Chapter 5 - The Road Through the Storm
The storm arrived the following evening.
Rain covered the city in silver sheets, and traffic slowed across every major road.
Claire stayed late at Northstar’s office, working with Leah to prepare a petition for access to archived hospital records. At nine thirty, Daniel called.
He was crying.
“Dad knows about the DNA test.”
Claire stood.
“How?”
“I heard him talking to someone from the lab.”
“Where are you?”
“At the house.”
“Leave.”
“I tried. He took my keys.”
Claire grabbed her coat.
“Call the police.”
“He said he’ll tell them I’m unstable.”
“Daniel, listen carefully. Go outside. Walk to a neighbor’s house.”
A crash sounded through the phone.
Then Margaret shouted in the background.
The call ended.
Claire contacted emergency services and drove toward her parents’ home.
She should have waited.
She knew that later.
But Daniel had sounded terrified, and despite everything, he was still her brother.
When Claire reached the house, Daniel was running down the driveway in the rain.
Thomas followed him.
Claire unlocked the passenger door.
“Get in.”
Daniel climbed inside.
Thomas reached the car and struck the window with his palm.
“You are stealing my son.”
Claire reversed out of the driveway.
Thomas ran toward his own vehicle.
Daniel turned in his seat.
“He’s following us.”
Claire called emergency services again and gave their location.
The rain intensified.
Thomas’s headlights appeared behind them.
“He has the original papers,” Daniel said. “He put them in his coat.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“He said if Evelyn learns the truth, we all lose everything.”
“What does that mean?”
“Her father left a trust for her missing daughter.”
Claire tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
“How much?”
“I don’t know. Dad said your existence could take control of the hospital group away from people who deserve it.”
“People like him?”
Daniel nodded.
Years earlier, Thomas had worked as legal counsel for Hale Medical Group. Claire remembered him mentioning the company only once, claiming he had resigned because its executives were unethical.
Now she understood.
“He didn’t just take me because Mom wanted a child,” Claire said. “He took me because I was valuable.”
Daniel looked sick.
A truck moved suddenly into their lane.
Claire slowed, but the tires lost traction on the flooded road.
The car spun.
There was a sound of metal, breaking glass, and Daniel shouting her name.
Then everything became darkness and distant sirens.
When Claire opened her eyes, she was still inside the car.
Rain struck the damaged windshield.
Daniel was beside her, conscious but dazed.
Thomas’s vehicle had stopped several yards away.
He climbed out before emergency workers arrived.
Instead of checking on Claire, he opened her passenger door and spoke to Daniel.
“Tell them your sister caused this.”
Daniel stared at him.
“What?”
“You need treatment. She has already taken enough from you.”
Thomas reached across the seat and pulled Claire’s medical identification card from her handbag.
Claire tried to speak, but no sound came.
May you like
Thomas leaned close enough for her to hear him.
“You should have left the past buried.”
