Released at 24, She Went Back to Her Father’s Old Body Shop — Under the Lift Sat a Welded Trunk
Chapter 7
Claire returned to Ohio.
Rachel was waiting at the house.
She seemed unsurprised to see her.
“You talked to Bell.”
Claire stopped.
“How did you know?”
Rachel smiled sadly.
“Because your father always trusted the wrong people.”
Claire walked inside.
“You were stealing from him.”
Rachel didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To pay Daniel’s debts.”
Claire felt betrayed.
“Why would you protect him?”
“Because he’s my son.”
“He’s your nephew.”
Rachel looked at her.
“You don’t know the truth.”
“Then tell me.”
Rachel sat down.
“Daniel wasn’t the one who planned it.”
“Who was?”
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Your father.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
“Your father was involved in something illegal.”
“No.”
“He helped move stolen vehicles across state lines.”
Claire shook her head.
“My father repaired cars.”
“He did more than repair them.”
Rachel pulled out an old photograph.
It showed Thomas Morgan beside several men Claire didn’t recognize.
Behind them were dozens of cars.
“Your father discovered the operation.”
Claire looked at the photograph.
“Then why was he involved?”
“He wasn’t at first.”
Rachel whispered:
“He tried to stop it.”
Claire stared.
“Who ran it?”
Rachel looked at her.
“Daniel.”
Silence.
Claire finally understood.
Her brother had inherited more than the shop.
He had inherited the criminal network.
Rachel continued.
“Your father found out and threatened to expose him.”
“So Daniel killed him?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Rachel’s eyes filled with fear.
“Someone higher.”
Before Claire could ask another question, the lights went out.
A window shattered.
Rachel screamed.
Claire dropped to the floor.
A bullet struck the wall.
Someone was shooting from outside.
Ethan rushed through the back door.
“Claire!”
Another shot.
Then silence.
Claire looked toward Rachel.
Her aunt was crying.
Ethan grabbed Claire’s arm.
“We have to go.”
Claire looked at the broken window.
Someone wanted them dead.
But why?
She suddenly remembered the trunk.
There had been three boxes.
She had only opened one.
The other two were still sealed.
Whatever was inside them was clearly worth killing for.
