Chapter 14 - Emily’s Choice
Emily had never held a gun before.
It felt heavier than she expected.
Mercer stopped ten feet away.
His eyes dropped to the weapon in her hands.
“Emily.”
She aimed at his chest.
“Stay there.”
Her hands trembled.
Mercer smiled.
“You won’t shoot.”
Emily said nothing.
He took one step.
“Stop.”
Another.
“Emily, you are seven months pregnant.”
His voice softened.
“You are frightened.”
“You are confused.”
“You are not a killer.”
Emily tightened her grip.
“No.”
She looked him directly in the eyes.
“I’m the woman whose mother you murdered.”
Mercer stopped.
Police lights flashed through the broken windows.
He looked toward the entrance.
Then toward a dark side corridor.
Emily knew he was calculating.
He had probably survived his entire life by assuming everyone else would hesitate.
Nathan groaned behind him.
Mercer moved suddenly.
Emily pulled the trigger.
The gunshot thundered through the mill.
Mercer fell.
The bullet struck his leg.
His scream echoed off the metal walls.
Emily stared at him in shock.
She had aimed for the center of his body.
Her shaking hands had changed the shot.
Police flooded the building seconds later.
“Drop the weapon.”
Emily immediately placed it on the floor.
Rosa held Sofia.
Margaret knelt beside Nathan.
Mercer was handcuffed while paramedics wrapped his wounded leg.
Nathan was placed on a stretcher.
As officers carried him past Emily, he turned his head.
“I didn’t cut the chandelier cable alone.”
Emily stared at him.
Nathan’s face was pale.
“Someone inside the house helped me.”
Keller stepped closer.
“Who?”
Nathan smiled weakly.
Then he lost consciousness.
Emily looked at Rosa.
Rosa looked back.
The mill had exposed Mercer.
But Nathan’s final sentence opened another door.
Someone at the estate had helped arrange Emily’s death.
May you like
Someone who had remained inside the house while everyone watched Nathan leave in handcuffs.
And that person was still free.
