Chapter 8 - THE CABIN IN THE MOUNTAINS
Police located Juniper House shortly after midnight.
Ethan insisted on going.
Hale tried to stop him.
“You stay behind the perimeter.”
“That’s my daughter.”
“And if you run in there emotionally, you could get her killed.”
Ethan hated him for saying it.
He hated him more because it was true.
The cabin sat between tall pines.
One light burned upstairs.
Officers surrounded the property.
Hale called Cole.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then the front door opened.
Cole stepped outside holding Sophie.
Ethan’s heart nearly stopped.
Sophie was alive.
She wore a blanket around her shoulders.
Cole held a gun against his own leg.
“Everybody back!”
Ethan moved forward.
“Daddy!”
Sophie reached for him.
Cole tightened his grip.
“Stay back!”
Ethan stopped.
“Sophie, look at me.”
She cried.
“I want Daddy.”
“I know.”
Cole shouted, “Vanessa!”
Hale answered.
“She isn’t here.”
“Then bring her!”
“She’s in custody.”
Cole laughed wildly.
“You think I care?”
Ethan shouted, “Take me instead.”
Cole looked at him.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t know anything.”
“I know Daniel.”
Cole’s face changed.
“I heard the recording.”
Silence.
“You murdered your brother.”
Cole raised the gun.
“Shut up.”
“You held him underwater.”
“I said shut up!”
Sophie screamed.
Ethan immediately lowered his voice.
“Okay.”
Cole looked down at Sophie.
Something changed in his expression.
Guilt.
Fear.
Maybe both.
Ethan saw it.
“You don’t want to hurt her.”
Cole laughed bitterly.
“You don’t know what I want.”
“You could have hurt her already.”
Cole said nothing.
“You didn’t.”
Silence.
“Give her to me.”
Cole’s eyes filled.
“She ruined everything.”
“Vanessa?”
“She promised me Daniel would only sleep.”
Ethan kept him talking.
“What happened?”
“She said he’d wake up.”
Cole’s grip weakened slightly.
“She gave him too much.”
“So you panicked.”
Cole looked toward the trees.
“He fell in.”
“You could have saved him.”
“I tried!”
“No.”
Cole shouted, “He grabbed me!”
Sophie sobbed.
Cole’s voice cracked.
“He said he’d tell everyone.”
“About the money?”
“Everything!”
“What everything?”
Cole laughed.
“You think Vanessa only stole from Daniel?”
Ethan went still.
Cole looked directly at him.
“She’s been stealing from you too.”
Hale glanced at Ethan.
“How much?”
Cole smiled.
“Ask her about Bennett Coastal Holdings.”
Ethan knew the company.
His company.
Cole continued.
“Ask why she needed your signature.”
Ethan felt sick.
Vanessa had brought documents to him six months ago.
Routine tax paperwork, she said.
He had signed them at breakfast.
Cole whispered, “She was getting ready to leave you.”
“Then why hurt Sophie?”
“Because Sophie found the folder.”
Ethan’s heart dropped.
Cole looked at the little girl.
“She saw Vanessa copying your signature.”
Sophie whispered, “I told her it was bad.”
Ethan nearly broke.
Cole continued.
“She said kids who tell secrets lose their daddy.”
Ethan’s eyes burned.
“Give me my daughter.”
Cole looked at Sophie.
For several long seconds, nobody moved.
Then Sophie suddenly bit his hand.
Cole screamed.
She ran.
Ethan charged forward.
“Daddy!”
A gunshot exploded through the forest.
May you like
Sophie fell.
Ethan screamed her name.
