Chapter 17: The Second Lily
Daniel grabbed the woman’s arm.
The scar was on her right wrist.
His sister’s scar had been on the left.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
The woman stepped back.
“My name is Mara.”
Claire stared at her.
“You said you knew where Lily was.”
“I do.”
“You let Ethan believe you were his mother.”
“I needed to get him away from the cabin.”
Daniel’s anger sharpened.
“Where is Lily?”
Mara looked toward the burning building.
“She was supposed to meet us here.”
“Then where is she?”
Mara admitted that she and Lily had used matching yellow coats and similar hairstyles to confuse Victoria’s men.
Mara had attended the wedding.
Lily had visited Ethan’s hotel room.
“But Caleb intercepted her,” Mara said.
“Is she alive now?” Claire asked.
“As of yesterday.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“That answer isn’t good enough.”
Mara removed a phone from her pocket.
The screen displayed a live location moving south.
“This is Lily’s tracker.”
“Why is it moving?”
“Because someone has her.”
The signal led toward the city.
Daniel wanted to follow immediately.
But police and firefighters were approaching.
Mara warned that Victoria would use the cabin fire to claim they had endangered Ethan.
“We need evidence stronger than the audio recording,” Claire said.
“There is stronger evidence.”
“Where?”
“Inside Thomas Bennett’s original foundation building.”
Claire’s father’s foundation had been closed for seventeen years.
The building was now owned by Owen Mercer.
Mara looked toward Ethan.
“Lily believed Thomas hid a second archive there.”
“What does it contain?”
“Proof that Victoria stole the trust money.”
Claire shook her head.
“The trust money is still there.”
“Ethan’s trust is.”
May you like
Mara’s expression darkened.
“But there were eleven other children.”
