Chapter 15 - The Lake House
They reached the property at 3:41 a.m.
Rain hammered the trees.
The lake house stood dark beyond a line of pines.
Dominic's men surrounded the property.
No one entered.
Clara approached with Dominic and Mateo.
A light appeared upstairs.
Then vanished.
The front door opened.
Mrs. Hargrove stepped outside.
She was alone.
Dominic raised his weapon.
"Where is my son?"
"Inside."
"Move."
"If you rush in, Victor's men will kill everyone."
Dominic stopped.
Mrs. Hargrove looked at Clara.
"I took Noah before they could."
Clara stared at her.
"You kidnapped him."
"I removed him."
"You hurt Dr. Foster."
"I had no time to explain."
Dominic's voice was ice.
"You had two years to explain."
Mrs. Hargrove looked toward the upstairs window.
"Victor found Elena yesterday."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know anymore."
"Then why bring Noah here?"
"Because Victor believes I am still useful."
A car engine sounded somewhere beyond the trees.
Mrs. Hargrove's face tightened.
"Too late."
Headlights appeared along the private road.
Three black SUVs.
Dominic's men raised their weapons.
Clara heard a scream from inside the house.
Noah.
She ran.
Dominic shouted her name.
Clara ignored him.
She entered through the side door and followed the sound upstairs.
Noah was inside a bedroom.
The door was locked.
She kicked it once.
Pain shot through her ankle.
Then Dominic arrived and smashed the lock with his shoulder.
Noah stood in the corner.
He was unharmed.
Terrified.
Clara dropped to her knees.
"Noah."
He ran to her.
She wrapped her arms around him only after he reached first.
Outside, shouting erupted.
Then engines reversed.
Victor's men had seen the security perimeter and withdrawn.
Mateo shouted that the road was clear.
Dominic entered the bedroom.
Noah looked at him.
Dominic did not move closer.
"Daddy's here."
Noah stared.
Then he held out one hand.
Dominic crossed the room slowly.
His fingers closed around his son's.
Noah whispered, "Mommy alive."
Dominic's face broke.
"Yes."
Noah shook his head.
"No."
He pointed toward Mrs. Hargrove standing in the doorway.
Then he said the longest sentence he had spoken in two years.
"Pearl lady said Mommy alive before car."
Clara frowned.
Dominic did too.
Before the ambush?
Mrs. Hargrove closed her eyes.
There was another secret.
May you like
And it began before Elena ever entered that car.
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