Chapter 7 - The Blue House
Ethan ripped the battery from the laptop.
"Did they copy the files?" Sofia asked.
"Maybe."
"I hate that word."
The blue house was an abandoned lake cottage where Sofia and Mateo had spent summers as kids.
Inside, dust covered the kitchen table where their mother once rolled pie crust. Sofia remembered Mateo stealing peaches and Rafael laughing before debt made him mean.
Ethan found a loose floorboard.
Below it sat a metal box.
Inside were cash, passports, a pistol, and an envelope addressed to Sofia.
She opened it.
Sofi, if Dad says he had no choice, remember this: choices made under fear are still choices.
Below the letter was a life insurance policy.
Insured: Mateo Reyes.
Beneficiary: Rafael Reyes.
Payout: $1.2 million.
Sofia stared.
"Dad collected insurance on him."
"While knowing he was alive," Ethan said.
A floorboard creaked upstairs.
Ethan drew the pistol.
They climbed slowly.
Rafael stepped from the dark bedroom.
Sofia nearly lunged at him.
"You knew."
Rafael looked at the policy and sagged.
"I paid it back."
"You let Mom die believing Mateo was gone."
"I was trying to keep everyone alive."
"You keep saying fear like it's permission."
Rafael covered his face.
Then Ethan asked, "Where is Mateo?"
"I don't know."
Ethan raised the gun slightly.
Sofia pushed his arm down.
Rafael whispered, "Mateo came to me for the original Salazar contract."
"Why?"
"Because your mother's signature is on it."
Sofia froze.
"Mom?"
Headlights swept across the bedroom wall.
Three vehicles entered the driveway.
May you like
Rafael went white.
"They found us.
