Chapter 6 - THE TWO CHILDREN IN THE FIRE
“Who was the other child?”
Nicholas grabbed Gabriel's arm before he could put the photograph away.
Gabriel looked toward the dark water.
“His name is Owen Mercer. He was two years old when the warehouse burned.”
“And his father?”
“Matthew Mercer. One of the night-shift workers who died.”
Nicholas remembered the name.
He had attended both funerals.
He had shaken the hands of two grieving families and promised financial assistance.
At the time, he believed the fire had been a terrible industrial accident.
“Why was a two-year-old inside the warehouse?” Nicholas asked.
“Matthew was picking up Owen after his wife's hospital shift. He stopped by the loading office to collect his paycheck.”
“And June?”
“I brought her there.”
Nicholas stared at his brother.
Gabriel's expression tightened.
“Charles had threatened Celeste. He knew about the baby. He said if I didn't cooperate with the next shipment, he'd make sure Celeste lost custody.”
“So you brought June to the docks?”
“I was meeting a man who promised to help us get away. Matthew was supposed to drive us to Eleanor's house.”
Gabriel swallowed.
“Then the fire started.”
Nicholas felt sick.
“What happened?”
“Matthew got the children outside. He went back for another worker.”
“And never came out.”
Gabriel nodded.
“I should have been the one who died in there.”
Nicholas looked at him.
“Don't say that.”
“Why not? It's true.”
“No. The truth is that Charles arranged a dangerous shipment and people died. You made terrible choices. That doesn't mean you deserve to die.”
Gabriel looked away.
“Matthew's wife, Teresa, has spent eight years trying to raise Owen without anyone knowing what happened.”
“Does she know Charles caused the fire?”
“She suspects it. She kept copies of her husband's last work schedule and delivery instructions. Charles's representatives pressured her to accept a settlement and sign a confidentiality agreement.”
Nicholas stared at the photograph again.
“Then we find Teresa. We find Owen. And we make this right.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“Money won't bring Matthew back.”
“No,” Nicholas answered. “But telling the truth is a start.”
Behind them, Claire approached.
She had heard enough to understand that Nicholas was finally confronting his family's history.
She noticed Gabriel's bruised jaw.
Then Nicholas's reddened knuckles.
“I'm guessing the reunion didn't go smoothly.”
Gabriel managed a sad smile.
“You must be Claire.”
She nodded.
“You know my name?”
“I know someone used your identity to move my daughter.”
Claire studied him.
“June thinks her father is dangerous.”
Gabriel's face changed.
“Charles told her that?”
“She drew a picture.”
He closed his eyes.
For a moment, Nicholas thought his brother might collapse.
Instead, Gabriel leaned against the harbor wall.
“I wanted to find her before she was old enough to believe the lies.”
Claire answered softly.
“Then you'll have to show her who you are. Not just tell her.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“You sound like Eleanor.”
Claire shook her head.
“I think Eleanor should have told the truth a long time ago.”
Gabriel gave a small nod.
“So do I.”
Marcus approached with new information.
Thomas Vale's vehicle had been recorded leaving Harbor Point shortly before the police arrived.
It traveled north along the coast.
Then it entered a gated property belonging to Whitmore Residential Holdings.
The property contained several guest cottages.
One had been occupied by a private caregiver for the last two weeks.
Nicholas immediately contacted Detective Bennett.
He gave her the vehicle information and asked her to coordinate another welfare check.
This time, Gabriel insisted on coming.
Nicholas studied him.
“If June sees both of us, she could panic.”
Gabriel looked defeated.
“She's my daughter.”
“I know.”
“Then let me be nearby.”
Nicholas nodded.
An hour later, they stood outside a white cottage surrounded by pine trees.
Police vehicles blocked the driveway.
The windows glowed with warm yellow light.
A woman in her fifties opened the door when Bennett knocked.
Her name was Linda Marsh.
She had been hired by Whitmore Family Services to care for a child supposedly awaiting reunification with relatives.
“I was told her grandmother was seriously ill,” Linda explained.
“Have you spoken to Margaret Bell?” Bennett asked.
“No. The agency told me not to contact anyone.”
Claire looked past her into the living room.
A small figure sat on the floor beside a suitcase.
Dark curls.
Pink sweater.
Blue butterfly bracelet.
June.
Claire felt tears burn her eyes.
The little girl looked up.
“Miss Claire?”
Claire dropped to one knee.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
June ran toward her.
Then stopped halfway.
“Am I in trouble?”
Claire shook her head.
“No, honey.”
“Because I didn't get in the car fast enough?”
“No.”
June looked at the police officers.
“Did Grandma send you?”
Claire swallowed.
“Your grandma wants you safe. She's in the hospital right now, but people are helping her.”
June's lower lip trembled.
“Mr. Thomas said she got hurt because I didn't listen.”
Gabriel turned away.
Nicholas's hands closed into fists.
Claire kept her voice calm.
“June, grown-ups are responsible for their own choices. You didn't make anyone hurt your grandma.”
June hesitated.
Then wrapped her arms around Claire's neck.
For several moments, neither moved.
Nicholas watched from the doorway.
He had spent his adult life surrounded by men who followed his orders.
But an eight-year-old girl trusted his housekeeper more than anyone with power or money.
And he understood why.
Claire had never asked June for anything.
She had simply been kind.
Linda handed Bennett a folder containing the instructions she'd received.
The officers began documenting the circumstances of June's transfer.
Thomas Vale was found in the cottage's detached garage.
He tried to explain that he was carrying out foundation business.
Bennett informed him he was being detained while the unauthorized transfer was investigated.
Celeste remained outside until June was ready.
When the little girl finally stepped onto the porch, Celeste knelt.
“Hello, June.”
June studied her.
“You were in the car.”
Celeste nodded.
“Yes.”
“You said I was going somewhere nice.”
“I did.”
“It wasn't nice.”
Celeste's face crumpled.
“I know. I'm sorry.”
June looked down at her bracelet.
“Are you going to make me go again?”
“No,” Celeste whispered. “I won't make you go anywhere.”
June looked toward Claire.
Claire nodded encouragingly.
Then June stepped behind her.
The small movement hurt Celeste more than any accusation could have.
But she didn't reach for the child.
She stayed where she was.
Nicholas noticed.
It was the first truly unselfish choice he'd seen Celeste make.
Detective Bennett arranged for June to receive a medical examination and speak with a child-protection specialist.
Margaret remained her legal guardian, but the authorities needed to verify the circumstances of the transfer before deciding where June could safely stay.
Nicholas accepted that process.
He didn't want his niece rescued from one powerful adult only to be controlled by another.
As the officers prepared to leave, Gabriel stepped forward.
June noticed him.
She looked at his face for a long moment.
Then her eyes widened.
“Are you Gabriel?”
His breath caught.
“Yes.”
She studied the scar above his eyebrow.
“Grandma has your picture.”
Gabriel knelt several feet away.
“Does she?”
June nodded.
“She said you used to make pancakes shaped like stars.”
A broken laugh escaped him.
“I did.”
June looked at his hands.
“Did you make them for me?”
Gabriel's eyes filled.
“No, sweetheart. I didn't get the chance.”
June seemed to consider that.
Then she looked toward Nicholas.
Her expression changed.
“Who is he?”
Gabriel answered carefully.
“That's my brother, Nicholas. He's your uncle.”
June stepped backward.
Nicholas crouched, keeping his distance.
“Hi, June.”
But she shook her head.
“No.”
Claire turned toward her.
“What's wrong, honey?”
June pointed at Nicholas.
Her voice became very small.
“The man with the silver watch told me about him.”
Gabriel went still.
June's eyes filled with tears.
“He said Uncle Nicholas started the fire.”
Nicholas felt as though someone had struck him.
May you like
Then June whispered the words that silenced everyone on the porch.
“He said if Daddy ever came back, Uncle Nicholas would make him disappear again.”
