Chapter 6 - The Mother Who Knew Everything
Andrew had never been more frightened.
They rushed to the care facility.
Police were already there.
His mother’s room had been searched.
She was missing.
But there was no sign of a struggle.
A note sat on the pillow.
COME ALONE.
Andrew stared at it.
Cindy touched his arm.
“Don’t.”
He looked at her.
“I have to go.”
“No.”
He turned.
“My mother is out there.”
“And if they expect you alone, you walk into a trap.”
“I know.”
“So let us help.”
Andrew shook his head.
“This is my family.”
Cindy looked at him.
“So am I.”
The words stunned him.
Not because they were comforting.
Because they were true.
Not in the romantic sense.
Not anymore.
Their earlier kiss had become a painful memory.
But she was family.
And Andrew would protect family.
They followed the instructions to an abandoned church outside Manhattan.
Andrew entered alone.
His mother sat in a wheelchair near the altar.
She looked calm.
Beside her stood Martin.
Andrew raised his weapon.
Martin smiled.
“Put it down.”
Andrew did not.
“Let her go.”
Martin shook his head.
“I didn’t take her.”
His mother spoke.
“Andrew.”
He froze.
She was clear.
Fully lucid.
She had been silent for years.
Now she looked directly at her son.
“Martin didn’t kidnap me.”
Andrew’s face went pale.
“You know him?”
His mother nodded.
“I hired him.”
Silence.
Martin lowered his gun.
Andrew’s mother continued.
“Your father knew someone would betray him.”
“Who?”
She looked at Andrew.
“Me.”
Andrew stared.
“You?”
“I helped hide Cindy.”
He could barely breathe.
“Why?”
“Because William wanted to protect her.”
“From Martin?”
“From everyone.”
She explained that William had discovered the blackmail network years before.
He knew the Carter family would destroy itself if the truth became public.
He staged the disappearance of several people.
Rachel.
Thomas.
Cindy’s identity.
Even his own death had been planned differently than Andrew had understood.
Martin had been part of the plan.
Until he became greedy.
He stole the archive.
He began blackmailing the same people William had wanted to expose.
Andrew’s mother had protected him because she believed keeping the secret was safer than exposing it.
Until Cindy was attacked.
“I made a mistake,” she said.
Andrew lowered his weapon.
“You should have told me.”
“I was afraid you would become your father.”
Andrew swallowed.
Instead of anger, he felt grief.
His entire life had been built on incomplete truths.
Then Cindy’s voice came from the doorway.
“You don’t have to choose between being powerful and being good.”
Everyone turned.
Lucas stood behind her.
Martin smiled.
“That is sweet.”
Then he raised his gun.
A shot rang out.
Martin dropped.
Lucas had fired first.
The church fell silent.
Martin was alive but wounded.
Andrew rushed to his mother.
Cindy watched.
For the first time, the secret had been exposed.
The empire Andrew built could not survive unchanged.
He knew that.
The blackmail archive was too dangerous.
The only choice was to destroy it.
But before they could act, Martin laughed from the floor.
“You think I’m the only one?”
Andrew froze.
“There are copies.”
“Where?”
May you like
Martin smiled through the blood at his shirt.
“Everywhere.”
