Chapter 15: The Unseen Thread
Chapter 15: The Unseen Thread
They navigated the labyrinth of the hotel's back hallways, the sounds of sirens and shouting growing faint behind them. Julian practically carried Clara down a final flight of concrete stairs, kicking open a fire exit that led into a dark, rain-slicked alleyway.
A sleek black sedan was idling by the dumpsters. Julian pulled the passenger door open, helping Clara slide into the leather seat before sprinting around to the driver’s side. He slammed the car into gear, the tires squealing against the wet asphalt as they sped away from the hotel, blending into the heavy city traffic.
Clara slumped back into the seat, her entire body aching, her lungs burning. She looked at Julian, the adrenaline slowly giving way to shock. "We did it. He's going to prison."
Julian kept his eyes on the road, his grip white-knuckled on the steering wheel. He didn't look relieved. He looked terrified.
"Julian?" Clara asked, her voice trembling. "What's wrong?"
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a secondary file—one he hadn't given her in the ballroom. He tossed it into her lap.
"Your father wasn't acting alone, Clara," Julian whispered, his voice hollow. "Look at the signature on the foundation's chemical orders. The person who specifically requested the paralytic drugs."
Clara flipped the folder open. The dome light of the car illuminated the paper. Her breath caught in her throat. The signature wasn't Richard's. It belonged to the one person who had died in the car crash three years ago. The person Clara thought she had lost forever.
May you like
Eleanor Sterling. Her mother.
Before Clara could process the impossible truth, a heavy armored SUV slammed violently into the side of their sedan, shattering the glass and sending them spinning into the dark.
