Chapter 13 - the road to William's lake house
Emily could not breathe.
Daniel grabbed the phone.
"Don't touch anything else."
Mark rushed in behind them.
"Where is she?"
Emily turned on him.
"You were with her."
"I went to the bathroom for thirty seconds."
"Thirty seconds?"
"The window was locked."
"It isn't now."
Mark looked out.
A ladder leaned against the side of the house.
Police were searching the yard.
A neighbor's camera captured a dark SUV leaving less than two minutes earlier.
Barbara's vehicle was still missing.
Emily's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
Barbara.
"Do not call police."
Emily's voice turned deadly calm.
"Where is my daughter?"
"Safe."
"If you hurt her."
"I have never hurt Chloe."
"You locked her outside."
"I disciplined her."
"Where is she?"
"Bring William's original card."
"Where?"
"You know the lake house."
Emily did.
William had owned a cabin three hours north.
The family had spent summers there before his death.
"Come alone."
"No."
"Then I disappear with her."
"Barbara."
"Three hours, Emily."
The call ended.
Daniel was already contacting state investigators.
Emily shook her head.
"She'll see them."
"You're not going alone."
"She has Chloe."
"So we do this carefully."
Mark stepped forward.
"I'm going."
"No," Emily said.
"She's my daughter."
"And Barbara is your mother."
His face crumpled.
"You think I'm helping her?"
"I don't know what to think."
Laura entered.
"She'll expect Mark."
Everyone looked at her.
"Barbara doesn't actually want Emily alone."
"How do you know?"
"Because she never plans for one outcome."
Laura looked at Mark.
"She wants both of you."
"Why?"
"To settle everything at once."
Thomas understood.
"The company."
Laura nodded.
"If she forces Mark to sign corporate documents and Emily to surrender temporary voting rights, she regains control."
Rachel added, "And if Emily appears to have abducted Chloe or disappeared during a custody dispute, Barbara's legal position strengthens."
Emily stared.
"She's building another story."
"She always builds stories," Laura said.
They created a plan.
Emily would drive to the lake house.
The memory card would appear to be in her possession.
Daniel would create a duplicate.
Police would stay far enough away to avoid detection.
Mark would follow separately with Thomas.
Laura insisted on coming.
"Why?"
"Because Barbara doesn't know I'm here."
Emily shook her head.
"You have a son."
"Exactly."
Laura's eyes hardened.
"I spent eighteen months hiding because I was afraid of what she might do. I'm finished letting fear make decisions for me."
They left before sunset.
The road north wound through forest.
Emily drove alone for the final twenty miles.
Her hands remained steady on the wheel.
Inside, she was barely holding herself together.
She remembered Chloe's first day of preschool.
Her first fever.
The night she learned to ride a bicycle.
The way she crawled into Emily's bed during thunderstorms.
Barbara had mistaken motherhood for leverage.
That was the mistake Emily intended to make her regret.
She reached the lake house at 8:40 p.m.
Lights glowed inside.
Barbara stood on the porch.
Chloe sat behind the window.
Alive.
Emily's knees nearly gave out.
"Mommy."
The glass muffled Chloe's voice.
Barbara opened the door.
"Card."
"Chloe first."
"No."
"Then no card."
Barbara smiled.
"Still negotiating."
Emily held up the memory card.
"You want it? Let her walk to me."
Barbara looked at Chloe.
"Go."
Chloe ran.
Emily caught her.
She buried her face against Emily's stomach.
Barbara watched.
"Touching."
Emily whispered to Chloe.
"Run to the car."
Barbara shook her head.
"Don't."
Emily felt Chloe freeze.
Barbara held up a remote.
"What is that?"
"The garage door."
Emily looked toward the detached garage.
Barbara smiled.
"Mark is inside."
Emily's heart stopped.
"You're lying."
"Am I?"
Barbara pressed the button.
The garage door rose.
May you like
Mark sat tied to a chair.
Beside him stood Detective Grant.
