Chapter 7 – THE BOATHOUSE STANDOFF

The lantern light flickered, casting long, monstrous shadows across the wooden dock.

Claire froze, her hand still resting on the fake ledger. Her arrogant smile vanished, replaced by stark terror.

“Dominic,” Claire breathed, taking a slow step back. “Vincent will kill you.”

“Vincent already tried,” Dominic spat, blood dripping from his hairline. He stepped fully into the light, the gun unwavering. “He left me for dead on the road. He shouldn’t have missed.”

I clutched the decoy book tighter against my chest. “Dominic, what are you doing?”

“Finishing this,” Dominic said, his eyes burning with a hollow, desperate fire. He looked at Claire. “She’s the reason your mother is dead, Evelyn. Vincent gave the order, but Claire planted the seed. She told Vincent your mother was a threat.”

I stared at my sister. The wind howled off the lake, but all I could hear was the ringing in my ears.

“Is it true?” I whispered.

Claire didn’t look at me. She stared at the gun. “I didn’t think he would actually kill her! I just needed him to scare her so she wouldn’t ruin everything!”

A sob tore from my throat. She had sold our mother’s life for a diamond bracelet and a stolen marriage.

“Give me the ledger, Evelyn,” Dominic ordered. “I’m going to take it to the syndicate bosses. Once they see Vincent has been stealing from them, they’ll handle him. And then I’m going to handle her.” He cocked the gun at Claire.

“No!” I shouted. “Dominic, if you shoot her, you’re no better than Vincent. Let the FBI handle this.”

“The FBI takes too long,” Dominic growled. “Hand it over.”

Suddenly, a blinding spotlight snapped on from the water, illuminating the entire dock.

A sleek speedboat idled just offshore. Standing at the bow, flanked by two armed guards, was Vincent.

“Lower the gun, Dominic,” Vincent’s voice boomed over the water.

Dominic didn’t flinch. He pressed the barrel against Claire’s side. “Come any closer, Vincent, and your new wife and your new heir go in the lake.”

Vincent’s eyes narrowed. He looked at me, then at the thick book in my arms.

“Evelyn,” Vincent said, his voice terrifyingly calm. “Bring me the ledger. If you do, I will let you and Anthony walk away. You have my word.”

“Your word is worth nothing,” I yelled over the roar of the boat engine.

“It’s the only currency you have left,” Vincent replied. He gestured to the woods behind me.

Two more guards stepped out of the tree line. And between them, struggling and kicking, was Anthony.

“Mom!” Anthony screamed.

My world collapsed. They had found the car.

“You have ten seconds, Evelyn,” Vincent said, pulling a gun from his coat. “The ledger for the boy.”

I looked at the fake book in my hands. If I gave it to him, he would realize it was a fake the second he opened it. He would kill us all.

If I didn’t give it to him, he would shoot Anthony.

“Five seconds,” Vincent counted.

I looked at Dominic. He was staring at Anthony, a look of profound defeat washing over his bloody face.

“Do it, Evelyn,” Dominic whispered. “Give him the book.”

I took a breath. I stepped forward, holding the fake ledger out toward the boat.

Vincent smiled.

But then, Claire let out a piercing, agonizing scream.

She collapsed onto the wooden dock, clutching her pregnant stomach, blood pooling beneath her silk dress.

“Vincent!” Claire shrieked in absolute agony. “The baby! It’s coming!”

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