Chapter 8 - The Escape
The attacker scrambled off Liam in terror, raising his hands. The taller man on the ground was still wheezing, clutching his bruised throat. Clara didn't lower the firearm. Her eyes were steady, unblinking, showing a side of her Liam had never witnessed in all the years they had worked together. ""Get in your car and crawl back to Julian Vance,"" Clara commanded. ""Tell him if anyone from his outfit comes within a hundred yards of this child, I won't call the police. I will handle it personally.""
The two men didn't argue. They dragged themselves back into the sedan, threw the gear into reverse, and tore out of the garage, the tires squealing against the slick concrete. Liam breathed heavily, his tuxedo jacket torn at the shoulder, bruises already forming on his ribs. He turned to Clara, utterly stunned. ""Where did you learn to shoot like that?""
""My father was a federal prosecutor, Liam,"" Clara said simply, lowering the weapon, flicking the safety back on, and stowing it safely in her purse. ""I grew up knowing how cruel desperate people can be. Now get in the passenger seat. You're bleeding again, and we need to move before they call for backup.""
Liam climbed inside, immediately reaching back to check on Maisie. Miraculously, the little girl was still asleep, worn out by crying, completely oblivious to the violence that had unfolded just feet away from her. Liam gently stroked her soft brown hair, kissing her forehead. Clara threw the SUV into drive, accelerating smoothly up the ramp and into the rainy streets of the city.
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The wipers swept rhythmically across the windshield, clearing away the sheets of cold rain. ""Where are we going?"" Liam asked, watching the city lights blur into streaks of neon.
""A private safehouse in the coastal hills,"" Clara replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the rearview mirror to ensure they weren't being tailed. ""It belongs to my family trust, completely off the grid. No internet connection, no digital footprints. But before we get there, we have one stop to make."" She glanced at Liam. ""We need to visit someone who knows exactly what Julian Vance and Vanessa have been hiding for the past five years.""
