Chapter 11: The Man Behind the Inheritance
The officer ordered David to drop his weapon.
David didn't move.
Instead, he looked around the office as though he had arrived for a business meeting.
"Put that gun down," the officer repeated.
David smiled.
"Officer, I'm afraid you've misunderstood the situation. This is a family matter.""
I stepped forward.
"Family matters don't involve kidnapping.""
David's eyes settled on me.
"Christopher. It's been a long time.""
"Not long enough.""
He chuckled.
"You always did have a temper.""
I looked at the gun.
"Where is Hannah?""
"Safe.""
"Where?""
"Somewhere she won't interfere.""
James stepped forward.
"Let her go.""
David looked at him.
For a moment, something like recognition passed across his face.
Then he laughed.
"Richard's boy. Look at you.""
James clenched his fists.
"Don't call me that.""
"Why not? You owe everything you have to Richard.""
"I owe everything to Eleanor.""
David's smile faded.
"Eleanor was a foolish woman.""
"She was my mother.""
"She stole you from me.""
James shook his head.
"You gave me away.""
David's expression hardened.
"I gave you a better life.""
"You gave me a false name.""
"I gave you an inheritance.""
James laughed bitterly.
"Then why did you spend thirty years making sure I never knew about it?""
David glanced at Margaret.
"Because your mother complicated everything.""
Margaret stepped forward.
"Don't blame me for what you did.""
He raised the gun slightly.
"Be quiet.""
The officer shifted his position.
David noticed.
"Don't try it.""
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Sarah spoke.
"Where is Richard?""
David turned toward her.
His eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?""
Sarah lifted her birth certificate.
"Your daughter.""
David stared.
Then he began laughing.
"That's impossible.""
"Elizabeth told me everything.""
"Elizabeth was a liar.""
"She had the DNA report.""
David's expression changed.
Sarah placed the report on the table.
"Richard Albright was my biological father.""
David looked at the paper.
Then at James.
For the first time, he appeared genuinely unsettled.
"Where did you get that?""
"From Elizabeth's safe.""
He shook his head.
"She should have destroyed it.""
Sarah stepped closer.
"You knew?""
David didn't answer.
"You knew I was his daughter?""
He looked away.
Sarah's voice broke.
"Did you know he was alive?""
David's silence answered her.
I looked at Margaret.
She seemed devastated.
"Where is Richard?"" I demanded.
David finally spoke.
"He's where he belongs.""
"Meaning?""
"Waiting.""
He glanced at Zachary.
Zachary stood behind him, looking increasingly nervous.
"Father," Zachary said quietly, "we need to leave.""
David turned.
"Not yet.""
"We have the documents.""
"Not all of them.""
Zachary looked at me.
"Christopher, listen. I don't want this to get worse.""
I almost laughed.
"You kidnapped my daughter.""
"I didn't hurt her.""
"Where is she?""
Zachary hesitated.
David answered for him.
"At the old Albright estate.""
Margaret went pale.
"No.""
David smiled.
"Yes.""
"That place is abandoned.""
"Not anymore.""
I stared at him.
"Why take her there?""
David lowered the gun.
"Because Hannah is the only person who can activate the original trust.""
Sarah looked confused.
"Why Hannah?""
Margaret answered.
"Because I named her as the primary beneficiary. David believed that if he controlled her marriage, he could control the trust.""
David shook his head.
"Not entirely.""
He looked at James.
"The original trust was established by Richard's father. It required the biological heir to sign the final transfer.""
James understood.
"That's why you wanted me.""
David nodded.
"You were supposed to inherit everything.""
"But Zachary believed he was the heir.""
"Zachary was useful.""
Zachary looked at him.
"What?""
David continued as if he hadn't spoken.
"The adoption records were altered to make Zachary appear to be Richard's legitimate son. I intended to use him as a replacement if James could not be found.""
Zachary stared at him.
"You told me I was your son.""
David turned.
"You were my son in every way that mattered.""
"Then why did you lie?""
"Because you were never the heir.""
Zachary looked as if someone had struck him.
For two years, he had controlled Hannah.
He had used her.
He had believed he was protecting an inheritance that belonged to him.
Now he was discovering that he had been nothing more than another instrument in David's plan.
"You knew I married Hannah," Zachary whispered.
David nodded.
"And you allowed it?""
"It served its purpose.""
Zachary's face twisted.
"She's my wife.""
David laughed.
"She's a signature.""
Hannah's absence suddenly became unbearable.
I turned toward Zachary.
"Where is she?""
He looked at me.
For the first time, I saw something other than arrogance in his expression.
Regret.
"She's at the estate," he said.
David swung the gun toward him.
"Shut up.""
Zachary took a step backward.
"She's not safe there.""
David's face hardened.
"Neither are you.""
Then everything happened at once.
The officer lunged.
David fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
The officer tackled him.
The gun slid across the floor.
Zachary grabbed it before anyone else could reach it.
"Zachary!"" I shouted.
He aimed toward David.
His hands shook.
"Tell me where Hannah is.""
David struggled against the officer.
"Put that down.""
"Tell me!""
David spat blood onto the floor.
"You really are Margaret's son.""
Zachary's eyes filled with tears.
"You told me I was your heir.""
"I told you what you needed to hear.""
Zachary lowered the weapon.
Then he did something nobody expected.
He threw it toward the officer.
"Take him.""
The officer secured David's hands.
Another officer entered the room.
David was finally under arrest.
But he didn't look frightened.
As they dragged him toward the corridor, he turned toward me.
"Christopher, you think you've won?""
I said nothing.
He smiled.
"Ask Margaret what happened to the original trust.""
I turned toward my wife.
She had gone pale.
David continued.
"Ask her why the money disappeared eleven years ago.""
Margaret lowered her head.
The officers took him away.
Zachary sat down heavily.
James approached him.
"Where is Hannah?""
Zachary rubbed his face.
"I can take you there.""
"Why should we trust you?""
"Because David has someone else working for him.""
Margaret looked up.
"Who?""
Zachary swallowed.
"Richard.""
The room went silent.
Sarah stepped forward.
"But Richard is dead.""
Zachary shook his head.
"That's what he wanted everyone to believe.""
He looked directly at James.
"Your biological father is alive.""
James backed away.
May you like
Then Zachary added something even worse.
"And he's the man currently holding Hannah.""
