Chapter 14 - The Fourth Vale
Nobody spoke.
Thomas Vale came down the remaining steps with both hands visible.
He looked older than seventy-two. Not weak. Just worn thin by secrets.
Adrian stared at him.
“You let me bury you.”
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.”
“You let your grandchildren mourn you.”
“Yes.”
“You let me think my wife was dead.”
Thomas looked at Sarah.
“That was not my decision.”
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“Everything became your decision eventually.”
Emily stepped forward.
“Who is the fourth Vale?”
Thomas’s eyes settled on her.
“Your brother.”
The room seemed to lose sound.
Emily whispered, “I don’t have a brother.”
Sarah gripped the back of a chair.
Adrian turned slowly toward her.
“Sarah.”
She looked away.
His voice broke.
“Sarah.”
“I was pregnant when the safe house was hit.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
“You never told me.”
“I didn’t know until after the crash.”
Thomas said quietly, “The boy was born seven months later.”
Emily’s eyes filled with tears again.
“Where is he?”
Sarah looked at Thomas with hatred.
“He took him.”
Thomas did not deny it.
Adrian crossed the room and slammed his father against the wall.
“What did you do with my son?”
“Protected him.”
“From me?”
“From everyone.”
Adrian shoved him harder.
Thomas’s voice stayed calm.
“His name is Noah.”
The name hit Adrian harder than any weapon could have.
Noah.
A son.
Four years old.
Alive somewhere.
Thomas continued.
“North Star needed an heir outside the corporate line. Someone no one could pressure.”
Sarah shouted, “He needed a hostage.”
Thomas looked at her.
“I kept him alive.”
“You stole him.”
Adrian released his father only because Emily grabbed his arm.
“Dad.”
He turned.
She was crying but standing straight.
“Ask him where Noah is.”
Adrian looked back at Thomas.
“Where is my son?”
Thomas hesitated.
That hesitation terrified everyone.
“Rook moved him.”
“When?”
“Two hours ago.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Sarah lifted the gun.
“You always know.”
“For once, I don’t.”
A phone rang.
Not anyone’s phone.
The old landline on the wall.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Thomas went pale.
“Don’t answer that.”
Adrian picked it up.
Rook’s voice said, “Now that the family reunion is complete, let’s discuss the boy.”
May you like
Behind Rook’s voice came a child crying.
