Chapter 5 - The Ash
Claire fiercely yanked her arm away from the massive security guard’s tight grip.
“Do not touch me,” she hissed, her voice dripping with the unquestionable authority of her grandfather’s bloodline.
The guards hesitated for just a fraction of a second, which was exactly the opening she needed.
She slipped past them, rushing out the revolving glass doors and sprinting down the busy sidewalk.
She hailed a passing taxi, throwing a hundred-dollar bill at the driver and shouting Daniel’s address.
The ride to Evanston felt agonizingly slow, every red light amplifying her crushing sense of dread.
When the taxi finally pulled up to the curb, Claire’s heart dropped directly into her stomach.
The small bakery and the neighborhood bookstore were cordoned off by bright yellow police tape.
In the middle, where Daniel’s modest repair shop had stood yesterday, there was only a smoking, charred ruin.
Firefighters were quietly rolling up their heavy hoses, their faces grim and covered in dark soot.
Claire pushed past the police barricade, ignoring the loud shouts of the tired officers trying to stop her.
She frantically scanned the crowd of onlookers, praying to see Daniel’s familiar brown hair.
A strong hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her firmly into a narrow alleyway.
It was Daniel, his face smeared with dark ash and his arm wrapped tightly in a bloody bandage.
“You shouldn’t be here, Claire,” he whispered, his eyes constantly darting toward the busy street.
Claire threw her arms around him, completely disregarding her expensive coat as it soaked up the grime.
“My father bought your brother’s debt,” she cried softly, “he’s the one who ordered this attack.”
Daniel gently pushed her away, his expression hardening into a mask of pure, painful resolve.
“I know exactly what Richard Whitmore did, and this was merely a warning shot.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, encrypted hard drive.
“My brother didn’t die over gambling debts, Claire; he died because he uncovered a massive embezzlement ring.”
Daniel pressed the cold metal drive into her trembling hands.
“The money your father used to buy my debt was stolen directly from your grandfather’s original charity trust.”
Claire looked down at the tiny device, realizing her entire wealthy life was built on a foundation of horrific lies.
“I have to disappear before they finish the job,” Daniel said, taking a step backward into the dark shadows.
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Before Claire could utter a single word to stop him, a blinding spotlight illuminated the entire alley.
A tactical police squad swarmed the narrow space, their heavy assault rifles aimed directly at Daniel’s chest.
