Chapter 20 - The Morning SunThe sunrise over the Texas desert was a brilliant, fiery orange, casting long, peaceful shadows across the parking lot of the Starlite Diner.
The parking lot was packed with law enforcement, but not the corrupt cops of Crestwood. The FBI, state troopers, and federal marshals had descended upon the scene like a swarm of angry bees.
I sat on the tailgate of a waiting ambulance, a thick wool blanket wrapped around my shoulders, watching the aftermath.
Lily was asleep in my lap, exhausted beyond measure, clutching a stuffed bear that one of the paramedics had given her. She was breathing softly, her nightmare finally at an end.
Across the lot, I watched two federal agents escort Taylor out of David's Jeep. They had cut the zip-ties and replaced them with heavy steel handcuffs.
Taylor looked destroyed. The arrogant corporate shark was gone, replaced by a hollow shell of a woman who had gambled her own flesh and blood for money and lost everything. She caught my eye as they walked her toward the squad car. She stopped, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something—an apology, an excuse, a plea for help.
I didn't give her the chance. I turned my head away, looking down at my daughter.
Taylor Vance no longer existed in my world.
"Hey," David said, walking over and handing me a cup of black coffee. His arm was bandaged, but he looked more relaxed than I had seen him in years. "Feds just briefed me. They found Arthur's body in the mine. And they’ve seized the Vance estate. The Chief of Police in Crestwood is already in custody."
I took a sip of the coffee. It was terrible, but it tasted like victory. "What about the trust?"
"The lawyers are already climbing over each other to represent you," David chuckled. "As Lily's sole guardian, you have full conservatorship. Evelyn’s assets, the land, the businesses... they're being transferred back to the Crestwood bloodline. You and this little girl own a very large chunk of the world now, Mark."
I looked out at the vast, open desert. For seven years, I had lived in a gilded cage, surrounded by people who viewed me as nothing more than a breeding horse and an obstacle. Now, the cage was broken.
"I don't want the town," I said quietly.
David raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, we're going to liquidate it," I said, stroking Lily’s hair. "We'll sell the land, donate the Vance estate to the state to turn into a public park, and put the rest of the billions in a blind trust for Lily when she turns eighteen. I don't want her growing up poisoned by that kind of power. I just want her to be a kid."
David smiled, a genuine, warm smile, and clapped me on the shoulder. "Mom and Dad would be proud of you, little brother."
"Where will we go?" I asked, looking up at him.
"Well," David said, looking out at the rising sun. "I have a cabin up in the mountains. Lots of trees, lots of fresh air. It's safe. Good place to figure things out."
I looked down at Lily. Her cheeks were warm, pink, and full of life. The cold that had nearly taken her from me in that garage was gone forever.
May you like
"The mountains sound perfect," I said.
I gently picked Lily up, carrying her toward David's battered Jeep. We left the flashing lights, the sirens, and the ruins of the Vance empire behind us, driving off into the morning sun, finally free.
