Chapter 12 - THE LOCKED LIBRARY
Margaret locked the library doors.
Evan began crying.
“Please let me go.”
I moved between them.
“Put the syringe down.”
Margaret stared at me.
“You still think this is about hurting children.”
“You shoved Lily onto a ballroom floor.”
“She embarrassed me.”
“She is six.”
“She must learn discipline.”
The words told me everything I needed to know.
Margaret did not love Lily.
She loved ownership.
I glanced toward the windows.
Too high.
Thick glass.
Locked.
Margaret noticed.
“Police will eventually enter.”
“Then this ends badly for you.”
“No.”
She reached into a drawer.
She removed documents.
“I only need your signature.”
“What is that?”
“A voluntary acknowledgment.”
I read the first page.
It stated I had discovered years ago that Lily was not genetically mine.
It claimed I knowingly concealed Lily’s parentage.
It surrendered any future guardianship claim.
“You think I’m signing this?”
“You will.”
“Why?”
Margaret looked at Evan.
I understood.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Don’t force me.”
“You keep calling these children yours while threatening them.”
“Sign.”
I took the pen.
Margaret relaxed slightly.
Then Evan spoke.
“My mom said never sign papers when bad people tell you to.”
Margaret spun toward him.
I threw the pen directly at her face.
She flinched.
I grabbed Evan.
We ran toward the side door.
Locked.
Margaret caught my hair.
Pain exploded across my scalp.
I turned and shoved her away.
The syringe fell.
Evan kicked it beneath the sofa.
Margaret slapped me.
I tasted blood.
Then she grabbed the fireplace poker.
“Enough.”
The library windows exploded inward.
Glass covered the carpet.
James climbed through behind a tactical officer.
Margaret froze.
James saw the poker.
Then saw my bleeding mouth.
“Put it down.”
His voice was different.
Margaret stared at him.
“My son.”
James shook his head.
“Apparently not.”
For the first time, Margaret looked genuinely shocked.
She realized she had told me too much.
The tactical officer took the poker.
Another officer grabbed Margaret.
Claire rushed in moments later and dropped to her knees around Evan.
He screamed, “Mom!”
She held him so tightly they both fell onto the carpet.
I watched them.
Then James came toward me.
“Are you okay?”
I stepped back.
His face fell.
Police led Margaret toward the door.
She stopped beside James.
“You think she’ll forgive you?”
James said nothing.
Margaret smiled.
“She shouldn’t.”
Then she looked at me.
“You still don’t know why James paid Reeves twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Her smile widened.
“That wasn’t the only payment.”
James went completely still.
I looked at him.
May you like
Margaret continued.
“Ask your husband about the seventy-five thousand dollars he paid the laboratory that first discovered Lily wasn’t his daughter.”
