Chapter 14 - The Storm at Hartwell House
Julian looked at the signature as though it belonged to a stranger.
“I do not remember signing this.”
Charles kept the page raised.
“You were medicated. You were desperate to stop Mara from contacting you. You signed because I told you she had stolen from the foundation.”
“The document is invalid,” Lena said.
“That is for a judge to determine.”
“It is forged,” Mara replied.
Charles’s eyes moved to her.
“You have proof?”
“Not yet.”
“Then get into the boat.”
Pike pressed the gun closer to Beatrice’s head. Rain streamed down his face. The river behind him churned black and white beneath the lightning. Mara’s abdomen tightened again.
She leaned against Julian. He whispered,
“How long?”
“Four minutes.”
His eyes flicked toward her.
“We need medical help.”
“We need Charles to keep talking.”
He understood. Julian faced his uncle.
“If I sign again, you will release Mara and Beatrice?”
“I will release Beatrice.”
“And Mara?”
Charles looked at the gunman.
“She comes with me until the child is born.”
“You intend to force a premature delivery.”
“I intend to ensure the heir enters the family’s custody.”
Mara kept her expression blank, though terror moved through her in waves.
“Why are you so certain the court will give you my child?”
“Because I have spent months manufacturing the case.”
“The psychiatric report.”
“The clinic records.”
“The letters.”
“Your trespass tonight.”
“And the crash.”
Charles did not answer. Julian stepped closer.
“You arranged it.”
Charles’s mouth curved.
“You were going to expose me. I could not allow that.”
“You told my mother to intercept me.”
“Your mother wanted to protect you.”
“You used Pike.”
“Pike acted when you refused to stop.”
The recorder in Charles’s hand blinked red. Mara saw it. Charles had been recording the conversation, but the small indicator showed the device was also transmitting. Perhaps he wanted a confession from Julian.
Perhaps he planned to edit the recording later. Mara shifted her weight and met Lena’s eyes. Lena understood. She moved one step toward the boathouse wall, where an old emergency radio hung beneath a plastic cover.
Charles noticed.
“Stay where you are.”
Mara raised her voice.
“You told Pike to ram Julian’s car.”
Pike’s expression changed.
“You told him to leave me on the roadside,” Mara continued.
“You told him my father was dead.”
Charles’s gaze sharpened.
“Your father made his own choice.”
Simon stepped from the tunnel entrance.
“You made it for him.”
Charles turned. Pike swung the gun toward Simon. Beatrice drove her heel into Pike’s foot. Lena fired at the dock beside him.
Pike stumbled, and Beatrice tore free. Julian lunged at Charles. The metal case fell into the river. Charles struck Julian across the face with the recorder.
Julian staggered, and Mara grabbed the case before it vanished beneath the dock. Another contraction tore through her. She cried out and dropped to one knee. Charles looked toward her.
“Take her.”
Pike recovered the gun. Peter charged from the tunnel and slammed into him. The shot went wide, shattering a lantern. Oil spread across the dock and caught fire.
Flames raced toward the boat. Mara crawled toward the boathouse wall, clutching the case. Inside it, the trust document and bank drives were soaked but intact. Julian and Charles grappled at the dock’s edge.
Charles twisted Julian’s injured leg, forcing him down.
“You were always weak,”
Charles snarled.
“Your father knew it.”
Julian drove his forehead into Charles’s nose. Charles reeled backward. The dock collapsed beneath them. Julian caught a support beam.
Charles fell into the river, disappearing beneath the black water. Pike ran toward the launch, but Beatrice pulled the mooring line loose. The boat swung into the burning dock, trapping him between the rails and the cabin. Lena reached the emergency radio and called for rescue.
Mara felt warmth spread beneath her.
“My water broke.”
Julian heard her and abandoned the beam. He crawled toward her across the wet planks.
“We have to get you out.”
“The case.”
“Forget the case.”
She held it against her chest.
“No.”
He stared at her, then nodded. Together they moved toward the tunnel while flames climbed behind them. At the entrance, Simon blocked their path.
“Go,” he said.
“Where are you going?” Mara asked.
Simon looked back toward the river. Charles’s hand had appeared above the surface, gripping the broken dock.
“To make sure he cannot reach you.”
Julian grabbed his arm.
“You are coming with us.”
Simon shook him off.
“I have already left you once.”
He stepped onto the collapsing dock. Mara wanted to stop him, but another contraction bent her double. Julian caught her, and Lena and Peter helped carry her through the tunnel. Behind them, the boathouse erupted in flame.
At the far end, emergency vehicles waited beneath the greenhouse. Paramedics rushed forward, but Mara could hear only Julian’s voice.
“Stay with me.”
She gripped his coat.
“You promised.”
“What?”
“You promised you would not let them decide for us.”
His face was streaked with blood and rain.
“I promise again.”
May you like
The paramedics lifted her onto a stretcher. As the ambulance doors closed, Mara looked back toward Hartwell House. Through the smoke, a figure stood on the roof of the ruined east wing. Simon.
He raised one hand. Then the roof collapsed, and he vanished into the fire.
