Chapter 9 - The Church at Dawn

The church sat on a hill above a frozen lake, its white paint peeling, its bell tower black against the gray sunrise.

Margaret drove up alone.

At least, that was what anyone watching would see.

Ortiz had officers in the tree line. Daniel and Rachel waited in an unmarked van half a mile away, listening through Margaret's microphone.

The church doors opened.

Evelyn stepped outside holding Emma.

Daniel stopped breathing when he heard his daughter's small cry through the audio feed.

Margaret whispered, "Oh, thank God."

Evelyn stayed on the steps.

"You look older."

Margaret swallowed. "So do you."

"I had reason."

"Give me the baby."

"Not yet."

"Evelyn, Daniel is losing his mind."

"I lost mine twenty-nine years ago. No one cared."

Margaret's voice shook. "I cared."

"You kept him."

"I loved him."

"Those are not the same thing."

In the van, Daniel closed his eyes.

He couldn't decide which woman he wanted to defend.

Evelyn continued. "Richard told me Daniel died. He showed me an infant death certificate. Thomas told me the same thing. They made me believe my son was buried under another name."

Margaret whispered, "Richard told me you died in a fire."

"Richard lied because Michael found us."

"Where is Michael?"

Evelyn's face changed.

"Dead."

Daniel leaned toward the receiver.

Margaret asked, "Who killed him?"

"Thomas."

Rachel made a sound beside Daniel.

Evelyn shifted Emma higher against her shoulder.

"Michael came back five years ago. He had spent decades trying to prove Daniel was alive. He found Richard. Thomas followed him."

"And Richard?"

"Richard tried to buy Michael's silence again. Michael refused. Thomas panicked. There was a fight. Michael was stabbed in the SUV."

Margaret covered her mouth.

"Then Richard died the same night," Evelyn said.

"Thomas killed him too?"

"No."

Margaret went still.

"Then who?"

Evelyn looked directly at her.

"You did."

In the van, Daniel jerked upright.

"What?"

Margaret's microphone captured her broken breathing.

"That's a lie."

"Richard called you from the hotel. You went there."

"I went because he said Daniel was in danger."

"And you put his pills in his whiskey."

Margaret took a step back.

Daniel stared at the audio meter, waiting for denial.

None came.

Then the church bell rang once.

A rifle shot cracked across the lake.

Evelyn spun.

The church window exploded behind her.

Margaret screamed.

Ortiz shouted into the radio.

Daniel was already out of the van and running uphill.

A second shot hit the stone steps.

Evelyn dropped behind the church wall with Emma.

Daniel reached the top as officers rushed the tree line.

"Emma!"

He found Evelyn curled around the baby.

Emma was crying.

Alive.

Daniel reached for her.

Evelyn gripped his sleeve.

"Thomas knows about the ledger."

"What ledger?"

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