Chapter 12 - GARRETT’S FATHER HAD WATCHED THEM FOR YEARSRichard Blackwood was alive.
Detective Reed refused to accept it based on blurry footage.
Victor did.
“The body at Richard’s funeral was never publicly viewed.”
Garrett shook his head.
“I saw him at the hospital.”
“After he died?”
“No.”
“Who identified the body?”
“My mother.”
Silence.
Eleanor.
Of course.
Richard’s death had been convenient.
Murder suspicion fell on Victor.
Richard disappeared.
Eleanor controlled the family.
And everyone stopped looking.
“Why fake his death?” Evelyn asked.
Victor answered.
“Because your father’s archive could destroy him.”
“But my father was already dead.”
“Richard didn’t know who else had copies.”
Garrett stared at the image.
“My father let me believe he was dead.”
Victor looked at him.
“Apparently.”
Garrett laughed bitterly.
“This family loves that trick.”
A traffic camera found Thomas Vale’s SUV.
Heading east.
Victor traced probable routes.
One led toward an abandoned private airfield that had once belonged to Mercer Holdings.
Evelyn recognized the name.
“Mercer Field.”
Her father used to take her there.
Victor looked at her.
“Exactly.”
“Why there?”
“Underground storage.”
Samuel added:
“And possibly part of the archive.”
Police organized a tactical response.
Evelyn insisted on going.
Reed refused.
Then Thomas Vale called her.
Unknown number.
Evelyn answered.
“Mrs. Blackwood.”
“Where is my son?”
“Safe.”
“Let me hear him.”
A pause.
Then a baby cried.
Evelyn’s knees almost failed.
“My baby.”
“He has been fed.”
“Give him back.”
“I will.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
Victor moved closer, listening.
Thomas continued.
“Mercer Field. Hangar Three. One hour.”
“No police.”
Evelyn almost laughed.
“Of course.”
“Bring the documents from Box 417.”
Her blood froze.
How did he know?
Victor looked sharply at her.
She had never told him.
Thomas said:
“Yes, Evelyn. I know Martin spoke to you.”
“What’s in the box that you want?”
“Truth.”
“About what?”
“Your father.”
“Victor?”
Thomas laughed softly.
“That depends which father you mean.”
Evelyn looked at Victor.
Thomas continued.
“You’ve learned Victor is biological.”
“Yes.”
“But Charles Mercer was your father in every way that mattered.”
Her throat tightened.
“What do you know about Charles?”
“More than Victor does.”
Victor leaned toward the phone.
“Thomas.”
Silence.
Then Thomas’s voice changed.
“Victor.”
“Give her the baby.”
“You still give orders like Richard taught you.”
“You killed Eleanor?”
“No.”
“Laura?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Thomas ignored him.
“Evelyn comes to the airfield.”
Then, before hanging up:
“And if you want to know who actually ordered Charles Mercer’s plane to be destroyed, bring Garrett.”
The line went dead.
Garrett stared at the phone.
“Why me?”
Victor answered.
“Because Richard is your father in every way except blood.”
Garrett looked toward the road.
Evelyn thought about her son.
Nothing else mattered.
“I’m going.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
“My baby is there.”
“We use police.”
“If Thomas sees them, he could run.”
“You gave birth yesterday.”
“I know exactly when I gave birth.”
“You can barely walk.”
“Then help me walk.”
Victor stared at her.
Something almost paternal entered his expression.
Evelyn noticed.
So did he.
He stepped back.
“I spent thirty years not knowing I had a daughter.”
“This is not the time.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t start deciding for me because DNA says you’re my father.”
Victor nodded slowly.
“Fair.”
Garrett said:
“I’m going too.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“You heard Thomas.”
“I don’t care what Thomas said.”
“He has our son.”
Garrett’s eyes met hers.
“I know what I did to you.”
“No, you keep saying that.”
“I know I don’t deserve to be near you.”
“Then why are you?”
“Because whatever else I became…”
His voice cracked.
“That boy is my son.”
Evelyn stared at him.
For the first time since the foyer, Garrett looked less like Eleanor’s son and more like a terrified father.
She still didn’t forgive him.
But she believed him.
Victor checked his weapon.
Samuel hid tracking devices in Evelyn’s clothes.
Police would stay at distance.
They drove toward Mercer Field.
As the abandoned hangars appeared against the evening sky, Evelyn’s phone received a photograph.
Her son asleep in Thomas Vale’s arms.
Behind him stood someone else.
Richard Blackwood.
Alive.
Older.
Scarred.
Holding a gun.
May you like
Underneath were four words.
Come meet your real enemy.
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