Chapter 8 - BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN
The mine tunnel extended nearly two miles.
Its eastern exit opened beside the private airstrip Vanessa mentioned.
Nathan had prepared both hiding places.
The ski lodge created a visible trail.
The cabin held Sophie.
The mine offered escape.
Police teams entered from both ends.
A blizzard covered the airstrip.
Nathan reached a small hangar where a pilot waited beside a twin-engine plane.
The pilot surrendered.
Nathan did not.
He locked himself inside the cockpit and attempted to start the engines.
The fuel system failed.
Michael had remotely disabled every aircraft registered to Caldwell Systems.
Nathan climbed from the plane holding a detonator.
The hangar contained fuel drums.
“If anyone comes closer, this ends here.”
Police surrounded the building.
I remained beside Sophie’s ambulance.
She refused to release my hand.
Emma, Lily, and Grace were safe at the hospital.
Sophie needed treatment.
But she kept looking toward the hangar.
“Is Uncle Nathan coming home?”
“No.”
“Is he bad?”
I chose my words carefully.
“He made terrible choices.”
“Does that mean we stop loving him?”
The question broke something inside me.
Nathan had been my little brother.
I taught him to ride a bicycle.
I paid his college tuition.
I gave him his first job.
I protected him every time he failed.
Perhaps that protection taught him consequences belonged to other people.
“You can remember good things about someone and still stay far away from them.”
Sophie nodded as though she understood.
Detective Ruiz negotiated with Nathan.
He demanded immunity.
A private jet.
Access to twenty million dollars.
The demands grew less realistic with every minute.
He was no longer planning.
He was unraveling.
Vanessa called from custody.
She offered to speak with him.
The call was placed on speaker.
“Nathan.”
“You betrayed me.”
“You kidnapped a child.”
“You told me to take one.”
“I told you to create leverage.”
Sophie heard the words.
I covered her ears.
Nathan screamed through the phone.
“You said Jonathan would surrender.”
“He was supposed to.”
“You never understood him.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You were his brother.”
“You should have.”
Nathan became silent.
Then he said something no one expected.
“Tell him Claire was never the target.”
I took the phone.
“Who was?”
“You.”
The night Claire died, Nathan intended to sabotage my vehicle.
I changed plans and took a helicopter to Denver.
Claire borrowed the car assigned to me.
Peter discovered the damage.
Nathan panicked.
He attempted to stop Claire from leaving.
Vanessa convinced him that her death would achieve the same purpose.
A grieving man would withdraw from the company.
Nathan could take control temporarily.
Instead, I worked harder.
I expanded the business.
Nathan spent two years waiting for another opportunity.
Then Vanessa married me.
The hangar door opened.
Nathan stepped outside holding the detonator.
Snow collected on his hair.
“You took everything that should have been mine.”
“I gave you everything.”
“You gave me whatever you did not want.”
He raised the device.
A single shot came from the police line.
The bullet struck his wrist.
The detonator fell into the snow.
Officers tackled him.
Nathan screamed my name as they placed him in handcuffs.
I did not answer.
May you like
Sophie was still holding my hand.
That was the only responsibility that mattered.
