Chapter 6 - PIER 31
Thomas wanted his son.
The ledger was insurance.
Noah was personal.
Mom had apparently become involved with Thomas shortly before discovering he was still working against Daniel.
When she learned she was pregnant, she disappeared from Thomas's life.
She never told him about Noah.
Someone else did.
Six years earlier.
Shortly before Mom vanished.
We went to Pier 31.
I carried the ledger.
Daniel stayed out of sight.
At least that was the plan.
Thomas stood inside an abandoned warehouse.
Noah was beside him.
Untied now.
Bruised.
Furious.
“Emma!”
I ran.
Thomas raised a gun.
I stopped.
“Ledger.”
I held it up.
“Let him go.”
Thomas smiled.
“He's my son.”
“No.”
“Biology disagrees.”
“You kidnapped him.”
“I took back what Claire stole.”
Noah spat at his feet.
Thomas slapped him.
Something in me snapped.
I walked forward.
“Do that again.”
Thomas laughed.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don't know.”
Another step.
“But I promise you'll find out.”
He pointed the gun at me.
Noah screamed.
Then Daniel's voice came from the darkness.
“She gets that from Claire.”
Thomas froze.
Daniel emerged.
No army.
No dramatic line of gunmen.
Just Daniel.
Thomas smiled.
“You always did have a weakness for Bennett women.”
Daniel's expression didn't change.
“Let the boy go.”
“Trade.”
“The ledger?”
“No.”
Thomas looked at me.
“Emma.”
Daniel's face changed.
Thomas wanted me.
Why?
Because Mom had trusted me with something.
He still believed I knew more.
I didn't.
Then Noah spoke.
“She doesn't know.”
Thomas turned.
Noah smiled through a split lip.
“But I do.”
My heart stopped.
“Noah.”
He reached beneath his red hoodie.
Pulled out Mom's old yellow sewing tape.
I recognized it.
He'd carried it since she died.
Or supposedly died.
Inside the metal tip was a tiny memory card.
Thomas stared.
Mom had divided the evidence.
The dress led to the ledger.
The tape held something else.
Noah threw it.
Not to me.
Into the river through the open loading door.
Thomas screamed.
He turned the gun toward Noah.
Daniel moved.
The shot went off.
Thomas fell.
Daniel stood over him.
Blood spread across Thomas's shoulder.
Alive.
Police sirens approached.
I stared at Daniel.
“You called police?”
“Yes.”
“Mafia boss calls police?”
“I'm evolving.”
Noah started laughing.
Then crying.
I ran to him.
He collapsed into me.
“I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“I lost Mom's thing.”
I held him.
“You didn't lose anything.”
Behind us, Marco walked to the river.
He looked over the edge.
Then at Daniel.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“The kid threw it onto the dock.”
Noah lifted his head.
“What?”
Marco held up the yellow tape.
Noah blinked.
“I was aiming for the water.”
I started laughing.
So did Daniel.
Even Marco smiled.
My brother had attempted a heroic destruction of evidence.
And missed by six feet.
May you like
Perfect.
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