Chapter 5 - My Father Had Been Living in Miami All Along, and He Wanted His Daughter Back Before Jericho Could Learn the TruthDaniel Pierce had been in Miami for months.
He had been watching Blackwood Estate.
Watching me.
Watching Rosie.
Watching Jericho.
We traced him to an apartment.
Empty.
But he had left photographs.
Dozens.
Of me.
From five years ago.
The day I became Lennox.
The day I entered a new apartment.
The day I started working at the restaurant.
The first day I met Rosie.
He had watched everything.
I felt sick.
One photograph showed me sleeping.
Another showed me leaving my apartment.
A third showed me crying.
Someone had been following me for years.
Jericho stood beside me.
“This stops now.”
“What if he comes for me?”
“He will.”
“What if he comes for Rosie?”
“He won't.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he needs you.”
“For what?”
“The Shadow Crown.”
I looked at him.
“What can I do?”
“You can unlock it.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“Because your memories were altered.”
“What does that have to do with a network?”
“Your brain contains the access key.”
I laughed.
“That's impossible.”
“Your father designed it that way.”
“Why?”
“He didn't trust computers.”
He trusted people.
Specifically, you.
The key wasn't a password.
It was a sequence hidden in memory.
Without you, the Crown's archive couldn't be opened.
I felt trapped.
“Then everyone wants me.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you keep me alive?”
“Because I want the Crown destroyed.”
“And my father?”
“He wants control.”
“Could he really find me?”
“He already did.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
My father's voice.
“Hello, Evelyn.”
I froze.
Jericho heard.
“Dad?”
“Don't call me that.”
“Where are you?”
“You don't need to know.”
“I want answers.”
“You don't deserve them.”
Jericho stepped closer.
“Put me on speaker.”
I did.
Daniel laughed.
“Jericho.”
“You've been watching her.”
“I've been protecting my daughter.”
“You erased her.”
“I saved her from herself.”
“No.”
Jericho's voice hardened.
“You used her.”
Daniel was quiet.
Then:
“Your father would be ashamed of you.”
Jericho froze.
“What?”
“He promised me she would remain hidden.”
“You killed him.”
“No.”
Daniel laughed softly.
“He died because he chose you.”
Jericho's face hardened.
“Where are you?”
“Come alone.”
“No.”
“Then your daughter dies.”
Silence.
“Rosie?”
I froze.
Daniel continued:
“She's with me.”
My heart stopped.
Jericho's entire body changed.
“Where?”
“Come alone.”
I grabbed his arm.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I have to.”
“You're not going alone.”
“He'll kill Rosie.”
“Then we go together.”
He nodded.
We followed the signal.
An abandoned amusement park.
Rosie was sitting on a bench.
Alive.
But terrified.
Daniel stood behind her.
I saw him.
My father.
Older.
Gray hair.
Cold eyes.
He looked at me.
“Evelyn.”
I stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
He smiled.
“Come here.”
“No.”
“You used to trust me.”
“I don't remember.”
“That is because I made sure you wouldn't.”
The words hit harder than a bullet.
Jericho raised his gun.
Daniel laughed.
“You still think you're the hero.”
“No.”
Jericho's voice was cold.
“I think you're afraid.”
Daniel's smile vanished.
I stepped forward.
“You erased me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you were dangerous.”
“To you?”
“To everyone.”
I shook my head.
“I was a child.”
“You were my daughter.”
“What did you do to me?”
“I protected you.”
“You destroyed my memories.”
“I removed the parts that could get you killed.”
“You turned me into someone else.”
“I gave you a life.”
“A fake life.”
“A safe life.”
I felt tears.
“You stole my life.”
Daniel looked at me.
“You never had one.”
That broke something inside me.
Jericho moved.
Daniel raised his gun.
Rosie screamed.
A shot fired.
Jericho pushed me down.
His men returned fire.
Daniel escaped.
Rosie ran into my arms.
I held her.
“Are you okay?”
She cried.
“Daddy.”
Jericho picked her up.
Then looked at me.
“He'll come again.”
I nodded.
“I know.”
Behind us, police lights appeared.
Daniel had left something behind.
A black folder.
Inside was one photograph.
My mother.
A young Jericho.
Rafael Blackwood.
And another man.
Someone I recognized.
Gabriel.
At the bottom:
SHE KNOWS WHERE THE CROWN IS.
I looked at Jericho.
“I don't know.”
He stared at the photograph.
May you like
Then at me.
“You will.”
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