Chapter 14 - Daniel Chooses
Daniel betrayed the plan.
At least, that was what Nora believed for eleven terrible minutes.
They had agreed Nora would approach the marina while Naomi’s team remained beyond Margaret’s surveillance range.
Daniel was supposed to stay with Naomi.
Instead, he disappeared.
Then Nora saw him walking toward Margaret’s yacht.
Alone.
“Daniel.”
He did not turn.
Margaret stood on the deck.
Lily beside her.
Nora’s heart stopped.
Her daughter wore a yellow sweater and clutched the stuffed rabbit.
“Mommy!”
Lily tried to move.
Margaret grabbed her shoulder.
Nora forced herself not to run.
Daniel climbed aboard.
Margaret smiled.
“You finally made one intelligent decision.”
Nora stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
Daniel did not answer.
Margaret held out documents.
“Sign.”
Daniel took the pen.
Nora’s chest tightened.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
For one second, she saw terror in his eyes.
Then he signed.
Margaret laughed softly.
“Thank you.”
Nora felt betrayed all over again.
Six years ago he had signed one piece of paper.
Now he had signed another.
Margaret turned toward the captain.
“Leave.”
Nora stepped forward.
“You promised Lily.”
Margaret smiled.
“I promised nothing.”
Then Daniel moved.
He grabbed the documents from Margaret’s hand and tore them in half.
Margaret screamed.
Daniel shoved the pen into the water.
“You really thought I’d do it twice?”
Nora understood.
His first signature had been deliberately wrong.
A delaying move.
Margaret slapped him.
Daniel did not react.
He looked toward Nora.
“Tracker’s on the rail.”
Naomi’s voice exploded through Nora’s hidden earpiece.
“Move!”
Police vehicles surged toward the marina.
Coast Guard boats appeared beyond the harbor mouth.
Margaret seized Lily.
“No!”
Nora ran.
Daniel blocked Margaret from reaching the cabin.
The yacht captain surrendered immediately.
Margaret backed toward the stern, holding Lily against her.
Nora stopped several feet away.
“Margaret.”
“Stay back.”
“Let her go.”
“She belongs to me.”
“No.”
Nora’s voice remained calm.
“She never did.”
Lily was crying.
“Mommy.”
Nora looked only at her.
“I’m right here.”
Margaret tightened her arm.
“I raised her.”
“You controlled her.”
“I fed her.”
“You lied to her.”
“I gave her everything.”
“You took everything.”
Margaret’s face twisted.
For the first time, her polished control disappeared.
“You were going to take my family away!”
Nora stared.
There it was.
Not money.
Not legacy.
Not even revenge.
Possession.
“You never had a family,” Nora said.
“You had hostages.”
Margaret looked stunned.
Lily suddenly dropped the stuffed rabbit.
Margaret instinctively glanced down.
Daniel moved.
He pulled Lily free.
Nora caught her.
For one suspended second, nothing else existed.
Lily wrapped both arms around Nora’s neck.
“Mommy.”
Nora sank to her knees.
“I’ve got you.”
Police surrounded Margaret.
She did not resist.
She only stared at Nora with pure hatred.
As Naomi cuffed her, Margaret smiled.
Nora noticed.
“What?”
Margaret said nothing.
Naomi led her away.
Then Margaret turned.
“You think this ends with me?”
Nora’s arms tightened around Lily.
Margaret looked toward Daniel.
“Ask him who signed the first order.”
Daniel went pale.
May you like
And Nora knew immediately.
There was still one secret left.
