Chapter 5 - MIDNIGHT AT ST. AGNES
At 11:58 p.m., I walked into St. Agnes alone.
At least that was what Marcus believed.
Thomas waited two blocks away inside an unmarked vehicle.
Marco had men positioned beyond visual range.
No police.
Not officially.
One federal agent I trusted had been contacted through a private channel.
If Marcus owned local law enforcement, I needed someone he did not own.
The church doors opened with a groan.
Dust.
Cold.
Old candles.
Broken stained glass.
Sophie sat in the first pew.
She looked tiny.
Marcus stood beside the altar.
Daniel Vale near the side aisle.
Deputy Chief Reynolds behind him.
Three armed men.
I counted exits.
Six.
Sophie saw me.
“Mr. Andrew.”
Marcus placed one hand on her shoulder.
She went still.
I hated him for that.
“You came.”
“Let her go.”
“Where’s Thomas?”
“Safe.”
Marcus smiled.
“Then this ends quickly.”
“No.”
I walked closer.
“You’re going to explain something first.”
“Andrew.”
“Dad’s will.”
His expression changed slightly.
“You always were curious at inconvenient times.”
“Did you forge it?”
Reynolds shifted.
Daniel stared at the floor.
Marcus sighed.
“Your father became sentimental.”
“He discovered you were stealing.”
“He discovered I was taking what I built.”
“You didn’t build it.”
“I kept it alive while he played businessman.”
“You murdered him.”
Silence.
Sophie looked between us.
Marcus smiled faintly.
“Careful.”
“His medication.”
Thomas had given me enough details.
“Digoxin dose changed three days before his heart attack.”
Marcus’s eyes sharpened.
That confirmed more than words.
“Thomas told you.”
“Yes.”
“Then he needs to die.”
Sophie flinched.
I looked at her.
“Don’t listen.”
Marcus laughed.
“She already knows Thomas is her father.”
Sophie whispered, “Where is he?”
“Nearby.”
Her eyes filled.
“Why doesn’t he come?”
Because coming might kill him.
Instead I said, “Because he loves you.”
She frowned.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Children are ruthless with truth.
Marcus looked amused.
“Smart girl.”
I turned toward Daniel.
“Your brother is alive.”
Daniel froze.
“I know.”
That surprised me.
“For how long?”
“Six months.”
Thomas had lied.
Or Daniel had.
“Marcus told you?”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“No.”
“I saw him.”
“When?”
“At the grocery store.”
Sophie looked at him.
“You were in the blue car.”
Daniel’s face changed.
She remembered.
Marcus turned.
“You told me she didn’t see you.”
Daniel swallowed.
“She was six.”
Marcus struck him.
Fast.
Hard.
Daniel stumbled into a pew.
Sophie screamed.
That was when I understood the hierarchy was collapsing.
Marcus was dying.
Reynolds was nervous.
Daniel was afraid.
Fear-based systems eventually cannibalize themselves.
I looked at Reynolds.
“You really want to die protecting him?”
He raised his gun slightly.
“I’m not dying.”
Marcus laughed.
“None of us are.”
Then Thomas entered.
“No.”
I turned.
He stepped through the main doors.
Sophie stared.
Thomas looked at her.
He forgot every person in the room.
“Sophie.”
She stood.
Marcus grabbed her shoulder.
Thomas stopped.
His face broke.
“Oh my God.”
Sophie whispered, “Are you my dad?”
Thomas nodded.
Tears filled his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you come?”
“I was afraid.”
“Of him?”
She pointed at Marcus.
Thomas looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
Sophie’s voice shook.
“I was afraid too.”
Thomas closed his eyes.
That hurt him more than any bullet could have.
“I’m sorry.”
Marcus held out his hand.
“The ledger.”
Thomas removed a flash drive.
“Not original.”
Marcus smiled.
“You think I’m stupid?”
“No.”
Thomas reached inside his coat.
A ledger.
Old leather.
He placed it on a pew.
“Let Sophie go.”
Marcus nodded toward Reynolds.
The deputy chief moved toward the ledger.
Then Daniel stepped between them.
“No.”
Everyone froze.
Marcus stared.
“What?”
Daniel looked at his brother.
Then Sophie.
“I’m done.”
“You’re alive because I allowed it.”
“No.”
Daniel’s voice shook.
“I’m alive because I spent eight years doing everything you told me.”
He turned toward me.
“I intercepted Thomas’s money.”
Hannah had suspected.
“Why?”
“Marcus ordered it.”
“And the child-services packet?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To get Sophie out of your estate.”
Marcus looked furious now.
Daniel continued.
“He was going to take her.”
Thomas stepped forward.
Marcus raised a gun.
Everyone froze.
Sophie gasped.
Marcus pointed it at Thomas.
“You talk too much.”
Reynolds looked uncertain.
I watched him.
Then sirens sounded in the distance.
Marcus turned toward me.
“You called police.”
“No.”
Federal vehicles surrounded the block.
Marco had done exactly what I asked.
Marcus’s face changed.
“You idiot.”
I smiled.
“You always told me to diversify.”
Gunfire would have been easy.
Chaos.
Death.
Instead, Daniel did something unexpected.
He grabbed Sophie and dropped behind the pew.
Marcus fired.
The bullet hit wood.
Thomas lunged.
Reynolds moved toward the side door.
I tackled Marcus before he reached Sophie.
We hit the floor.
He was older.
Sick.
Still strong.
His fist caught my jaw.
I drove my shoulder into his chest.
The gun slid beneath a pew.
Federal agents stormed the church.
“Hands!”
“Down!”
Reynolds raised his weapon.
Daniel shouted, “Don’t!”
Reynolds hesitated.
That hesitation saved his life.
Agents disarmed him.
Marcus stopped fighting.
Not because he surrendered.
Because his body failed.
He collapsed beneath me, clutching his abdomen.
Blood was not visible.
Pain.
Cancer.
His face twisted.
“You ruined everything.”
I looked at Sophie.
Daniel held her behind the pew.
Thomas crawled toward them.
“No.”
I stood.
“You did.”
Marcus was taken into custody and transported under armed guard to a federal hospital.
Reynolds arrested.
Daniel surrendered.
Thomas was detained for questioning but not charged that night.
And Sophie—
Sophie stood in the center aisle staring at the father she had believed dead without ever knowing his name.
Thomas crouched.
“Can I hug you?”
She thought about it.
Then shook her head.
“No.”
His face crumpled.
“Okay.”
“I’m mad.”
“You should be.”
“You watched us?”
“Yes.”
“And didn’t help?”
“I tried.”
“Not enough.”
Thomas nodded.
“No.”
Sophie took one step closer.
“Do you love me?”
He cried.
“Yes.”
“Even though you don’t know me?”
“Yes.”
She thought about that too.
Then reached into her pocket.
Four coins.
She placed them in his hand.
“Mom says people should pay what they owe.”
Thomas stared.
Sophie pointed toward me.
“Mr. Andrew bought formula.”
Despite everything, I laughed.
So did Thomas.
And for the first time that night, Sophie smiled.
But our victory lasted less than twelve hours.
The next morning, child services arrived at the estate.
This time with a court order.
Not because of Marcus.
Because of Thomas.
A supposedly dead father.
A mafia boss.
A kidnapping.
Armed men.
Federal arrests.
To a judge reading paperwork, Sophie’s life looked like a war zone.
Temporary removal was being considered.
Hannah stood in my foyer holding both twins.
Sophie gripped her skirt.
The social worker spoke carefully.
“We need to ensure the children are in a safe environment.”
Hannah looked at me.
Then at Thomas.
Then at the official papers.
And Sophie asked the question that broke all of us.
May you like
“Are they taking us away because Mr. Andrew helped us?”
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