Chapter 13 - THE LAST CONFESSIONMargaret Ellis had spent nearly three decades living under a false identity.
Once known as Margaret Hale, Claire Varenne's younger sister had survived the fire that killed Claire.
But survival had come at a terrible price.
She had suffered severe burns.
She had lost the use of one hand.
And she had spent months recovering in a private medical facility controlled by Arthur Varenne.
By the time she understood who had arranged the fire, Arthur had already convinced her that Gabriel was responsible.
For twenty-five years, she had lived with that lie.
Now, standing beneath the courthouse annex, Margaret faced the man she believed had destroyed her family.
Gabriel stepped into the underground passage with federal agents positioned nearby.
Elena monitored the situation from a secure location.
Sofia remained beside Nathan at the command center.
Margaret held a pistol.
Arthur stood several feet behind her.
His expression was calm.
Almost pleased.
“Hello, Gabriel,” Arthur said.
Gabriel ignored him.
“Margaret.”
She raised the weapon.
“Don't say my name.”
Gabriel stopped.
“I thought you were dead.”
“You should have made sure.”
Arthur smiled.
“Family reunions are always emotional.”
Gabriel turned toward him.
“What did you tell her?”
“The truth.”
Margaret's hand shook.
“You ordered the fire because Claire discovered your financial crimes.”
Gabriel stared at her.
“No.”
“Arthur showed me the documents.”
“He forged them.”
“You expect me to believe you?”
Gabriel took a slow breath.
“Claire died trying to help me expose the Circle.”
Margaret's expression flickered.
Arthur stepped closer.
“Don't listen to him.”
Gabriel continued.
“Claire loved you, Margaret. She kept your childhood letters in a wooden box beside our bed.”
Margaret's eyes filled.
“Stop.”
“She called you Maggie.”
A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Only Claire called me that.”
Gabriel nodded.
“She told me that when you were little, you were terrified of thunderstorms. She used to crawl into bed beside you and tell stories until you fell asleep.”
Margaret lowered her weapon slightly.
Arthur's smile disappeared.
“Margaret, he's manipulating you.”
Gabriel looked directly at her.
“Claire would never have wanted you to live this way.”
Margaret hesitated.
Then she turned toward Arthur.
“You told me Gabriel abandoned Claire during the fire.”
“He did.”
“Then why did the hospital report say he suffered burns trying to rescue her?”
Arthur froze.
Margaret reached into her coat.
She removed a folded document.
“I found this last week.”
Gabriel stared.
It was a medical report from the night of the fire.
The document described severe burns to Gabriel's arms and chest.
He had entered the burning house three times.
On the final attempt, firefighters had physically restrained him to prevent him from going back inside.
Margaret's voice broke.
“You told me he never tried.”
Arthur's expression hardened.
“Because he was supposed to die with her.”
Silence.
The words seemed to surprise even Arthur.
Margaret stepped back.
“What?”
Arthur realized his mistake.
For a moment, his polished composure vanished.
Then he laughed.
“Yes. Gabriel was supposed to die.”
Gabriel stared at him.
“Why?”
Arthur's face twisted.
“Because you were always the better son.”
Gabriel said nothing.
“You were the good brother. The honest investigator. The man everyone trusted.”
Arthur moved closer.
“And I was the one who built the connections, made the money, and understood how the world actually worked.”
Gabriel's voice remained quiet.
“You could have built your own life.”
“I did!”
Arthur shouted.
“And then you threatened to destroy it!”
He raised his hand toward Gabriel.
“You found the accounts. You wanted to expose everything. You would have ruined me.”
“So you killed Claire?”
Arthur looked away.
“She wasn't supposed to be home.”
Margaret gasped.
Gabriel closed his eyes.
For a moment, Sofia could hear nothing through the surveillance speakers except the faint hum of equipment.
Then Gabriel asked:
“And Isabelle?”
Arthur's voice was flat.
“She wouldn't stop asking questions.”
“And Daniel Mercer?”
“He was going to testify.”
Gabriel looked at his brother.
“You murdered people because they threatened your money.”
Arthur shrugged.
“People die every day.”
Margaret raised her pistol again.
This time, she pointed it at Arthur.
“You destroyed my sister.”
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“You helped me for twenty-five years.”
Margaret's hand trembled.
“Yes.”
Her voice broke.
“And I'll spend the rest of my life answering for it.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Margaret, put the gun down.”
“He deserves to die.”
“Maybe.”
Gabriel's voice remained steady.
“But Claire deserved better than having her sister become a murderer too.”
Margaret began to cry.
Slowly, she lowered the weapon.
Federal agents moved in.
Arthur suddenly reached inside his coat.
A gunshot rang out.
Gabriel staggered.
Margaret screamed.
Agents rushed forward and tackled Arthur.
Sofia watched in horror as Gabriel collapsed against the stone wall.
Blood spread across his shirt.
She ran from the surveillance van before Nathan could stop her.
By the time she reached the tunnel entrance, paramedics were already surrounding Gabriel.
Sofia fell to her knees beside him.
“Dad!”
Gabriel opened his eyes.
He tried to smile.
“Sofia.”
“Don't talk. Please.”
He reached for her hand.
“You found me.”
Tears streamed down her face.
“And I'm not losing you.”
Gabriel squeezed her fingers.
The medics lifted him onto a stretcher.
As they carried him toward the ambulance, his hand slipped from hers.
The monitor beeped rapidly.
Then an alarm sounded.
May you like
A paramedic shouted:
“We're losing his pulse!”
