Chapter 9 - The Cabin in the Snow)
Judge Malcolm Avery's cabin stood beside a frozen lake surrounded by pine forest.
Police arrived before midnight.
The building was empty.
A fire still burned.
Coffee remained warm.
Garrett had left less than an hour earlier.
On the kitchen table sat legal files for North Ridge Development.
A laptop was missing.
So was a black SUV belonging to Avery.
But investigators found something else.
Judge Avery.
He was locked inside a bedroom.
Alive.
Furious.
And terrified.
Garrett had turned against one of his most powerful allies.
At first Avery refused to speak.
Then Brooks showed him evidence from Daniel's drive.
The retired judge's arrogance disappeared.
He demanded an attorney.
By morning, he was negotiating.
Avery admitted he had helped Garrett obtain expedited guardianship approval.
He claimed he believed Don genuinely suffered dementia.
Nobody believed that completely.
Still, Avery provided something valuable.
Garrett planned to cross into Canada.
He had passports under another identity.
Cash.
A private aircraft contact.
But before leaving, he intended to complete one final transaction.
"What transaction?" Shawn asked.
Avery looked at him.
"Easton."
"The title is blocked."
"Not the land sale."
"What, then?"
"The option."
Garrett had negotiated an option agreement months earlier with a national distribution company.
The company had paid a two million dollar deposit for exclusive purchase rights.
If the deal failed because the Miller family could not provide clear title, part of that deposit would become payable to North Ridge.
Garrett had structured the contract so his company received money whether the sale closed or collapsed.
Shawn stared.
"He wins either way."
Avery nodded.
"Unless the fraud is proven before nine Monday morning."
It was Sunday afternoon.
Less than eighteen hours remained.
Brooks contacted federal prosecutors.
Emergency filings began.
Shawn's attorneys prepared motions.
Daniel supplied accounting evidence.
Brenda agreed to provide sworn testimony.
Dr. Leonard Crane was arrested at his home after investigators found payments from Vale Strategic Holdings.
Confronted with bank records, Crane began cooperating.
He admitted Garrett paid him to exaggerate Don's impairment.
Then Crane revealed another detail.
"Maria was never evaluated."
Shawn frowned.
"But there's a report."
"I never wrote it."
"Whose signature?"
"Forged."
The government's case strengthened by the hour.
But Garrett remained free.
Sunday evening, Shawn received a call from an unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?"
His own voice responded.
"Hello?"
Shawn froze.
A recording.
Then Garrett came on.
"Technology is useful."
Shawn said nothing.
"You know what I learned from your family?" Garrett continued. "Everyone wants to believe the version of reality that hurts least."
"Where are you?"
"Your father wanted to believe Brenda was innocent. Your mother wanted to believe silence protected her children. Brenda wanted to believe I loved her. And you wanted to believe monthly transfers made you a son."
Shawn tightened his grip.
"You lost."
Garrett laughed.
"Did I?"
"The documents are exposed."
"I have money."
"Not for long."
"I have passports."
"Borders are watching."
"I have time."
"No."
Silence.
Then Garrett asked, "Is Brenda with you?"
Shawn looked toward the kitchen.
She was sitting beside Maria.
"No."
"Tell her I forgive her."
"For what?"
"For becoming exactly like her brother."
The call ended.
Brenda heard enough from the speaker to understand.
She stood.
"He has something else."
"What?"
"I don't know."
"You always say that right before another disaster."
She flinched.
Shawn regretted it immediately.
Brenda walked upstairs.
Maria looked at him.
"You don't have to forgive her today."
"I know."
"But don't become cruel because Garrett was."
Shawn sat.
"I don't know how to talk to her."
"Start with truth."
"What truth?"
Maria smiled sadly.
"That you are angry."
He found Brenda in her childhood bedroom.
Nothing remained of the old room except a small scratch on the closet door where Shawn had once thrown a toy truck at her.
She stood at the window.
"I'm angry," he said.
"I know."
"I'm angry you believed him."
"I know."
"I'm angry you signed things."
"I know."
"I'm angry you let Mom and Dad stay down there."
She cried.
He continued.
"But I also know he hurt you."
She turned.
"And I don't know what to do with both things at once."
Brenda nodded.
"Neither do I."
For the first time, they were speaking without pretending.
Then she remembered something.
Her face changed.
"What?"
"Garrett's safe."
"What safe?"
"He had one in his office."
"Police searched it."
"No. Not that one."
"Where?"
Brenda looked toward the floor.
"In the basement."
Shawn's blood ran cold.
"Where in the basement?"
"Behind the wall."
They rushed downstairs.
Police had searched the visible basement.
Nobody had examined the panel behind the old shelving unit.
Shawn pulled it away.
A rectangular outline appeared in the drywall.
They broke through.
Inside was a steel safe.
Brenda entered the code.
Garrett had never changed their anniversary date.
The safe opened.
Inside were passports.
Cash.
Client records.
And an envelope labeled SHAWN.
Shawn opened it.
Inside was a photograph taken outside his corporate headquarters.
His operations director Malik was entering his car.
On the back were six words.
YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED AWAY, BROTHER.
Shawn immediately called Malik.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
Then Malik's wife called.
May you like
Her voice shook.
"Shawn, someone just took him."
