Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Julian stood beneath the broken chapel arch.
He looked nothing like the ghost Adrian had carried in his mind for twelve years.
He looked older.
Scarred.
Tired.
Alive.
Adrian stared at him.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
Julian gave a faint smile.
“So are many of the people in this story.”
Adrian raised his weapon.
“Start talking.”
Julian looked at Damian.
“He told you about Vincent?”
“Yes.”
“He was right.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“Did Vivian poison my father?”
“No.”
Adrian froze.
Damian looked at Julian.
“What?”
Julian shook his head.
“Vivian was there when Vincent died.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
“She didn't poison him.”
“Then why is her name on the envelope?”
“Because she was helping him hide the truth.”
Adrian stared.
“What truth?”
Julian looked at him.
“Your father wasn't murdered.”
Silence.
“He chose to die.”
Adrian lowered the weapon slightly.
“Why?”
“Because he knew someone was coming for you.”
Julian explained that Vincent had discovered a group of businessmen secretly trying to seize control of the Kane organization.
They wanted Adrian dead or imprisoned.
Vincent knew his own death would draw attention away from Adrian.
He arranged for Vivian to appear suspicious.
She agreed.
But there was one thing neither of them expected.
Someone inside the organization discovered the plan.
That person was Damian.
Adrian looked at him.
Damian lowered his head.
“I found out afterward.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Vincent made me promise.”
Adrian's anger rose.
“You all made promises while I buried my father.”
Julian looked at him.
“We were trying to keep you alive.”
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“Everyone says that.”
Julian took a photograph from his coat.
The same woman appeared in it.
A young woman with dark hair.
She was standing beside Vincent.
Beside her was a little girl.
Maybe five years old.
Adrian stared.
“Who is she?”
Julian answered,
“Her name is Clara.”
“Why does she matter?”
“Because she's Vincent's daughter.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
His father had another child.
A daughter.
Nobody had told him.
Julian continued.
“Your father had an affair years before you were born.”
Adrian stared at the photograph.
“Where is she?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
Julian hesitated.
“She has no idea who she is.”
Adrian understood.
“That's why Vivian was asking about Lily.”
“No.”
Julian shook his head.
“Vivian was trying to find Clara.”
“Why?”
“Because Clara inherited something.”
“The ledger?”
“No.”
Julian looked at Damian.
“The controlling shares.”
Adrian's face changed.
The Kane empire was divided among several trusts.
His father had always told Adrian that his shares were protected.
Apparently, they weren't.
Clara had inherited a hidden block of shares capable of changing control of the entire company.
If she were found, the balance of power would shift.
Vivian's family had been searching for her.
Not to hurt her.
To control her.
Adrian thought of Lily.
The frightened child.
The hidden threats.
The strange questions.
Someone had been using Lily as a decoy because she was close to Adrian.
“Then why was Vivian threatening Nora?”
Julian answered immediately.
“Because Nora knows where Clara is.”
Nora.
Adrian's mind raced.
He called the estate.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
His blood ran cold.
He called the head guard.
The guard answered.
“Boss?”
“Where is Nora?”
A pause.
“She's in the carriage house.”
“Lily?”
“With her.”
“Go there.”
“We're already—”
A crash sounded through the phone.
Then silence.
Adrian ran.
Julian and Damian followed.
The estate lights flickered.
Adrian reached the carriage house.
The front door was open.
Nora was on the floor.
Alive.
Blood on her forehead.
Lily was missing.
Adrian's entire world narrowed.
“Nora.”
She looked up.
“Lily…”
“Where is she?”
“They took her.”
“Who?”
Nora struggled to breathe.
“Vivian.”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Julian looked toward the driveway.
A black SUV was disappearing through the gates.
Damian ran toward a vehicle.
Adrian stopped him.
“No.”
Damian turned.
“What?”
“She's expecting us to chase.”
Julian nodded.
“He's right.”
Adrian looked at Nora.
“Did she say where?”
Nora's eyes filled with tears.
“She said Lily would help her find the girl.”
“Clara.”
Nora nodded.
Then she grabbed Adrian's sleeve.
“There was something else.”
“What?”
Nora pulled a small necklace from beneath her shirt.
A silver heart.
Adrian recognized it.
His father had worn the same symbol on a keychain.
“What is this?”
“Ethan gave it to me before he died.”
“What did he say?”
Nora's lips trembled.
“He said if anyone ever came for Lily, I should give it to Adrian Kane.”
Adrian opened the pendant.
Inside was a tiny photograph.
A little girl.
Clara.
And beneath the photograph was a handwritten address.
Adrian stared.
Then Julian whispered,
“That address is the old Kane orphanage.”
Adrian looked at him.
“It was demolished.”
“No.”
Julian's face changed.
“It wasn't.”
Adrian looked toward the road.
“Then that's where she's taking Lily.”
He turned to Damian.
“Call every man we trust.”
Damian nodded.
Adrian looked at Nora.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Nora—”
“My daughter is out there.”
She stood despite the pain.
“I am coming.”
Adrian looked at her.
Then nodded.
“Fine.”
The three men and Nora left together.
None of them noticed the small camera hidden beneath the carriage house roof.
It transmitted one final image.
Adrian Kane leaving.
Nora beside him.
Damian behind them.
Julian following.
And on the receiving screen inside the abandoned Kane orphanage, Vivian smiled.
“She took the bait.”
Across the room, Lily sat on a chair.
She was not crying.
She was holding a small drawing.
Vivian crouched beside her.
“Where is the girl?”
Lily looked at her.
Then pointed to the drawing.
“Here.”
Vivian smiled.
“Good girl.”
But Lily shook her head.
“No.”
Vivian frowned.
“Then where?”
Lily looked toward the dark hallway.
“Mommy said never tell bad ladies.”
Vivian's smile disappeared.
And from the hallway came a man's voice.
“You should have listened to the child.”
Vivian turned.
A man stepped into the light.
May you like
Gabriel Kane.
The one person Vivian had never expected to see alive.
