Chapter 15 - THE WRONG CHILD
For ten unbearable minutes, police believed Preston had taken Sophie.
I ran into her bedroom.
Her bed was empty.
The window was open.
My lungs stopped working.
Then Daniel shouted from the hallway.
He found Sophie inside the bathroom cabinet.
She had hidden when she heard glass breaking downstairs.
A rock had been thrown through the kitchen window.
Attached to it was a note.
You cannot guard her forever.
The child inside Preston’s cabin was not Sophie.
It was Grant Keller’s ten-year-old son, Lucas.
Grant had taken the boy from his former wife two days earlier.
Preston was using him as leverage.
Grant had begun cooperating with police.
He told them Preston was at the cabin.
When Preston discovered the betrayal, he seized Lucas.
Grant begged officers to save his son.
Negotiators called the cabin.
Preston answered.
He demanded a vehicle and safe passage.
He also demanded that I bring Grandmother’s ledgers.
Detective Brooks refused.
Preston sent a photograph of Lucas sitting on the floor.
The child appeared frightened but unharmed.
I asked to speak to Preston.
The detective hesitated.
Then she placed the call on speaker.
“You always did this,” Preston said.
“Did what?”
“Made everyone choose you.”
“No one chose me.”
“Grandmother did.”
His voice became bitter.
“She gave you the shares.”
“She gave Sophie the land.”
“She knew I built that company.”
“You stole from it.”
“I saved it.”
“You tried to kill Nathan.”
“He was going to destroy everything.”
“You struck a child because she would not carry your lie.”
Silence followed.
Then Preston laughed.
“You still think this is about Sophie?”
“What is it about?”
“You.”
His voice sharpened.
“You were supposed to stay afraid.”
A gunshot exploded through the phone.
I heard shouting.
The call ended.
Police stormed the cabin.
Lucas ran from the front door into an officer’s arms.
Grant collapsed in relief.
Preston escaped through a trapdoor beneath the kitchen.
The tunnel led into the woods.
Officers followed his tracks toward the frozen lake.
Near the shoreline, they found his rifle.
They found blood on the snow.
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But Preston had disappeared.
Just like Nathan had seven years earlier.
