Chapter 9 - EMMA RETURNS TO THE HOME SHE ESCAPED
St. Catherine's looked smaller.
Emma had spent thirteen years believing it was the entire world.
Now she saw cracked brick.
Dirty windows.
A rusted fence.
A building full of frightened children controlled by ordinary men pretending to be giants.
Vincent had a plan.
Emma ruined it in four minutes.
She entered through the laundry tunnel.
Michael Dane was waiting.
So was Mr. Cole.
Emma had expected fear.
Instead, she felt anger.
Mr. Cole smiled.
“Welcome home.”
“This was never my home.”
His smile faded.
Michael demanded the key.
Emma held up the lighthouse pendant.
“You want it?”
Michael stepped forward.
“Emma,” Vincent's voice whispered through the tiny earpiece.
Wait.
Emma ignored him.
“Tell me who killed my mother.”
Michael smiled.
“Your father.”
Emma froze.
Mr. Cole looked surprised.
Michael continued.
“Anthony Romano loved Claire until she threatened his empire.”
“Liar.”
“Ask Tony.”
Emma's heart pounded.
“Emma,” Vincent whispered. “Do not listen.”
Michael held out his hand.
“The key.”
Emma threw the pendant.
Michael caught it.
Then every light in St. Catherine's died.
Vincent's men entered.
Children screamed.
Emma ran.
Mr. Cole caught her near the basement stairs.
He dragged her down.
The basement smelled exactly the same.
Bleach.
Mold.
Fear.
“You should have stayed gone,” he hissed.
Emma fought.
Mr. Cole struck her.
She fell.
He reached for her.
A gunshot exploded.
Mr. Cole collapsed.
Emma looked up.
Tony stood at the stairs.
His gun smoked.
Emma stared at him.
“Did Anthony kill my mother?”
Tony's face broke.
And Emma knew.
Michael had told half the truth.
The most dangerous kind.
Tony lowered the gun.
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
May you like
“I did.”
Emma stopped breathing.
