Chapter 14 - Father and Son
Daniel pointed the gun at Samuel.
Not Mara.
That detail mattered for about three seconds.
Then Daniel saw Mara.
His face collapsed.
“What are you doing here?”
Mara almost laughed.
“You filed for custody of my child.”
“Our child.”
“You filed a fake paternity test.”
Daniel glanced at Samuel. “You told her.”
Samuel raised the shotgun. “Put it down.”
“You first.”
Claire whispered, “This family really only has one conversation.”
Nobody laughed.
Daniel’s hand shook.
Mara saw the blood on his shirt more clearly.
“Are you hurt?” she asked.
The question slipped out before she could stop it.
Daniel looked at her with something like hope.
She hated that too.
“Not mine,” he said.
Samuel’s face changed.
“Evelyn?”
Daniel swallowed.
Mara’s pulse jumped.
“What did you do?”
“She found me at the marina.”
“What did you do?”
“She had a gun.”
Samuel took one step forward.
Daniel shouted, “Don’t!”
His pistol swung.
Claire reacted on instinct and threw the tire iron.
It was a terrible throw.
It missed Daniel and hit Samuel’s forearm.
The shotgun fired into the ceiling.
Daniel fired too.
Samuel fell.
For one second, everything was white dust and ringing ears.
Claire screamed.
Mara dropped beside Samuel. Blood spread through his shirt near the shoulder.
Daniel stared at his own gun.
“I didn’t mean—”
“Yes, you did,” Mara snapped.
He looked at her.
“You pointed it.”
Daniel’s face twisted.
That landed because it was true.
Sirens sounded outside.
Hale had tracked Claire’s phone.
Daniel looked toward the window, then at Mara.
“Come with me.”
“No.”
“Mara, please.”
“No.”
“They’ll bury me.”
“You tried to bury me first.”
He flinched.
Samuel groaned.
Daniel backed toward the kitchen door.
Hale shouted from outside, “Daniel Cross! Drop the weapon!”
Daniel’s breathing became ragged.
Then he did something Mara did not expect.
He placed the pistol on the floor.
Raised his hands.
And whispered, “Mom killed the wrong person.”
Hale entered and cuffed him.
Mara stared.
“Who did Evelyn kill?”
Daniel looked at her over his shoulder.
May you like
“The man whose blood was supposed to prove June wasn’t mine.”
