Chapter 4 - The Lake House
Robert wanted to drive there immediately. I wanted the police.
We compromised by calling Detective Lena Ortiz, a family acquaintance who had handled a fraud case for the foundation years earlier. She told us not to touch anything and not to confront Marcus.
Then she said units were forty minutes away.
The lake house was twenty-five.
Daniel grabbed his coat.
"We're going."
I stared at him. "We?"
"I should have stopped my mother the second she touched you. I didn't. I'm not standing still again."
I wanted to believe him.
I also wanted to scream at him.
Instead I said, "Keys."
She watched me from the hallway.
"You think you've won," she said.
"I think your husband is afraid to let you out of his sight."
Her smile returned. "You have no idea who you're protecting."
"What did she mean?" he asked.
"I don't know."
"Emma, if you know something else—"
I slammed my palm against the dashboard. "Don't do that. Don't make me the suspect because your mother is scary when she's cornered."
He went quiet.
"You're right," he said. "I'm sorry."
It was the first real apology I'd heard from him all night.
The lake house appeared between the trees.
One light was on upstairs.
Marcus's SUV sat behind the garage.
Daniel killed the headlights.
"Ortiz said wait."
"Then wait," I whispered.
A shadow crossed the upstairs window.
Then another.
Two people.
The front door opened.
Marcus stepped onto the porch carrying a metal box.
Beside him was a woman in a gray coat.
Not Evelyn.
Claire.
Daniel made a strangled sound.
"My sister?"
Claire looked straight toward our car.
May you like
And instead of running to us, she shouted one word to Marcus.
"GO!"
