Charles looked directly at him.

“So stop giving them what they want.”

For the first time that night, Daniel truly looked at his brother.

Blood on his forehead.

Torn tuxedo.

Fear in his eyes.

Not fear for himself.

Fear for Lily.

Daniel nodded.

“Take Marcus.”

Marcus objected.

“Sir—”

“That wasn’t a suggestion.”

Marcus looked frustrated but accepted.

Daniel removed his tuxedo jacket.

Underneath, his white shirt was stained with Lily’s blood from a tiny cut sustained during the fall.

He stared at it.

Something inside him hardened.

“Daniel.”

Evelyn approached.

She touched his face.

“If Richard is alive…”

“I know.”

“No.”

Her voice trembled.

“You don’t.”

Daniel looked at her.

“What are you saying?”

Evelyn hesitated.

“Rebecca was terrified of your father.”

Daniel froze.

“Why?”

“She never told me.”

“Then why mention it now?”

“Because three days before she died, she said something.”

Daniel waited.

Evelyn whispered:

“She said Richard Cross was not the man his sons believed he was.”

Daniel felt cold.

“What else?”

“She said if the truth ever came out, the Cross family wouldn’t survive it.”

The clock read 11:31.

Daniel kissed Sophie’s forehead.

Then he turned toward the door.

Charles called after him.

“Daniel.”

He stopped.

Charles tossed him a small pistol.

Daniel caught it.

“Bring Lily home.”

Daniel looked at his brother.

Then at Evelyn.

Then at Sophie.

“I will.”

He disappeared into the corridor.

Outside, rain had begun falling over Chicago.

Daniel climbed into a black SUV.

The engine roared.

As the gates opened, his phone vibrated.

Another message.

This time, no photograph.

Just four words.

I KNOW YOU’RE COMING.

Daniel stared through the windshield.

Then another message appeared.

JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER DID.

Daniel’s breathing stopped.

A third message followed.

HE CHOSE THE WRONG CHILD.

Daniel slammed the brakes.

Cars screamed behind him.

For one terrible second, he could hear nothing except his heartbeat.

Wrong child?

He looked at the message again.

Then the final text appeared.

ASK CHARLES WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE IN THE FIRE.

Daniel slowly lifted his eyes.

Warehouse Seventeen hatte seinen Vater getötet.

So lautete zumindest die Geschichte.

Vielleicht gefällt es Ihnen

Doch plötzlich fragte sich Daniel, ob Richard Cross jemals das eigentlich vorgesehene Opfer gewesen war.

Und ob die Familie Cross neun Jahre lang das falsche Geheimnis vergraben hatte.