Chapter 18 - THE CHURCH
The church stood at the end of an abandoned road.
It had been closed for years.
Broken windows.
Overgrown grass.
A faded wooden cross above the entrance.
Sarah walked beside me.
Mark stayed behind with Lily and Michael.
We had agreed that Lily would remain hidden.
Only Sarah and I would enter.
I didn't like the plan.
Neither did Sarah.
But we had no choice.
Inside, the church smelled of dust and rain.
Rows of empty pews stretched toward the altar.
A single light hung above it.
Daniel stood beneath it.
He was holding a folder.
"Thomas."
"Where's my mother?"
"Alive."
"Where?"
"Somewhere safe."
Sarah stepped forward.
"You lied to us."
Daniel looked at her.
"I protected you."
"You kidnapped me."
"I saved you."
"You destroyed my family."
Daniel's expression didn't change.
"Your family was already destroyed."
Sarah looked at him with hatred.
"You killed people."
"Some."
"How many?"
"Enough."
I stepped forward.
"What do you want?"
"The trust."
"You'll never get it."
"I don't need the money."
"Then why?"
Daniel looked at Sarah.
"Because the money isn't money."
I frowned.
"What?"
"It's evidence."
He opened the folder.
Inside were documents.
Names.
Payments.
Government accounts.
Politicians.
Corporations.
Banks.
People who had been protected for decades.
The insurance network was only the surface.
The real operation was much larger.
Daniel looked at me.
"The forty-two million is a map."
"A map to what?"
"The people who built it."
Sarah whispered:
"My father."
Daniel nodded.
"And yours."
I stared at him.
"My father?"
"Robert wasn't your biological father."
I felt the world tilt.
"What?"
Daniel smiled.
"Your mother had another child before you."
My mother.
Another child.
I couldn't breathe.
"Who?"
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward the church doors.
They opened.
Mark walked in.
Lily was beside him.
I turned.
"Mark!"
Daniel smiled.
"I told you to come alone."
Mark looked at me.
"I couldn't."
Lily was crying.
Daniel approached her.
Sarah stepped in front of her.
"No."
Daniel stopped.
"Lily."
The little girl looked at him.
"Do you know who I am?"
She shook her head.
"I'm the reason your mother survived."
Sarah stared.
"What?"
Daniel looked at her.
"Robert wanted you dead."
"I know."
"He ordered the crash."
Sarah froze.
Daniel continued.
"But I changed the plan."
"Why?"
"Because I needed you alive."
"For what?"
Daniel looked at Lily.
"To create the trust."
I finally understood.
The entire operation had been designed around one child.
Lily.
Daniel continued.
"Robert wanted the money."
"My mother hid it."
"Yes."
"And you?"
"I wanted the evidence."
Sarah stepped forward.
"Then why kill people?"
Daniel looked tired.
"Because people talk."
I felt disgusted.
"You murdered them."
He looked at me.
"Yes."
No denial.
No excuse.
Just the truth.
Then police sirens sounded outside.
Daniel smiled.
"Too late."
Mark looked confused.
"What?"
Daniel pointed toward the door.
"The police are here."
Sarah's face changed.
"They're working for you."
"No."
Daniel shook his head.
"They're here for me."
The doors burst open.
Armed officers entered.
Weapons raised.
"Everyone on the ground!"
Daniel dropped the folder.
Sarah grabbed Lily.
Mark raised his hands.
I knelt.
Then one officer looked directly at me.
"Thomas Bennett?"
"Yes."
He lowered his weapon.
"We've been looking for you."
"Why?"
He held up a photograph.
It showed me.
Standing outside the warehouse.
Underneath was a warrant.
"For the murder of Sarah Bennett."
I stared.
"What?"
The officer continued:
"You're under arrest."
I looked at Sarah.
She was frozen.
Daniel smiled.
And I finally understood the last part of his plan.
May you like
He didn't need to kill me.
He only needed to make everyone believe I had killed my own daughter.
