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The silver picture frame shattered into a hundred jagged pieces across the hardwood floor, but no one in the room moved to pick up the glass. Little Sophie’s trembling body pressed so hard against Mark’s chest that he could feel the frantic, rabbit-fast thumping of her tiny heart through his suit jacket. Her small fingernails dug into his collar, white-knuckled, tears streaking through the light dust on her cheeks. / Chapter 18 / 20

Chapter 18 - THE SHADOW MATRIARCH

Mark felt a sickening wave of horror wash through him. "You... you were the one who died in that hospital bed four years ago? The real Clara..."

"The real Clara was thrown into the ocean right off these cliffs four years ago!" Sophia laughed hysterically, her grip tightening on Sophie’s throat. "I took her place in the hospital, faked my death, and let Evelyn move in to harvest the rest of your fortune! But Clara’s final revenge was hiding this damn ledger!"

Sophia pointed a small, silver 9mm handgun directly at Mark’s forehead.

"Throw the ledger on the floor, Mark. Now!" she barked.

Mark held up his hands, slowly lowering the heavy steel box to the wet iron floorboards. "It’s yours. Just put Sophie down."

Sophia kicked the ledger with her boot, verifying its weight. A wicked smile spread across her stolen face. "You were always so noble, Mark. So predictable. Did you really think I’d leave any witnesses alive?"

She pulled the trigger.

CLICK.

Sophia’s eyes widened in confusion. She pulled it again. CLICK.

"Looking for these?" Detective Vance’s voice shouted from the doorway behind her. He held up the magazine clip he had secretly ejected from her weapon when he snuck up the exterior service ladder while Mark distracted her!

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Sophia gasped in shock. Mark didn't hesitate for a single microsecond.

He lunged forward like a striking predator, tackling Sophia around the waist and slamming her against the outer glass pane of the lantern room!

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