Chapter 8: The Last Fire
The call ended.
But my father’s voice stayed in my head.
“Marcus…”
One word.
One second.
Enough for me to know something was wrong.
I didn’t wait for anyone to tell me what to do.
I grabbed my jacket.
“We’re going.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Marcus—”
“No.””
My voice surprised everyone.
“I spent my whole life watching my father protect everyone else. Tonight he needs someone to protect him.””
Grant’s voice came through the phone.
“Where are you going?””
I looked at Daniel.
“Where is he?””
Daniel checked the location from the call.
Then his face changed.
“Your father’s house.””
My stomach dropped.
The one place we thought was safe.
The one place filled with memories.
The place where my father kept everything he had left of our family.
Grant immediately started moving.
“I’m sending my team.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
“They’ll expect that.””
Grant frowned.
“What are you saying?””
Daniel looked toward the window.
“The people who did this have spent twenty-six years planning. They know how powerful you are. They know how Robert thinks.””
He looked at me.
“They know we’ll go straight there.””
A cold silence followed.
“Then what do we do?”” Victoria asked.
Nobody answered.
Because for the first time, there wasn’t an obvious move.
Every road led into a trap.
Then Edward spoke.
“There’s another way in.””
Everyone turned.
He looked ashamed.
“But you’re not going to like it.””
I stared at him.
“After tonight, I don’t think anything surprises me anymore.””
Edward took a breath.
“The Whitmore family owned the land behind Robert’s house years ago.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You had access?””
“Yes.””
My anger rose.
“You had access to my father’s home?””
Edward looked at me.
“Not anymore.””
He reached into his pocket.
Pulled out an old key.
“My father gave this to me before he died.””
Daniel took it.
“Why?””
Edward looked at the key.
“Because he knew what Eleanor was capable of.””
Victoria stared at him.
“You knew your father was involved too?””
Edward closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
The answer broke something in her.
“How many people knew?””
Nobody spoke.
Because the answer was obvious.
Too many.
We rushed outside.
The night air felt colder than before.
The city lights blurred as we moved.
I sat in the back seat with Daniel.
For the first time, I was next to the man who had been a ghost my entire life.
I wanted to ask him a thousand questions.
Why didn’t you come back?
Why didn’t you find us?
Why did my father suffer alone?
But none of those questions mattered right now.
Only one did.
“Is my father going to be okay?””
Daniel looked out the window.
“I don’t know.””
I hated hearing that.
Because Daniel wasn’t a stranger.
He was family.
And family was supposed to have answers.
After a moment, he spoke.
“When I left that fire, I thought I was saving your father.””
I looked at him.
“What do you mean?””
He swallowed.
“I thought disappearing would keep Robert alive.””
The city lights passed over his face.
“But I didn’t realize something.””
“What?””
Daniel looked at me.
“I saved him from the people who wanted him dead.””
A pause.
“But I left him alone with the pain.””
Neither of us spoke.
Because there was nothing to say.
Twenty-six years couldn’t be repaired in one night.
When we reached my father’s neighborhood, we stopped several blocks away.
Grant’s security team arrived moments later.
Quiet.
Professional.
No flashing lights.
No attention.
Daniel pointed toward the house.
“The lights are off.””
I looked.
My childhood home sat in darkness.
Too much darkness.
My father always left the porch light on.
Always.
“Something’s wrong.””
We moved carefully.
The back entrance was unlocked.
That scared me more than a locked door.
Because whoever entered wanted us to know.
Inside, the house looked untouched.
The living room.
The old couch.
The family pictures.
Everything was exactly where it had always been.
Except one thing.
The hallway closet was open.
My father’s old firefighter jacket was missing.
Daniel stopped.
His face changed.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He walked toward the closet.
His hand touched the empty hanger.
“They found it.””
“What?””
Daniel looked at me.
“The original evidence.””
I frowned.
“My father’s jacket?””
Daniel nodded.
“After the fire, Robert kept Daniel’s equipment because he believed it was all he had left.””
He looked around.
“But I hid something inside it.””
A chill moved through me.
“What?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
Because a sound came from upstairs.
A floorboard creaked.
Everyone froze.
Grant signaled his team.
Two people moved toward the staircase.
Then a voice came from above.
“You’re too late.””
My blood ran cold.
The voice was familiar.
Not Eleanor.
Not a stranger.
A voice I had heard all my life.
My father.
“Dad?””
I ran toward the stairs.
Grant grabbed my arm.
“Wait.””
But I pulled away.
I didn’t care.
I ran upstairs.
And there he was.
My father.
Standing in his bedroom.
Alive.
But not alone.
A man stood behind him.
Holding a gun.
I stopped.
The entire world became silent.
“Dad.””
My father looked at me.
His eyes filled with relief.
Then fear.
“Marcus, get back.””
The man behind him laughed softly.
“Always protecting your son.””
I looked at him.
Older.
Gray hair.
Expensive suit.
A face I recognized from photographs.
Edward’s father.
Victoria’s grandfather.
Except he was supposed to be dead.
Daniel came up behind me.
And froze.
“No.””
The old man smiled.
“Hello, Daniel.””
Daniel’s face went pale.
“You died.””
The man laughed.
“People believe what they’re told.””
My father looked between them.
“Who is he?””
Daniel’s voice was barely audible.
“Charles Whitmore.””
The man smiled.
“The man who built the empire.””
Grant stepped into the room.
His expression hardened.
“So you’re the one.””
Charles looked at him.
“Grant Holloway.””
A smile.
“You grew up.””
Grant stared.
“You killed my father.””
Charles didn’t deny it.
That was the worst part.
He simply looked bored.
“Your father made poor decisions.””
Grant took a step forward.
“He tried to expose you.””
“Yes.””
“And you burned him.””
Charles tilted his head.
“No.””
Everyone froze.
“I burned the evidence.””
A pause.
“Your father was just unlucky enough to be near it.””
The room went cold.
My father stared.
“You destroyed all these lives.””
Charles looked at him.
“Robert, you still don’t understand.””
My father’s jaw tightened.
“What?””
Charles smiled.
“You were never the target.””
Silence.
“Daniel wasn’t the target.””
He looked at Grant.
“Your father wasn’t even the target.””
Then he looked at me.
“You were.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Charles walked closer.
“Twenty-six years ago, we needed Robert silent.””
He smiled.
“But we failed.””
He looked at Daniel.
“Then Daniel disappeared.””
His eyes moved to me.
“So we waited.””
My father stepped forward.
“No.””
Charles smiled.
“You have spent your entire life building a successful son.””
My blood ran cold.
“What are you talking about?””
Charles looked at Victoria’s empty wedding ring on my hand.
“Your marriage wasn’t an accident.””
The room went silent.
Victoria, who had followed us upstairs, covered her mouth.
“No.””
Charles looked at her.
“Your mother knew.””
Victoria shook her head.
“Stop.””
Charles continued.
“Marcus Hayes was always the key.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
Charles smiled.
“Because Robert would never betray his son.””
The realization hit me.
The wedding.
The family connection.
The investment.
It was never about business.
It was about getting close.
My father looked at Victoria.
“No…”
Victoria began crying.
“My mother knew.””
Charles nodded.
“She helped arrange everything.””
My knees almost gave out.
The woman I was about to marry.
The family I almost joined.
It had all been planned.
Charles stepped backward.
Then he pressed a button on a small device in his hand.
A faint ticking sound filled the room.
Daniel looked at it.
His face changed.
“Everyone get out.””
Nobody moved.
“What is it?”” I asked.
Daniel looked toward the walls.
Then the floor.
His voice broke.
“It’s the same kind of device.””
My father stared.
“What device?””
Daniel looked at him.
“The one that started the fire twenty-six years ago.””
The ticking grew louder.
Charles smiled.
“Let’s see if history repeats itself.””
May you like
Then the first spark appeared.
And the house that raised me caught fire.
