Chapter 12 - The Night Bellamy Burned
“Let her go,” Margaret said.
Candace laughed.
“You always were dramatic.”
Margaret stepped closer.
“I know what you want.”
“The trust.”
“You can have my claim.”
“No.”
Candace shook her head.
“I want hers.”
Elena realized Candace had spent her life believing Bellamy belonged to her.
If Arthur was her father, she might even have a legitimate claim.
“You could have challenged the trust,” Elena said.
Candace looked at her.
“And spend ten years in court?”
“So humiliation was easier?”
“That was Marla’s idea.”
Elena absorbed that.
“Your mother ordered what happened in the boutique.”
“Yes.”
“But you enjoyed it.”
Candace’s face hardened.
“You walked into my store with your perfect fiancé and your inheritance and expected everyone to celebrate you.”
“I didn't know I had an inheritance.”
“That makes it worse.”
“No.”
Elena met her eyes.
“It makes what you did pointless.”
Candace slapped her.
Margaret moved forward.
Candace produced a lighter.
Fuel had been poured across the floor.
“Stop.”
Margaret froze.
“Sign the transfer.”
She placed papers before Elena.
Elena looked down.
“You think this works?”
“It will after your attorney confirms it.”
“He won’t.”
“Then Dominic dies.”
Elena looked up.
“You don't know Dominic very well.”
A crash sounded downstairs.
Candace turned.
Smoke rose from the stairwell.
Her eyes widened.
“I didn’t light it.”
Someone else had.
Fire spread rapidly through the old building.
Margaret untied Elena while Candace panicked.
“Move!”
They ran.
A beam collapsed.
Candace fell.
Elena reached the exit.
Then looked back.
Candace was trapped.
Margaret grabbed Elena.
“No.”
Elena pulled away.
“I’m not leaving her.”
“She kidnapped you!”
“I know.”
Elena ran back.
Candace stared at her in disbelief.
“Why?”
“Because I’m tired of this family deciding who deserves to survive.”
Together Elena and Margaret lifted the beam enough for Candace to crawl free.
Dominic appeared through the smoke.
“Elena!”
He reached her.
For one second his composure shattered completely.
He wrapped both arms around her.
“You’re okay.”
“Yes.”
He held her face.
“You’re okay.”
“Yes.”
Candace watched.
Then sirens surrounded them.
Police arrested her.
Before entering the cruiser, Candace looked at Elena.
“You should have left me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because becoming cruel wouldn’t make what you did to me disappear.”
Candace looked away.
The factory burned behind them.
The wedding obviously did not happen that night.
At three in the morning Elena sat wrapped in Dominic’s coat.
“My dress smells like smoke.”
“I’ll marry you in sweatpants.”
“My mother spent twenty years making that dress.”
“I’ll marry you in the dress.”
“My hair is ruined.”
“I have no safe response.”
She laughed.
Then rested her head against him.
“Tomorrow.”
“What?”
“We get married tomorrow.”
“You need sleep.”
“I need you.”
He kissed her.
“Tomorrow.”
But dawn brought another problem.
Bellamy Bridal was on fire.
The Chicago store.
They arrived as firefighters fought the blaze.
Elena watched flames consume the upstairs archive.
“No.”
Dominic held her.
Mason approached.
“Arson.”
“Candace is in custody.”
“Then she didn't do it.”
“Marla?”
“In custody.”
“Victor?”
“Federal custody.”
Elena stared at the flames.
“Who is left?”
Mason handed her a photograph from street surveillance.
A man leaving the rear entrance moments before the fire.
Daniel Brooks.
Elena’s father.
She stared at it.
“No.”
Margaret saw the image.
Her face collapsed.
“He promised.”
“What?”
Margaret stepped backward.
“Mom.”
“He promised me he’d never go back.”
“Go back to what?”
Margaret began crying.
“Daniel wasn't only protecting us.”
Elena’s heart sank.
“He worked for Victor.”
“How deeply?”
Margaret looked at the burning store.
“Deep enough to know exactly what evidence was still inside.”
Elena called him.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Daniel sent one message.
I’M SORRY.
A second arrived.
DON’T FOLLOW ME.
Dominic looked at Elena.
She was already moving toward the car.
“Elena.”
“He’s my father.”
“And it may be a trap.”
“Then back me up.”
Dominic followed.
Daniel’s location appeared briefly near Lake Michigan.
They reached the pier.
His car was empty.
Keys inside.
On the passenger seat sat Elena’s childhood photograph.
Underneath was a note.
I DID ONE LAST THING TO SET YOU FREE.
Elena looked toward the water.
A figure stood at the far end of the pier.
“Dad!”
Daniel turned.
Then another figure emerged from behind him.
A gun lifted.
May you like
Elena screamed.
And the shot cracked across the lake...
