Chapter 17 - The Cabin
August forgot how to breathe.
"Caroline?"
"Is Elsie safe?"
"She's with me."
"Is Peter alive?"
"In custody."
Silence.
Then Caroline whispered, "Come alone."
August looked at Mason.
"Absolutely not," Mason said.
Caroline heard him.
"You can bring Mason. Nobody else."
Four hours later, August's SUV turned down a snow-dusted road toward the old cabin.
Elsie slept in the back seat with her head against June's shoulder. Caroline had agreed to see her only after August reached the property.
Caroline stepped outside.
Older.
Thinner.
Alive.
August got out of the car and could not move.
Then Caroline said, "Hi, Dad."
August crossed the yard.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?"
"Believing you were gone."
"You were supposed to."
"No father is supposed to believe an empty coffin."
Caroline pulled back.
"You couldn't know."
"I should have."
That hurt most.
Mason stayed by the SUV.
"Peter's in custody," August said. "Victoria too."
Caroline closed her eyes.
"It's over."
"Not yet."
He showed her the blue notebook.
"You left pieces everywhere."
"I had to."
"Why not trust me?"
Caroline looked toward the frozen lake.
"Because I trusted you. I didn't trust who could reach you."
"Elsie thinks you died."
Caroline's face crumpled.
"I know."
"Then fix it."
August opened the rear door.
Elsie woke.
Then she screamed, "Mom!"
Caroline ran.
August turned away because he could not watch without crying.
Mason's phone buzzed.
"What?"
"The police found something in Peter's storage unit."
August's stomach tightened.
"What?"
Mason looked toward Caroline.
"A video recorded three days ago."
"Of what?"
"Of Victoria meeting someone we haven't identified."
Caroline stood slowly.
"Show me."
Mason did.
Caroline's face went white.
"I know him."
May you like
August waited.
"That's the judge who declared me dead."
