Chapter 12 - Gray Ridge
Snow began falling before they reached Gray Ridge.
The hunting cabin sat beyond a locked forestry gate, hidden among black pines and granite outcrops. Ruiz's team approached from the main road.
Madeline and Daniel stayed behind as ordered.
For exactly four minutes.
Then Madeline slipped away.
"I knew you were going to do that," Daniel hissed, following her.
The service trail was barely visible beneath the snow. It ended behind the cabin near an old storm cellar built into the hill.
The metal door was unlocked.
Madeline descended first.
The air smelled like fuel and damp earth.
A single bulb burned overhead.
On the floor lay Serena's hospital bracelet.
"She's here," Madeline whispered.
A muffled sound came from behind a wooden partition.
Daniel kicked the door open.
Serena was tied to a pipe, pale from blood loss but alive.
"Poppy?" Madeline asked.
Serena shook her head. "Preston took her upstairs. Evelyn's with them."
"Can you walk?"
"I can try."
Footsteps sounded above.
Then Evelyn's voice came through the floorboards.
"Preston, police!"
Everything exploded at once.
Shouting outside.
A crash upstairs.
A gunshot.
Daniel pulled Serena behind the concrete wall.
Madeline raced for the cellar stairs.
"Don't!" Serena cried.
Madeline reached the kitchen just as Preston dragged Poppy through the back door.
Poppy screamed, "Mommy!"
Preston pressed a gun against his own side, hidden from the officers outside but visible to Madeline.
"Stay back," he said.
"Give her to me."
"Sign the agreement."
"You think this still matters?"
"It matters to me."
A window shattered in the front room.
Preston flinched.
Poppy bit his hand.
He shouted and lost his grip.
Madeline lunged.
Poppy ran toward her.
May you like
Then Evelyn stepped from the hallway holding a second gun.
And she pointed it directly at Poppy.
