Chapter 16: The Blood Beneath the Lies
Wade stared at Susan as if the woman standing in the doorway had just spoken a language he could not understand.
"Take that back.""
Susan's eyes filled with tears.
"I wish I could.""
"Daniel is my son.""
"I know how much you love him.""
"He's my son!""
Wade slammed his fist against the workbench. A wrench rolled to the floor.
Martha stepped between them.
"Susan, you need to explain.""
Susan looked at her.
"I will. But not here.""
Frank moved toward the door.
"We're safe inside.""
"No, Frank. We're not.""
She glanced at the security camera above the entrance.
"That camera has been transmitting since you opened this building.""
Lucas immediately pulled his laptop closer.
"To where?""
Susan shook her head.
"Thomas's private security network.""
Lucas began typing.
"Then I'll shut it down.""
"Don't," Susan warned.
"If you disconnect it, they'll know we're here.""
Lucas stopped.
"Who is watching?""
Susan looked at Frank.
"Someone who has been waiting for all of you to gather in one place.""
Wade stepped forward.
"Enough riddles. Tell me about Daniel.""
Susan took a breath.
"In 1996, I discovered Thomas was using children to hide money. He created accounts in their names, moved stolen assets through those accounts, then erased the children's identities when the transactions became dangerous.""
Martha frowned.
"Children like Sarah?""
"And Daniel.""
Wade shook his head.
"Daniel was born to me and Susan. I was there when he was born.""
Susan nodded.
"You were. But there was a secret your family never knew.""
She turned toward Frank.
"Tell him.""
Frank looked at Wade.
"Daniel's mother was Susan's younger sister.""
Wade's face changed.
"What?""
Susan lowered her eyes.
"My sister couldn't raise him. She was involved with Thomas's operation, and she was afraid the people around him would use the baby. I agreed to raise him as my own.""
Wade stared.
"You told me he was ours.""
"I loved him as my own.""
"That doesn't answer me.""
Susan's voice broke.
"I was trying to protect him.""
Wade backed away.
"Who was his father?""
Susan didn't answer.
Frank did.
"Thomas Bell.""
Silence.
Wade looked from Frank to Susan.
"You're telling me Daniel is Thomas's son?""
Susan nodded.
"And Sarah is yours," Frank added.
Wade turned toward him.
"What?""
"Sarah is your biological daughter. Susan had her before she disappeared. She was born during a brief separation between you and Susan.""
Wade looked as though someone had struck him.
"Then why was she given away?""
"Because Thomas knew she was yours," Susan said.
"He wanted a child with your name and a child with his blood inside the same family. He believed he could control both.""
Wade sank into a chair.
"All those years...""
Susan approached him, but he raised his hand.
"Don't.""
She stopped.
"I spent thirty years mourning a son who was alive. I buried an empty casket. I believed you were dead. And now you're telling me the family I thought I had wasn't even real?""
Susan began to cry.
"The love was real.""
Wade looked at her.
"Was any of it real?""
Before she could answer, Lucas's laptop beeped.
He looked at the screen.
"We have a problem.""
A map appeared.
Three vehicles were approaching the repair shop.
One was a black SUV.
The second was a gray van.
The third was a police cruiser.
Martha frowned.
"Police?""
Lucas enlarged the image.
"The cruiser has no registration number.""
Frank immediately grabbed his jacket.
"Everybody out.""
Susan shook her head.
"There's another way.""
She walked to the back wall and pressed a metal plate.
A narrow door opened behind a shelving unit.
Wade stared.
"How long have you known about this place?""
Susan looked at him.
"Since 1996.""
They hurried into the passage.
Duke helped Daniel, whose wounded arm was still heavily bandaged, down the narrow steps. Daniel gritted his teeth but refused assistance.
At the bottom, the passage opened into an underground garage.
Two motorcycles and an old delivery van stood inside.
Frank pointed toward the motorcycles.
"Take those.""
Wade stopped.
"I'm not leaving without answers.""
Susan turned.
"Then you'll never get them.""
She reached into her coat and pulled out a photograph.
It showed Thomas Bell standing beside a younger man.
The man had Wade's face.
Wade stared.
"Who is that?""
Susan whispered:
"Your father.""
Wade shook his head.
"My father died before I met you.""
"No. He didn't.""
She pointed at the photograph.
"Thomas didn't just steal your family. He stole your father's identity.""
Frank looked at the picture.
"That's impossible.""
Susan nodded.
"Thomas was born Thomas Mercer. He changed his name after taking over the Bell family business.""
Wade's face drained.
"Mercer?""
Susan looked at him.
"Thomas was your uncle.""
The underground garage went silent.
Wade stared at the photograph.
His entire life had been built around a lie.
Then the sound of heavy footsteps echoed above them.
Lucas checked his laptop.
"They're inside.""
Susan looked at Frank.
"There's one more thing you need to know.""
Frank's jaw tightened.
"What?""
"The original executor of the trust isn't Thomas.""
She turned toward Martha.
"It's you.""
Martha frowned.
"Me?""
Susan nodded.
"Your mother named you before Thomas took control. The documents Lucas found were only part of the agreement.""
Lucas looked up.
"Then why did Thomas say he was the executor?""
"Because he forged the appointment.""
Frank looked toward the staircase.
"Where's the real document?""
Susan reached into her coat and removed a small envelope.
Before she could hand it to Martha, a gunshot rang out above them.
The lights went dark.
And from the stairwell came a voice Wade recognized.
"Hello, Uncle Wade.""
It was Daniel.
But Daniel was standing beside him.
May you like
The voice came again.
"Did you really think I was the only son Thomas had?""
