Chapter 9: My Brother's Final Betrayal
“Daniel, lower the gun.””
My voice sounded strangely calm.
My brother didn't move.
“Put it down, Michael.””
Detective Brooks slowly raised his hands.
“Daniel, I'm Detective Brooks. We can talk about this.””
Daniel laughed.
“Talk? You people have been talking for forty years.””
Margaret stood behind me.
“Daniel, please.””
He turned toward her.
“Don't.””
“Your father loved you.””
His jaw tightened.
“Don't you dare mention him.””
I looked between them.
“What is happening?””
Daniel pointed the gun toward the documents.
“You finally found the records.””
“Why is your name on them?””
He smiled bitterly.
“Because I'm the one who was supposed to inherit everything.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Your father knew Richard wanted his biological son. He knew the hospital had switched the children. But he didn't know which baby had been moved where.””
I looked at the paper again.
*TRANSFERRED TO: DANIEL CARTER.*
Daniel continued.
“I was the baby Richard wanted. He arranged everything. But Evelyn switched the bracelets again.””
“Why?””
“Because she wanted a child of her own.””
I looked at Margaret.
She began crying.
“I didn't know,” she whispered.
Daniel laughed.
“Of course you didn't. You were busy pretending to be a perfect mother.””
He turned toward me.
“Richard was supposed to raise me. Instead, I grew up with a family that treated me like an inconvenience.””
I stared at him.
“You had everything.””
“Everything?”” He raised his voice.
“You got the company. You got the inheritance. You got the house.
You got the attention. You got to be the son everyone loved.””
I shook my head.
“Dad loved both of us.””
“No. He loved you because he believed you were his biological son.””
The room went quiet.
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“He found out the truth when I was twelve. I heard him arguing with Margaret. He said he would tell me everything when I was old enough.””
I swallowed.
“What happened?””
“He never got the chance.””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Evelyn came to him first. She told him Richard was going to take me away. Then she offered him a deal.””
“What deal?””
“She would keep me with the family if he signed away his rights to the estate.””
I looked at the document.
“And he refused?””
Daniel nodded.
“He told her he would rather lose everything than surrender his children.””
I felt something twist in my chest.
My father had known.
He had loved us both.
He had tried to protect us.
And someone had made sure he never got to finish.
“Did you help kill him?”” I asked.
Daniel looked away.
For the first time, I saw shame in his expression.
“I didn't know they were going to kill him.””
“Who?””
“Richard and Evelyn.””
Margaret covered her mouth.
Daniel continued.
“They arranged the accident. I was supposed to take you away from the house that night. But you refused to come.””
I stared at him.
“You were there?””
He nodded.
“I watched them take him.””
My hands curled into fists.
“And you never told me?””
“I was sixteen, Michael!””
“You were old enough to tell someone!””
Daniel's face twisted.
“They told me they'd send me away. They said I'd never see you again.””
I stepped forward.
“So you spent the rest of your life helping them?””
Daniel looked at me.
“I wanted what was mine.””
I shook my head.
“You're holding a gun to your brother.””
He looked down.
Then his expression hardened again.
“Give me the recorder.””
I held it behind my back.
“No.””
“Michael.””
“You're not taking anything.””
Daniel pointed the gun toward Detective Brooks.
“Move.””
Brooks didn't move.
“Daniel, think carefully.””
Daniel's finger tightened around the trigger.
Then Margaret did something unexpected.
She stepped between us.
“Shoot me.””
Daniel blinked.
“Move, Mom.””
“No.””
“Move!””
Margaret shook her head.
“I've spent my entire life protecting the wrong things. I won't let you hurt another child.””
Daniel's face twisted.
“You didn't protect me!””
“I know.””
Her voice broke.
“I know, sweetheart.””
For one moment, Daniel looked like the frightened teenager he had described.
Then his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
Richard Hayes.
He answered.
“What?””
Richard's voice came through the speaker.
“Do you have the recording?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Almost.””
“Don't waste time. Bring it to the warehouse.””
“What about the girl?””
Ava's name made my blood run cold.
Richard answered casually.
“She'll be fine once we finish.””
Daniel hesitated.
“You promised nobody would hurt her.””
Richard laughed.
“You're becoming sentimental.””
Daniel's face changed.
“Richard, listen—”
The call disconnected.
I watched my brother.
“Where is my daughter?””
Daniel lowered the phone.
“Warehouse on Mercer Street.””
“Take me there.””
He looked at the gun.
“You'll give me the recorder.””
“After I get Ava.””
He shook his head.
“Richard won't let you leave.””
“Then help me get her out.””
Daniel stared at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he lowered the weapon.
“There's a back entrance.””
Detective Brooks immediately moved forward.
Daniel raised the gun again.
“Not you.””
Brooks stopped.
“I'm coming with you,” I said.
Daniel nodded.
Margaret grabbed my sleeve.
“Michael, don't trust him.””
I looked at her.
“I don't have another choice.””
The warehouse stood beside an abandoned railway line.
Its metal doors were rusted.
A single light burned above the entrance.
Daniel parked behind a delivery truck.
“Richard keeps people near the front,” he whispered.
“The back entrance leads to an office.””
I looked at him.
“How do you know?””
“Because I helped him find the place.””
I felt sick.
We entered through a narrow side door.
The smell of oil and damp concrete filled the air.
Then I heard a small voice.
“Daddy?””
I froze.
“Ava?””
A soft sob came from behind a metal partition.
I rushed toward it.
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“Wait.””
A man stepped out of the shadows.
Richard Hayes.
He was older than in the photograph, but his eyes were exactly the same.
“Michael,” he said.
“You've brought my property.””
I stepped forward.
“She is my daughter.””
Richard smiled.
“Biologically, she is mine.””
I clenched my jaw.
“You're not taking her.””
Richard glanced at Daniel.
“Did you bring the recording?””
Daniel held up the cassette player.
“Yes.””
“Excellent.””
Richard extended his hand.
Daniel didn't move.
“Where's Ava?””
Richard sighed.
“Still asking questions. Just like your father.””
He nodded toward the partition.
Two men dragged Ava into view.
Her cheeks were wet.
“Daddy!””
I took a step.
One of the men grabbed her shoulder.
“Don't move.””
Richard looked at me.
“Give me the recording, and I'll let the child go.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was staring at Ava.
Then he did something I hadn't expected.
He raised his gun toward Richard.
“Let her go.””
Richard's smile vanished.
“What?””
Daniel's voice trembled.
“I said let her go.””
Richard laughed.
“You ungrateful little fool.””
He reached inside his jacket.
A gunshot exploded.
Ava screamed.
I lunged toward her.
The lights went out.
Someone shouted.
A body hit the concrete.
Then a familiar voice cried out.
“MICHAEL! GET THE GIRL!””
I grabbed Ava and pulled her into my arms.
“Daddy's here!””
She buried her face against my chest.
“Don't let him take me!””
“I won't.””
Emergency lights flickered on.
Detective Brooks and several officers stormed through the warehouse entrance.
“POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!””
Richard was on the floor, clutching his shoulder.
Daniel stood beside him, holding the cassette recorder.
But the gun was gone.
Detective Brooks approached.
“Daniel, step away.””
Daniel slowly raised his hands.
Then he looked at me.
“Michael, there's something you need to know.””
I held Ava tighter.
“What?””
He looked toward Richard.
Then he whispered:
“Richard didn't order your father's death.””
I frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Your father was killed because he discovered who really switched the babies.””
I stared at him.
“Evelyn?””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
His eyes filled with tears.
Then he pointed toward the warehouse entrance.
“Margaret.””
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Behind Detective Brooks, my mother stood motionless.
And in her hand was another gun.
