Chapter 5 - The Grandfather's Ghost
Amelia stared blindly at the signature on the weathered piece of paper.
Her grandfather had been her hero, the man who built the family empire and protected her from the world.
The idea that he had placed a bounty on her life completely defied logic.
Lucas kept his eyes on the rearview mirror as they sped through the pouring rain.
He explained that he had found the document hidden inside a safety deposit box Nathan had recently emptied.
Amelia examined the dates on the contract and noticed a glaring discrepancy.
The contract was dated two days after her grandfather had suffered a massive, debilitating stroke.
He had been physically incapable of holding a pen, let alone authorizing a corporate assassination.
Amelia realized the signature was a masterful, calculated forgery.
She looked at Lucas and stated that Vanessa was the only person with access to the estate during that time.
Vanessa had not just stolen Nathan from her; she had been systematically stealing the entire family legacy for years.
Lucas nodded grimly and pulled the car onto a secluded dirt road leading to a hidden safehouse.
He told Amelia that they needed to lay low until he could get a federal judge to look at the evidence.
They carefully carried the babies inside the small, rustic cabin and set up the medical equipment.
Amelia sat by the window, watching the rain wash away the tracks of their vehicle.
She finally felt a small sliver of safety in the quiet isolation.
Suddenly, the encrypted burner phone Lucas had given her began to ring.
Amelia answered it cautiously, expecting to hear Nathan's furious threats.
Instead, a cold, distorted voice spoke from the other end of the line.
The caller told Amelia to look out the back window of the cabin.
May you like
Amelia slowly turned her head and peered through the wet glass.
Standing at the edge of the dark woods were four men in tactical gear, pouring gasoline over the cabin's wooden porch.
