Chapter 6 - The Ultimate Puppet Master
"Mom?" I gasped, completely stunned by the sight of her sitting in the driver's seat.
"Get in the car quickly, Marcus, before they find you," she urged, unlocking the back doors.
I didn't have time to process the confusion, I just threw the kids into the back seat and climbed into the passenger side.
She slammed her foot on the gas pedal, and the dark sedan sped away into the stormy night.
I collapsed against the leather seat, panting heavily as the warm heater blasted over my freezing skin.
"How did you know we were out here?" I asked, looking at her familiar, wrinkled face.
"Vanessa called me in a panic, she told me David had lost his mind and was trying to hurt you," she explained smoothly.
I felt a massive wave of relief wash over my exhausted body.
Finally, someone I could actually trust was here to help us.
"We need to drive straight to the FBI field office in the city, the local cops are working for David," I told her.
My mother nodded slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on the dark, winding road ahead.
"Of course, sweetheart, we will go straight to the authorities," she agreed softly.
I reached out and gently squeezed her hand, grateful for her protective presence.
As I pulled my hand away, my sleeve brushed against a leather briefcase sitting between the front seats.
The clasp was slightly open, revealing a stack of heavy, legal documents inside.
I glanced down, expecting to see her usual real estate contracts, but the bold heading caught my eye instead.
It read: "Transfer of Guardianship - Lily Annabel Thorne."
The document was fully executed, signed by Vanessa, David, and my mother.
My blood ran completely cold as the horrifying truth suddenly clicked into place.
David wasn't the mastermind behind this massive conspiracy to steal the trust fund.
My mother was the one orchestrating the entire plot.
I looked up at the dashboard navigation screen and saw our final destination plotted on the GPS map.
We were not heading toward the city or the FBI field office.
The GPS route ended at the old, abandoned rock quarry located on the outskirts of the county.
I slowly turned my head to look at the woman who had raised me.
"You never liked Lily's biological mother, did you?" I whispered, my voice trembling with suppressed rage.
My mother stopped smiling, her eyes hardening into cold, empty voids.
"She was a weak woman, and you were a fool to give up your life to raise another man's child," she said flatly.
May you like
She reached beneath her seat and pulled out a small, silver revolver, pointing it directly at my ribs.
"Now, be a good boy and sit quietly until we reach the quarry," she commanded.
