The appearance of Casey startled both Linda and Tony. His face darkened upon realising he was backed to the corner; if it weren't for Victoria, he would have been reckless, but he had to protect her at all costs. He may have been everything but a fool. He knew when he was outnumbered and had to retreat. Right at that second, it became clearer that he underestimated them; he didn't have the right tools for the fight.
He chuckled annoyingly and lowered his gun, and his men followed suit, "This entire time, I didn't know this once dull nephew of mine was planning something so scary. Seeing you here, Casey, just shows how much I underestimated him...all of you, actually. But rest assured... You may have won this time. But I will repay you for this kindness... Threefold worth of payment. ", he turned to his guards, " Get him out of the car and hand him to them... "
"This is not over." and a special parting gift for you, Linda, because you looked desperate to know what happened to your mother-"
"Not just my mother, but both my parents.", Linda retorted
"Precisely my point. Your mother.", he cackled as he got into his car, "One day I will finish the story...I promise" He drove off with his men, leaving them with so much to think about
"What the hell is that about??", Casey asked, confused, blind to the glares she was throwing at him, "Enough about that...why are you here??"
"I am here to save-"
"That's not what I mean. It was not yet time for you to show your face. Now he knows our entire plan!
"I am sorry, Linda... I couldn't just sit by. I received a call from my contact, briefing me on the situation. I knew I had to come. If anything had happened to you.. There's no telling what Jeremy would've done."
Linda sighed, "I know...I know...but we will need a new plan... Fast!"
Linda called Jackie to bring the car to the basement and instantly called her family doctor to her grandmother's house. Where they took Jeremy. It was the safest place she knew, and until they came up with a new plan, it was going to be their new hiding spot.
Three days have passed since the incident, and Jeremy has still not woken up. Linda and Jackie took it upon themselves to begin scouring the documents. Kim's mission did not go as planned, and so she had to keep surveillance and wait for another opening.
As per the new daily schedule, Linda and Jackie gathered in her room, where Jeremy was also sleeping, with papers scattered around the floor.
" Linda.... You have to see this!", Jackie's eyes were wide open in shock as she held the document closer to her face. "Oh My!", she exclaimed, reading a file written "Insurance", and when Linda began reading as well, her face hit the ground in shock,
"No, no.. This can't be right...", at the same time Lilly was coming in, and the horror on Linda's face almost made her drop the tray of refreshments,
"Sweety! What is it!", she rushed to take the paper from her hand and put on her glasses,
"The file shows that the transaction of a big lump sum to Tony the day after the crash was from a Thomas K.".
"But it can't be right... Maybe is another one of Tony's...and there are so many Thomas you know..", Linda said in disbelief,
"No, this Thomas is your father, sweety, I recognise that cheque signature....but it cannot be right, if it's after the crash, it means your father was alive, and we both know he was not. So it can't be righ-", Lilly's face suddenly flashed as she gasped for air. She was suddenly hit with a memory that she kept buried down in her subconsciousness, "Oh my God... It can't be...", her pupils dilated even bigger, and she began anxiously pacing around the room alarming Linda, "I'll be damned... ", she staggered struggling to find her balance, the shock went straight to her heart and Linda rushed to help her, "Quickly Jackie, please go get a glass of water and gramm's meds...", she turned to her grandmother with a frightened look in her eyes, "Grandma...what is it??? You are scaring me...", She led her to a chair and gently began to rub her trembling hands, "Slow breaths okay? Slow breaths"
Lilly followed her granddaughter's instructions until her breathing got back in rhythm, but tears suddenly welled up in her face, "Sweety, you may not remember, but when you were a child, you once came home crying, saying you saw your father at the park -"
Linda's hand paused, "What... I did? How come I don't remember that...",
"Remember that big fever you had?" Linda nodded, and Lilly continued, "That was the day. I think your tiny mind couldn't handle the shock, and you were bedridden for a couple of days and when you woke up. You couldn't remember anything, and so we decided not to talk about it, and the doctor thought maybe you were still grieving and it was all in your head..."
"Was that the year you sent me to Aunty Rose for a month?", Lilly nodded.
Linda helplessly slumped to the floor, and at that moment, she recalled Victor's words, and all life left her face,"No, it cannot be...is that why he kept emphasising my mom and laughed when I mentioned my father...", her heart began beating uncontrollably in panic at the horror of the situation, "Grandma..", she murmured, "I think dad is still alive", her breath was hitching as she tried to gain control of herself, "He is alive...no, I need to make sure!", she abruptly stood up, and dazily burst out the door leaving Lilly to yell frantically behind her,
"Jackie! Stop her!", but the moment Jackie caught a whiff of the situation, it was already too late because Linda was already driving out of the property, barely feeling the cold, windy air against her skin. Her panic was leading her to a place where all her uncertainties would be answered,
Lilly dropped to the ground, overwhelmed with shock and concern for her granddaughter. She felt helpless. All she could do was yell and cry, and her panicked wailing shook the entire house, and Joseph came running with a face full of horror,
"What is it? Why is she like this? Where is Linda?" Lilly responded by crying even louder,
"Thomas...Thomas is alive, and she said she wanted to make sure?". She was barely audible as her voice faltered
Jackie staggered backwards and shook her head in puzzlement, "No, no...that can't be right....because if he is alive and he paid Tony so much money, that means-"
"....Linda's father might have killed her mother..." Jeremy's breaking voice echoed behind them, just as surprised, and everyone turned to him, taken aback by his sudden appearance...
"Please go find my baby ....please..", Lilly pleaded softly before her vision gave out, and she was now lying unconscious in Joseph's arms.