.
He trusted someone he had every reason not to trust.
Clara.
They drove north toward Lake Forest without police, without the Blackwood convoy, and without Marcus.
At least that was what Victor was supposed to believe.
Marcus followed two miles behind with four men and no headlights whenever the road allowed it.
Clara sat beside Adrian.
Neither spoke for ten minutes.
Finally she said, “If Victor really is my father, he won't hurt me.”
Adrian kept his eyes on the road.
“You don't know him.”
“Neither do you anymore.”
“I knew him well enough.”
“You knew the man he wanted you to see.”
Adrian looked at her.
“That sounds personal.”
“I just discovered my father is a supposedly dead criminal who kidnapped a seven-year-old.”
“Fair.”
Silence returned.
Clara looked through the rain-streaked window.
“I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“Lily.”
“You didn't take her.”
“She was following me.”
“You don't know that.”
“I do.”
She held up Lily’s missing pink ribbon.
“I found this beside my mother's box. She went back for something.”
Adrian’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“She wanted to help you.”
Clara's voice broke.
“She's seven.”
“She also once called 911 because I wouldn't let her adopt a raccoon.”
Clara stared at him.
“Seriously?”
“Very.”
Despite everything, she laughed.
It was the first time Adrian had heard her laugh outside the manor.
For one strange second, the terror loosened its grip.
Then the lake house appeared.
Dark timber.
Stone chimney.
Black water behind it.
Adrian parked.
“Stay behind me.”
“He asked for me.”
“And he's getting both of us.”
They entered.
One lamp burned in the living room.
Victor Hale sat beside the fireplace.
Clara stopped.
She had spent her entire life imagining a father without a face.
Now he was twenty feet away.
Sixty-three.
Silver hair.
Lean.
Elegant.
A black stone ring on his right hand.
He smiled.
“Clara.”
She felt nothing.
That surprised her.
“Where's Lily?”
Victor's smile faded.
“Your mother gave you her directness.”
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Show me.”
Victor looked at him.
“Still impatient.”
“And you're still hiding behind children.”
That landed.
Victor's jaw tightened.
He pressed a button.
A television turned on.
Lily was asleep on a sofa in another room.
Evelyn sat beside her.
Adrian moved toward the hallway.
Victor raised a gun.
“No.”
Clara stepped between them.
“Why did you bring me here?”
Victor stared at her for a long moment.
“Because you are my daughter.”
“That wasn't important for twenty-eight years.”
“Your mother made sure I couldn't find you.”
“She was right.”
Pain flashed across his face.
“You know nothing about what happened.”
“I know you kidnapped a child.”
“I rescued Lily.”
“From whom?”
Victor looked at Adrian.
“From the man standing behind you.”
Clara turned slightly.
Adrian didn't react.
Victor continued.
“Ask him what his father built Blackwood Industries with.”
“I don't care.”
“You should. Blood money has a way of collecting interest.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“My father is dead. Lily had nothing to do with him.”
“No. But you do.”
Victor walked toward the fireplace.
“Richard Blackwood ordered my death. He stole my company, my patents, my accounts, my future.”
“And so you took my wife?”
Victor smiled.
“I took evidence.”
Adrian lunged.
Clara stopped him.
“Where is Evelyn?”
“Upstairs.”
“Why did she warn Adrian not to trust me?”
Victor's expression changed.
“I didn't tell her to say that.”
Adrian noticed.
“You weren't controlling her tonight.”
“No.”
“Then why did she say it?”
A door opened upstairs.
Evelyn appeared.
“Because Clara wasn't supposed to exist.”
Everyone looked up.
Evelyn descended slowly.
Adrian stared at her like a starving man looking at food he was afraid to touch.
Lily was not with her.
“Where is she?”
“Sleeping.”
“Bring her down.”
“Adrian—”
“Now.”
Evelyn stopped three steps above him.
“You still give orders when you're scared.”
“And you still disappear when things get difficult.”
Her face tightened.
“You think this was easy?”
“I buried an empty coffin.”
“I know.”
“I told our daughter her mother was dead.”
“I know.”
“I spent six years—”
His voice failed.
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
Adrian looked away.
Clara suddenly felt like an intruder in someone else's grief.
Victor did not.
“Touching,” he said.
Evelyn turned.
“Shut up.”
Victor smiled faintly.
That was when Clara realized something.
Evelyn wasn't Victor's prisoner.
Not anymore.
She hated him.
But she wasn't afraid of him.
“Why did you warn Adrian about me?” Clara asked.
Evelyn looked at her.
“Because Victor had been searching for Anna Bennett’s daughter for years.”
“My mother hid me.”
“Yes.”
“So you thought I worked for him.”
“I couldn't risk Lily.”
Victor laughed.
“You both give me far too much credit.”
Adrian turned.
“Who took Lily from Clara’s apartment?”
Victor’s smile vanished.
Nobody answered.
Then they heard applause.
Slow.
Deliberate.
From the doorway behind them.
Marcus Reed walked in.
Adrian stared.
Marcus held a pistol.
Behind him stood two of the Blackwood guards.
Both weapons raised.
Victor sighed.
“There he is.”
Adrian’s voice became quiet.
“You.”
Marcus smiled.
“Me.”
Clara backed toward Evelyn.
Marcus looked almost relaxed.
“I've spent nine years protecting you, Adrian. Do you know how exhausting it is watching a man inherit everything simply because of his last name?”
“You worked for Victor?”
Marcus laughed.
“Victor thinks everyone works for him.”
Victor's face darkened.
Marcus continued.
“I worked for Richard first.”
Adrian froze.
“My father?”
“Until I learned what he had hidden.”
“What?”
“An account.”
Victor stepped forward.
Marcus pointed the gun at him.
“Don't.”
Victor stopped.
Marcus looked at Adrian.
“Three hundred and twelve million dollars. Hidden before Richard died. Accessible only through biometric keys tied to three people.”
“Who?”
“You.”
Marcus turned toward Evelyn.
“Your wife.”
Then toward Clara.
“And Victor's biological daughter.”
Clara stared.
“My father put me on an account?”
“No.”
Marcus smiled.
“Your mother did.”
Clara felt the floor disappear beneath her.
Marcus looked toward the staircase.
“And now I have all three of you.”
Adrian glanced upstairs.
“Lily.”
Marcus smiled wider.
“She's the reason I knew you'd all come willingly.”
From upstairs came a child's voice.
But Lily wasn't crying.
She was shouting.
“Daddy!”
Then came a crash.
Marcus turned instinctively.
It was enough.
Adrian attacked.
The room erupted.
A gun fired.
Glass shattered.
Evelyn pulled Clara down.
Victor tackled one guard.
Adrian drove Marcus into the wall.
Another gunshot.
Then silence.
Marcus lay bleeding from the shoulder.
Adrian stood over him.
“Where is my daughter?”
A tiny voice came from behind the sofa.
“Here.”
Everyone turned.
Lily crawled out.
She had escaped the upstairs room through an old laundry chute.
Adrian crossed the room in three strides and dropped to his knees.
Lily ran into him.
He held her so tightly she squeaked.
“Daddy.”
“I've got you.”
Evelyn stood several feet away, tears streaming down her face.
Lily saw her.
She slowly released Adrian.
Then she walked toward the mother she couldn't remember.
“Are you really my mommy?”
Evelyn covered her mouth.
“Yes.”
Lily stared at her.
Then asked the question nobody expected.
“If you're my mommy, why didn't you come get me?”
Evelyn's face collapsed.
Before she could answer, Marcus began laughing from the floor.
Adrian turned.
Marcus looked at Lily.
“You people still don't understand.”
“Understand what?”
May you like
Marcus smiled through the blood.
“Richard Blackwood isn't dead.”
