Chapter 5 - THE SISTER WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
They returned to Chicago before midnight.
The Bennett house was dark.
Too dark.
Alex entered first.
His childhood photographs still hung along the hallway.
Everything looked normal.
That made it worse.
"Lena?"
No answer.
He walked into the kitchen.
A chair was overturned.
A broken glass lay on the floor.
Then he saw blood.
Bianca grabbed his arm.
"Alex."
"It's not hers."
He crouched.
"Not enough."
Samuel entered behind them.
"The house was searched."
"By who?"
"Professionals."
Alex's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Where's my sister?"
A man's voice said—
"Safe."
"Who are you?"
"Someone who knows what your father stole."
Alex clenched his jaw.
"What did he steal?"
"Evidence."
"Against who?"
"Against everyone."
The line went dead.
Bianca whispered—
"What does that mean?"
Alex looked at her.
"It means this isn't about us."
He turned toward the hallway.
"It's about money."
Samuel shook his head.
"No."
Alex looked back.
"It's about power."
Samuel nodded.
"Exactly."
Hours later, Lena was found.
She had been taken to a hotel across town.
Alive.
Terrified.
And holding a flash drive.
Alex sat beside her.
"Tell me everything."
Lena cried.
"I didn't know they would come after you."
"You knew."
"I knew pieces."
"What pieces?"
She looked at Bianca.
Then Alex.
"Mom didn't lie about Dad dying."
Alex frowned.
"Then what?"
"She believed he was dead."
"How?"
"Because the people who took him sent us a photograph."
Alex stared.
"They staged his death."
Lena nodded.
"Why?"
"Because Dad had evidence."
"Against who?"
Lena looked at the flash drive.
"The Ashford Group."
Alex froze.
"What's that?"
"A network of companies."
Samuel answered.
"Shell companies."
Lena nodded.
"Your father's investigation started with them."
Alex suddenly understood.
His father's disappearance.
The money.
The photograph.
The six-year-old child.
Everything connected.
Then Lena whispered—
"There is one more thing."
"What?"
"Your mother knew."
Alex's heart sank.
"How much?"
"She signed one document."
"What document?"
Lena handed him a photocopy.
It was a transfer agreement.
Assets had been moved into a trust.
The beneficiary was Alex.
Alex stared.
"Why would Mom do this?"
Lena whispered—
"To protect you."
The document had been signed six years earlier.
Three days before Alex left.
The date made his stomach turn.
"She knew I was leaving."
"Yes."
"And she knew about Noah?"
Lena looked at Bianca.
"She found out."
Alex's eyes hardened.
"Then why didn't she tell me?"
"Because she was threatened."
"By who?"
Lena's voice dropped.
"Your father."
Silence.
Alex looked at her.
"My father threatened Mom?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he believed you would expose everything if you knew."
Alex stood.
"Where is Mom now?"
Lena began crying.
"She disappeared yesterday."
The room went silent.
Alex's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
COME ALONE.
A location followed.
An abandoned warehouse.
Alex looked at Bianca.
She knew immediately.
"No."
"I'm going."
"I'm coming."
"No."
"Alex."
"This is dangerous."
"So is leaving me behind."
He stared at her.
Six years ago, he would have walked away.
Now he didn't.
"Fine."
He took her hand.
"We go together."
For the first time, Bianca smiled.
Not happily.
Bravely.
"Together."
They drove to the warehouse.
Inside, Alex found his mother.
Alive.
Bound to a chair.
And standing behind her was a man Alex recognized.
The man from the photograph.
His father's former business partner.
Richard Hale.
Richard smiled.
"Alex Bennett."
Alex stopped.
"You know my name."
"I've known your name for years."
"What do you want?"
Richard laughed.
"The question is what your father wanted."
He pointed toward a metal case.
"That case contains evidence worth millions."
Alex looked at his mother.
She whispered—
"Don't give it to him."
Richard smiled.
"Then your mother dies."
Alex stepped forward.
"No."
Richard raised a gun.
Bianca moved beside Alex.
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"And you must be the woman who caused all this."
Bianca froze.
"What?"
Richard laughed.
"The child."
Alex stared.
"What child?"
Richard looked at Bianca.
"The child your father ordered hidden."
Alex's blood ran cold.
"What are you talking about?"
Richard smiled.
"Noah isn't the only child connected to this story."
The lights went out.
A gunshot echoed.
Then another.
And when the emergency lights flickered back on—
Richard was gone.
So was the metal case.
May you like
And Alex's mother was whispering one sentence.
"Your father had another son."
