Chapter 17 - The House Erupts
Every door opened at once.
Federal agents flooded the dining room.
“Hands where we can see them!”
The woman with the transport bag froze.
Marcus ran.
One of the fake medical workers reached for the syringe.
Rebecca tackled him into the table.
Glass shattered.
Claire did not scream.
She did not panic.
She ran upstairs.
“Mara!”
I sprinted after her.
Claire reached the nursery first.
Mara stood between her and the twins.
Claire held a small handgun.
“Move.”
Mara did not.
“You tied me to a bed.”
Claire raised the weapon.
“Move.”
“You kept me from Lily.”
“Mara.”
“You imprisoned my sister.”
“MOVE!”
Mara’s hands shook.
But she remained in place.
I stopped in the doorway.
“Claire.”
She spun.
The gun pointed at me.
For the first time, her face showed genuine emotion.
Hatred.
“You ruined everything.”
“You did that yourself.”
“You think this ends with me?”
Agents were climbing the stairs.
Claire heard them.
Her hand tightened around the gun.
“You have no idea how many people are involved.”
“Then help us find them.”
She laughed.
“You still think people can be saved.”
Her eyes moved toward the twins.
“I learned a long time ago that everyone has a price.”
“Caleb didn’t.”
The color left her face.
I knew.
That reaction told me more than any confession.
“What did you do to him?”
Claire’s eyes filled.
Not with regret.
With anger.
“He was sick.”
“What did you do?”
“He was never going to have a normal life.”
My chest collapsed.
Mara whispered, “Oh my God.”
Claire continued.
“You were going to spend everything trying to save him.”
“He was my son.”
“He was an obstacle.”
I lunged forward before I could stop myself.
Claire raised the gun.
A shot exploded.
Pain burned across my shoulder.
Agents crashed into the room.
Claire screamed.
The gun hit the floor.
Mara covered the twins.
Rebecca pinned Claire against the wall.
I fell onto one knee.
Blood soaked my shirt.
Claire looked at me while agents cuffed her.
And even then, she smiled.
“You think you won?”
Rebecca pulled her away.
May you like
Claire shouted back.
“Ask Mara what she hasn’t told you!”
