Chapter 10 - THE NIGHT HE CAME FOR THEM
The backup generator failed.
That was no accident.
Manuel grabbed Rosalie.
“Stay down.”
An investigator drew his weapon.
Staff began moving residents away from the windows.
Outside, headlights appeared between the trees.
Two vehicles.
Then three.
Rosalie pulled out her phone.
No signal.
Jammer.
Emmett had not come himself.
He sent men.
The first tried the rear entrance.
The second cut power to the security system.
But Emmett had underestimated one thing.
Maya.
She had expected him to move the moment Lorelei was found.
Before arriving, she had sent the location to the sheriff, state police, and a federal prosecutor investigating Durham contracts.
She had also installed a satellite hotspot in her car.
“Signal’s live.”
She connected.
Manuel called 911.
Rosalie stayed beside Lorelei.
The older woman was shaking.
Rosalie held her hands.
“He doesn’t get to take us twice.”
A window shattered downstairs.
Someone screamed.
Manuel moved toward the hall.
Rosalie caught his sleeve.
“Don’t.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Then don’t go looking for them.”
He stopped.
She was right.
They barricaded the sunroom.
Minutes stretched.
Footsteps entered the corridor.
One man.
Then another.
The handle moved.
Lorelei closed her eyes.
Rosalie stood in front of her mother.
Manuel stood in front of Rosalie.
The door slammed inward.
A masked man entered.
“Rosalie Durham.”
“NELSON.”
She corrected him.
The man raised his weapon.
Then red and blue lights exploded across the windows.
Sirens filled the property.
The attacker hesitated.
That second cost him.
The investigator tackled him.
A second man ran.
State police caught him outside.
The third vehicle escaped.
But Maya had photographed the license plate.
It belonged to Durham Development.
By sunrise, Emmett could no longer call the case a family misunderstanding.
Federal investigators raided Pinecrest.
They opened the north foundation.
At 11:06 a.m., they found human remains.
A watch was recovered beside them.
Daniel Mercer’s initials were engraved on the back.
D.M.
Emmett Durham disappeared before the arrest warrant was signed.
His attorneys claimed they didn’t know where he was.
Rosalie did.
“He won’t run.”
Manuel looked at her.
“Why not?”
“Because Pinecrest is the only thing he truly loves.”
She looked toward her mother.
“He’ll go back.”
Maya’s phone rang.
She answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then a recording played.
Rosalie’s childhood voice.
Crying.
Begging.
“Daddy, please let me out.”
Rosalie went rigid.
The recording stopped.
Emmett came onto the line.
“Come home, Rosie.”
Manuel reached for the phone.
Rosalie stopped him.
Her father continued.
“Bring the key.”
Rosalie’s voice was steady.
“You don’t need it anymore.”
“No.”
Emmett laughed softly.
“But you do.”
“Why?”
“Because box 317 wasn’t Lorelei’s only box.”
The line went dead.
Maya stared at the phone.
Rosalie looked at Manuel.
Then at Lorelei.
Her mother had gone pale.
“What?”
Rosalie asked.
May you like
Lorelei whispered.
“He knows about 318.”
