Chapter 5: The Night Lily Disappeared
Ava didn't remember dropping the phone.
She only remembered the sound it made when it hit the concrete.
Maya picked it up.
“Who sent this?””
Ava stared at Denise.
“Mom.””
Denise didn't move.
“Tell me what happened.””
“Ava…”
“The night Lily disappeared.””
Denise's face crumpled.
“Please.””
“No.””
Ava's voice was shaking now.
“You don't get to say please.””
Her father stepped between them.
“Denise, tell her.””
Denise looked at him.
“You weren't there.””
“I know.””
“You don't know what happened.””
“I know enough.””
Denise looked at Lily.
The young woman stood perfectly still.
“I remember that night,” Lily said.
Denise's eyes filled with tears.
“You were four years old.””
“I remember the red curtains.””
Ava frowned.
Lily continued.
“I remember someone carrying me.””
Denise whispered, “You couldn't have remembered that.””
“I remember a man's watch.””
Her father went pale.
“What kind of watch?””
Lily closed her eyes.
“Gold. With a black face.””
Thomas immediately opened his briefcase.
“Your grandfather wore one like that.””
Ava's pulse quickened.
Lily nodded.
“He smelled like cigarettes.””
Denise sank onto the patio chair.
Ava approached her.
“What happened?””
Denise stared at the ground.
“The night your father was arrested, your grandfather came to the house.””
“Why?””
“He wanted Lily.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew your father was going to report him.””
Ava's father clenched his fists.
“He threatened you.””
“He threatened all of us.””
Denise looked up.
“He told me that if I refused, both girls would disappear.””
Ava whispered, “Both?””
Denise nodded.
“He said one daughter could be raised to inherit his empire. The other could be used as leverage.””
Lily's eyes hardened.
“So he took me.””
“Yes.””
“And you let him?””
“I fought him.””
“Mom.””
Denise's voice broke.
“I tried to stop him.””
She looked at Ava.
“But when I saw him holding you…”
She stopped.
Ava felt tears burning her eyes.
“What?””
“He had a gun.””
Silence.
Denise continued.
“I had you in my arms. Lily was in his. Your father was outside arguing with his security men.””
Her father looked down.
“I heard the gunshot.””
Ava turned toward him.
“You thought she was dead?””
“I thought Denise had been shot.””
Denise nodded.
“I wasn't.””
“But Lily was gone.””
“Yes.””
“And then Dad went to prison.””
Denise closed her eyes.
“He was arrested before he could find her.””
Ava looked at Lily.
“Where did you go?””
Lily answered quietly.
“Grandfather's estate.””
Everyone turned.
“He raised me there,” Lily continued.
“He told me my mother abandoned me.””
Denise covered her mouth.
“He told me my father was a criminal.””
Ava's father looked devastated.
“And when did you learn the truth?””
“Three years ago.””
“How?””
Lily reached into her purse and removed a small flash drive.
“Grandfather died.””
She held it up.
“He left this behind.””
Thomas immediately looked interested.
“What is on it?””
“Everything.””
She handed it to him.
Thomas stared at the drive.
“If this is what I think it is…”
“What?””
“Evidence.””
Ava's father stepped closer.
“Evidence of what?””
Lily looked at him.
“Your father's entire operation.””
Thomas nodded slowly.
“Bank transfers. Shell companies. Political payments. False legal records.””
Ava stared at the drive.
“And my father's conviction?””
“On here.””
Her father closed his eyes.
“Then why haven't you released it?””
Lily looked at Denise.
“Because I needed to know whether she was safe.””
Ava frowned.
“Me?””
Lily nodded.
“Grandfather had people watching you.””
Robert looked alarmed.
“Watching her?””
“For years.””
Ava suddenly remembered strange details.
A car that appeared outside her high school.
A man who used to sit in a diner across from her college.
A birthday card with no return address.
She had always dismissed them.
Now they seemed connected.
Maya whispered, “This is insane.””
“No,” Lily said.
“It's worse.””
She looked at Ava.
“Grandfather didn't just leave us the company.””
“What else?””
“He left us a list.””
Thomas's face became serious.
“A list of people who helped him.””
Ava's father asked, “Who?””
Lily reached into her purse again.
She pulled out a folded page.
Then stopped.
Her eyes moved toward Robert.
Ava noticed.
“What's wrong?””
Lily didn't answer.
Ava looked at Robert.
He stood beside the Toyota, unusually quiet.
“Robert?””
He didn't respond.
“Robert?””
He finally looked up.
His face had lost all color.
Lily whispered one sentence.
“He's on the list.””
Robert stepped backward.
Ava stared at him.
“No.””
Her stepfather shook his head.
“I can explain.””
Ava's stomach dropped.
“Explain what?””
Robert looked at Denise.
“I'm sorry.””
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?””
A pause.
His expression changed.
“What?””
He listened for several seconds.
Then he looked directly at Ava.
“They found the drive.””
Ava's blood ran cold.
“Who?””
Robert slowly lowered the phone.
“Your grandfather's people.””
Thomas immediately grabbed his briefcase.
“We need to leave.””
But before anyone could move, tires screeched outside.
Three black SUVs turned onto the street.
Lily grabbed Ava's hand.
“Run.””
Ava looked toward the house.
“Where?””
Lily pulled her toward the backyard.
“Somewhere they can't find us.””
As they ran, Ava heard a car door slam behind them.
Then Robert shouted from the driveway.
“Wait!””
Ava turned.
May you like
Her stepfather was standing alone beside the Mercedes.
And a man in a gray suit had a gun pointed at him.
