Chapter 11 - The Deal

Preston called ten minutes later.

Madeline put him on speaker while Ruiz traced the line.

"You frightened her," Madeline said.

"You frightened her," Preston replied. "Dragging police into this. Running around while you're medically unstable."

His voice was calm, almost tender.

That was his favorite weapon.

"Where is Poppy?"

"Safe with me."

"And Serena?"

Silence.

Then: "Serena made choices."

Madeline gripped the phone. "So did you."

Preston sighed. "Come on, Maddie. We both know how this ends. Sign the temporary control agreement. Check yourself into the private clinic. Stop accusing people. I'll bring Poppy home."

Ruiz scribbled: KEEP HIM TALKING.

"You planned this for months," Madeline said.

"I planned to protect our family. Your father's company is falling apart because you refuse to make hard decisions."

There it was.

Not love.

Money.

Madeline controlled forty-two percent of Halcyon Medical, the company her father built. Preston had pushed for years to sell to a private equity group. Madeline always refused.

If she was declared incapable, her voting authority passed to her spouse under an old trust provision.

"You drugged me for stock," she whispered.

"Don't be dramatic."

Ruiz's eyes flashed.

Preston continued. "Nobody was supposed to get hurt. You were supposed to look tired, forgetful, overwhelmed. Serena screwed everything up yesterday."

"By not killing me?"

A pause.

Too long.

Then Preston laughed softly.

"You always did love a good story."

The call ended.

Ruiz checked the trace.

"Burner phone. Signal bounced off a tower near Gray Ridge."

Madeline was already moving.

At the door, Daniel caught her arm.

"Maddie, think. He wants you there."

"He has my child."

"That's exactly why you can't walk into his trap."

Madeline looked at her brother.

Then at Ruiz.

"I'm not walking in."

She held up Preston's old hunting map, taken from the lake house office.

On the back, a service trail was marked in pencil.

It led to Gray Ridge from the opposite side.

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And beside the trail Preston had written one word.

CELLAR.