Chapter 9 - What Money Could Not RepairEdward spent one night in the hospital.
He ran upstairs anyway.
Emma’s room.
Empty.
Lily’s room.
Empty.
The bathroom.
Empty.
Closets.
Balcony.
Every irrational place a desperate father checks even when he already knows the truth.
Claire followed him.
Mrs. Alvarez stood outside the bedrooms crying.
“They were here ten minutes ago.”
“How?” Edward demanded.
“I don’t know.”
“Who took them?”
“I was downstairs.”
Claire entered Emma’s room.
The window was locked.
No struggle.
No broken glass.
She looked at the bed.
Then the hallway.
“How would Daniel get inside without anyone seeing him?”
Edward turned toward the security panel.
“Service corridors.”
The old estate contained staff passages built during renovations decades earlier.
Most were rarely used.
Claire remembered something.
“Martin knew all of them.”
Edward’s face hardened.
The security supervisor was under investigation but had not been arrested.
“He said he never gave Daniel information about the girls.”
“He could have lied.”
Edward called Rebecca.
Within minutes police had the estate surrounded.
Then Edward’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone went silent.
He answered.
“Daniel.”
His brother’s voice came through the speaker.
“You found the recording.”
Edward’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Where are my daughters?”
“They’re safe.”
“If you touch them—”
“I’m not going to hurt them.”
“Put Emma on.”
A pause.
Then a small voice.
“Daddy?”
Edward’s knees nearly gave out.
“I’m here.”
“Uncle Daniel said we’re going on an airplane.”
“You are not getting on that plane.”
“I don’t want to.”
“I know.”
“Lily’s crying.”
Edward closed his eyes.
“Tell Lily Daddy is coming.”
“Okay.”
Daniel returned to the line.
“That’s enough.”
Edward’s voice changed.
Calm.
Cold.
“What do you want?”
“The flash drive.”
Claire looked at him.
Daniel continued.
“Bring it to South Valley Airfield. Alone.”
“You know police are already there.”
“I know they’re outside the main hangar.”
Edward looked at the officer beside him.
The officer immediately began writing instructions.
Daniel laughed.
“You really think I didn’t anticipate that?”
“What do you want with the drive? We made copies.”
“I want your statement.”
“What statement?”
“You tell the board Caroline’s accusations were the product of emotional instability. You confirm the financial transactions were authorized. You withdraw every allegation.”
“And then?”
“I leave.”
“With my daughters?”
“No. I’m not stupid.”
“You kidnapped children.”
“I borrowed leverage.”
Claire’s stomach turned.
Edward’s voice lowered.
“You used my daughters as leverage after stealing from them for three years.”
Daniel’s tone sharpened.
“Everything was supposed to be mine too.”
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The truth.”
Edward looked at the police officer.
“Dad chose me.”
Daniel went silent.
Edward continued.
“He made me CEO and you never forgave him.”
“You think this was about a title?”
“I think it started there.”
“You always got everything.”
“I worked for it.”
“You were his favorite.”
“I was the one who stayed.”
“And I was the one who had to watch you turn the company into your personal kingdom.”
Edward shook his head.
“No. You watched me succeed.”
Daniel breathed heavily.
Claire could hear decades of resentment in the silence.
Then Daniel said, “One hour.”
The call ended.
Edward grabbed his jacket.
Claire stepped in front of him.
“No.”
He looked at her with disbelief.
“He has my children.”
“Which is exactly why you don’t get to become reckless.”
“What would you have me do?”
“Listen to police.”
“They don’t know Daniel.”
“You do. And that makes you emotional.”
“Claire.”
She grabbed his lapels.
“Emma asked whether you were going to hurt him.”
Edward went still.
“You told her justice was different from revenge.”
“This is different.”
“No. This is where you prove you meant it.”
He stared at her.
Behind them, the officer nodded.
“We need time to surround the airfield without alerting him.”
Edward looked trapped.
Every instinct told him to run toward his daughters.
Instead he forced himself to stand still.
“Fine.”
Police built a plan.
Daniel believed Edward would arrive alone.
He would.
But officers would approach from the rear access road.
Claire insisted on coming to the perimeter.
Edward protested.
She ignored him.
At the airfield, the sun was setting behind low industrial buildings.
Edward drove toward Hangar 6.
His phone was connected to police audio.
Claire watched from an unmarked SUV nearly half a mile away.
Daniel stood beside a small private jet.
Emma and Lily were inside the hangar with Martin.
Claire felt sick.
Martin.
So he had lied.
Edward stepped from the car.
“Daniel!”
Daniel emerged.
“Where’s the drive?”
“Where are my daughters?”
“Inside.”
“I see them first.”
Daniel smiled bitterly.
“Still giving orders.”
Edward walked closer.
“You took two children from their home.”
“You turned the entire family against me.”
“You did that yourself.”
Daniel’s face twisted.
“Give me the drive.”
“No.”
Inside the surveillance vehicle, Claire whispered, “Edward…”
The officer beside her raised a hand.
Wait.
Daniel took out a gun.
Claire’s breath stopped.
Edward did not move.
Police immediately shifted positions.
Daniel pointed the weapon downward, but his hand shook.
“I didn’t want this.”
Edward’s voice stayed calm.
“Then put it down.”
“You should have given me what was mine.”
“What was yours?”
“Half.”
“Half of what?”
“Everything.”
Edward stared at him.
“Our father left you millions.”
“He left you control.”
“So this was worth Caroline’s life?”
Daniel’s face changed.
That was the question.
The real one.
Edward stepped closer.
“Did you damage her car?”
Daniel looked away.
“Daniel.”
“I told Marcus to scare her.”
Edward’s face emptied.
Claire leaned forward.
“What?”
Daniel continued.
“He was supposed to loosen a line enough that she would discover it. Enough to frighten her.”
“You sabotaged her brakes.”
“I didn’t tell him to make them fail.”
“You touched her car.”
“She wasn’t supposed to drive that night!”
Daniel shouted the words.
Everything froze.
Edward stared at him.
Daniel seemed to realize he had confessed.
“You knew she might.”
“No.”
“You warned her to be careful driving.”
“I was angry.”
“You knew.”
Daniel raised the gun.
“Stop.”
Edward stopped.
Then a child screamed.
“Daddy!”
Emma had slipped from Martin’s grip.
She ran from the hangar.
Daniel turned instinctively.
Edward moved.
Police moved faster.
Shouts erupted.
“Drop the weapon!”
Daniel spun.
A shot cracked across the airfield.
Claire screamed.
Edward fell.
Emma dropped to her knees.
“DADDY!”
Officers tackled Daniel.
Martin raised his hands.
Lily screamed inside the hangar.
Claire was out of the vehicle before anyone could stop her.
She ran toward Edward.
He lay on the concrete.
Blood covered one sleeve.
“Edward!”
His eyes opened.
Claire nearly collapsed from relief.
“My shoulder,” he gasped.
The bullet had struck high in his upper arm.
Emma threw herself beside him.
“I’m sorry!”
Edward grabbed her with his uninjured arm.
“No.”
“I ran!”
“No, sweetheart.”
“I made him shoot you.”
“No.”
He pulled her closer.
“Listen to me.”
Emma sobbed.
“This is not your fault.”
Claire heard Caroline’s letter in those words.
Do not let guilt make you useless.
Edward looked toward Lily.
An officer carried her from the hangar.
Safe.
Both daughters.
Safe.
Edward closed his eyes.
Police placed Daniel in handcuffs.
He looked at his brother from across the tarmac.
For the first time, there was no charm left.
No smile.
No performance.
Only defeat.
Edward looked away.
He did not need to watch.
May you like
His daughters were alive.
And for the first time in three years, Edward Montgomery chose the living over the dead.
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