Chapter 16 - The Furnace Platform
The old glassworks smelled like rust, rain, and dead machinery.
Michael entered through the maintenance tunnel behind two tactical officers.
Above them, broken windows rattled in the wind.
Diane stood on a steel platform thirty feet above the factory floor.
Lily was in her arms.
“Michael!”
Diane’s voice echoed through the building.
The officers raised their weapons.
Michael lifted both hands.
“I’m here.”
“Tell them to leave.”
“They’re not leaving.”
Diane backed toward the rail.
Michael’s heart stopped.
“Don’t.”
“You think I want to hurt her?”
“You already did.”
Diane looked down at Lily.
For the first time, Michael saw exhaustion instead of control.
“I gave everything to this family.”
“You took everything from it.”
“I kept it alive.”
“With stolen money?”
“With decisions Richard was too weak to make.”
Michael climbed one step.
An officer whispered, “Stop.”
He ignored him.
Diane’s eyes filled with tears.
“Richard would have lost the company.”
“So you stole from him.”
“I protected you.”
“You lied about my father.”
“I protected you.”
“You forged documents.”
“I protected you!”
The scream startled Lily.
She began crying.
Diane looked down.
Michael saw her grip loosen.
“Give her to me.”
“No.”
“She’s scared.”
“So am I.”
That was the first honest thing Diane had said.
Michael moved another step.
“Mother. Look at me.”
She did.
“You don’t save a family by making everyone afraid of you.”
Diane’s face twisted.
“You sound like Richard.”
“Good.”
For one second, her expression softened.
Then a metal door slammed somewhere behind the officers.
Diane flinched.
Her foot slipped.
Michael lunged.
One tactical officer grabbed his belt as he reached across the gap.
Michael caught Lily by the blanket.
Diane caught the railing with one hand.
For a terrible second, both of them hung there.
Michael pulled Lily against his chest.
An officer reached for Diane.
She looked up at Michael.
“Help me.”
Michael stared at the woman who had dropped his daughter.
Then he reached down.
The officers hauled Diane back onto the platform.
She collapsed.
As they cuffed her, she whispered, “Why?”
May you like
Michael held Lily tighter.
“Because I refuse to become you.”
