Chapter 15 - The Unseen Shadow
The gunman lying on gravel was Attorney Vance's brother.
He was hired to eliminate Marcus before trial began.
State troopers arrived minutes later, arresting the wounded gunman.
They hauled him away to hospital under heavy police guard.
Marcus drove home safely, holding me and Lily tight.
Two weeks passed peacefully as trial preparations moved fast.
Grandma and Vanessa remained locked in maximum security prison.
Their legal team surrendered, seeing no chance of acquittal.
The state prosecutor assembled an ironclad criminal indictment case.
The town slowly returned to its quiet daily routine.
Marcus and I began packing our belongings into boxes.
We planned to move to another state next month.
We wanted to leave all bad memories behind us.
Late that night, soft moonlight filled Lily's bedroom window.
Silver rays of light shone across her pink blanket.
I sat beside her bed, stroking her blonde hair.
Lily stirred softly in sleep and opened hazel eyes.
She rubbed her tiny eyes with her small hands.
"Mommy, I am scared of the dark," Lily whispered.
I kissed her forehead gently, holding her tiny hand.
"You are safe in your room, baby," I whispered.
"Nobody can ever hurt you in this house again."
Lily looked up at me with pale, frightened eyes.
Her small hand squeezed my fingers with sudden terror.
"Mommy, the other man helped them at dumpster."
My heart froze inside my chest in single second.
My breath hitched in throat as I listened closely.
"What other man, Lily?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"The man who looks just like Daddy," Lily whispered.
"He carried me to dumpster with Aunt Vanessa."
"He put the sleeping medicine into my sweet milk."
"He told Grandma that Daddy would never find me."
I froze in horror as cold realization struck mind.
Marcus was an only child according to public records.
He had no brothers or sisters listed in family tree.
Unless his father had a secret twin brother hidden.
Or unless Marcus had a secret identical twin brother.
A twin brother who was hidden away from birth.
A twin brother who wanted the entire trust fund too.
My blood ran completely ice cold in a second.
I heard a quiet floorboard creak in hallway outside.
Slow, heavy footsteps approached Lily's bedroom door frame.
I turned my head slowly toward open bedroom door.
Standing silently in dark shadows was a tall man.
He wore a white button shirt identical to Marcus's.
He had the exact same facial features as Marcus.
He had the exact same height and broad shoulders.
He held a heavy steel key ring in hand.
It was the key ring to our home front door.
He raised his hand and placed finger on lips.
"Shh, Rachel, do not make a sound," he whispered.
His voice sounded identical to my husband's voice.
Except his eyes were cold, hollow, and utterly evil.
He pulled a heavy black pistol from his jacket.
He pointed the weapon straight at my chest frame.
"Marcus is asleep in master bedroom down the hall."
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"And he will never wake up again," he smiled.
The shadow stepped closer into the bright moonlight.
