Chapter 5 - THE HOUSE BEYOND THE SEA
Three days later, Claire and Ivy landed in Tokyo.
Luca had arranged everything.
Private transportation.
Security.
A hotel suite.
A doctor on standby.
But Claire barely noticed.
She was holding Ethan's wedding ring.
She hadn't removed it from the evidence envelope.
Not once.
The ring felt heavier now.
Because it no longer represented a dead man.
It represented a question.
And Claire desperately needed an answer.
Hayashi Maritime had offices in Tokyo, Yokohama, and San Francisco.
Officially, the company was clean.
Privately, Luca knew better.
The four men from the gala had worked for an internal security division.
They weren't ordinary employees.
They were former members of a private organization called Kuroda.
A name that made even Luca's Japanese contacts uncomfortable.
“They specialize in disappearing problems,” Luca explained.
Claire looked at him.
“And Ethan became a problem?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“We don't know yet.”
Ivy sat beside them.
She was drawing.
Luca glanced at the page.
A blue door.
A red music box.
And four men.
He frowned.
“You remember them?”
Ivy nodded.
“From the gala?”
“No.”
She tapped the page.
“Before.”
Claire looked at the drawing.
“What do you mean?”
“I dreamed about them.”
Luca's expression darkened.
“What happened in the dream?”
Ivy stared at the paper.
“They were taking Daddy away.”
Claire stopped breathing.
“Were you there?”
“I was little.”
“You were there?”
Ivy nodded.
“Daddy told me to hide.”
Claire looked at Luca.
He didn't speak.
The car stopped outside an old house near the coast.
It was surrounded by trees.
No neighbors.
No visible cameras.
An elderly Japanese woman waited outside.
She bowed to Luca.
Then looked at Claire.
“I am Hana Mori.”
Claire nodded.
“How do you know my husband?”
Hana looked at Ivy.
“I knew her father.”
Claire's heart raced.
“Where is he?”
Hana looked toward the house.
“Inside.”
Claire stopped.
“What?”
Luca immediately stepped in front of her.
“Is Ethan here?”
Hana nodded.
“Yes.”
Claire pushed past him.
The door opened.
The house was silent.
Too silent.
Then a man's voice came from the hallway.
“Claire?”
Her world stopped.
She knew that voice.
Seven years had passed.
But she knew it.
Ethan stepped into the room.
Older.
Thinner.
A scar ran along his jaw.
His hair had more gray.
But it was him.
Claire covered her mouth.
Ivy stared.
“Daddy?”
Ethan's face collapsed.
He dropped to his knees.
“My baby.”
Ivy ran.
Claire couldn't move.
Ethan caught Ivy in his arms.
He buried his face in her hair.
“I thought I'd never see you.”
Ivy began crying.
“You died.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“Mommy said you died.”
“I know.”
“Why did you leave?”
Ethan couldn't answer.
Claire finally moved.
She crossed the room.
Her hand struck his face.
The sound echoed.
Ethan accepted it.
Then Claire hit him again.
“You let me bury you.”
“I know.”
“You let our daughter believe you were dead.”
“I know.”
“You let me struggle alone.”
Ethan's eyes filled.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“You could have called.”
“I did.”
“Once.”
“They were listening.”
“You could have sent a letter.”
“I did.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
“Three letters.”
“I never received them.”
Ethan looked toward Hana.
Hana lowered her eyes.
Someone had intercepted them.
Claire looked at Luca.
He was silent.
Ethan stood.
“I couldn't get back.”
“Why?”
Ethan looked at Luca.
“Because of him.”
Claire's eyes widened.
Luca didn't react.
Ethan continued.
“Seven years ago, I discovered someone inside Luca's organization was selling information.”
Luca's expression became cold.
“Who?”
“I never found out.”
Ethan looked at Claire.
“But I found something worse.”
“What?”
“Your daughter.”
Claire stiffened.
“What about Ivy?”
“Someone had been tracking her since before she was born.”
Silence.
Ethan looked at Ivy.
“They knew she could recognize languages.”
Claire frowned.
“How?”
“Your pregnancy records.”
Claire went pale.
“My medical records?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Ethan's face hardened.
“Because Ivy's ability was not an accident.”
Luca stepped forward.
“What are you saying?”
“Ivy's biological grandmother was a linguist.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
“Her mother.”
Claire shook her head.
“My mother?”
“No.”
Ethan looked at Claire.
“Your biological mother.”
The room went silent.
Claire had been adopted at twelve.
She knew almost nothing about her biological family.
Her adoption records had been sealed.
Her parents had always told her that her biological mother died.
Ethan continued.
“Your mother was part of an intelligence research program.”
Claire whispered:
“No.”
“She could identify languages from facial movement.”
Ivy looked confused.
“Like me?”
Ethan nodded.
“Exactly like you.”
Luca's eyes narrowed.
“Why would anyone want that?”
“Because during negotiations, knowing what someone is saying without them realizing you understand can be worth millions.”
Claire stared at Ivy.
Ethan reached into his pocket.
He pulled out an old photograph.
A woman stood beside a younger Claire.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
Claire's breath caught.
“That's my mother.”
Ethan nodded.
“She wasn't dead when you were adopted.”
Claire stepped backward.
“What?”
“She disappeared.”
“Why?”
“Because she discovered the program was being used for organized crime.”
Claire stared at him.
“And my father?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Your father worked with her.”
Luca's expression changed.
“What happened to them?”
Ethan looked at Ivy.
“They were killed.”
Claire's knees weakened.
“By whom?”
Ethan's voice dropped.
“The same people who tried to kill Luca.”
A phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Luca answered.
His security chief spoke rapidly.
Luca's face changed.
“Repeat that.”
He listened.
Then looked at Ethan.
“The four men from San Francisco are gone.”
Claire frowned.
“How?”
“They escaped custody.”
Ethan's face went pale.
“They're coming here.”
Luca immediately moved toward the door.
Hana shouted something in Japanese.
Ivy suddenly screamed.
“Mommy!”
Everyone turned.
She was pointing toward the window.
Four silhouettes stood beyond the trees.
Ethan grabbed Ivy.
Luca drew his weapon.
Then one of the silhouettes stepped into the moonlight.
It was the man with silver glasses.
He smiled.
And held up a photograph.
A photograph of Claire at twelve.
Beside her stood another girl.
A girl Claire had never seen before.
May you like
On the back of the photograph were four words.
YOUR SISTER IS ALIVE.
