Chapter 7 - THE CABIN AT LAKE VERNON
Rain began twenty minutes before they reached Lake Vernon.
Richard drove.
Ethan sat beside him.
Sophia sat in the rear seat.
Two unmarked police vehicles followed several miles behind.
Natalie had been furious when Richard refused to let her come.
Richard promised her one thing.
He would not leave without Lily.
Natalie had looked him directly in the eyes.
“If anything happens to my daughter…”
Richard had nodded.
“You can blame me.”
Now the old road twisted through the forest.
Richard had not visited the cabin in fourteen years.
The last time he came, Thomas was missing.
The doors were open.
A lamp was still burning.
A cup of coffee had gone cold beside the sink.
Thomas’s car was gone.
Two days later Mason called from Argentina.
Thomas was dead.
At least that was what Richard had believed.
Ethan looked at him.
“You’re thinking about him.”
Richard nodded.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
Richard kept his eyes on the road.
“Thomas called me at four in the morning.”
“When?”
“The night he disappeared.”
“What did he say?”
“He sounded frightened.”
“Of Mason?”
“He didn’t say.”
Richard tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
“He said Margaret had made a mistake.”
Ethan looked over.
“What mistake?”
“He wouldn’t explain.”
“He told me to come to the cabin alone.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“What did you find?”
“Nothing.”
Richard paused.
“Except blood.”
Sophia looked up from the rear seat.
Ethan turned sharply.
“You never told us that.”
“It was not enough to prove anything.”
“Whose blood?”
“We didn’t know.”
“The police?”
“I did not call them.”
Ethan stared.
Richard kept driving.
“That may be the decision I regret most.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Richard’s voice became tight.
“Because Thomas left a note.”
“What did it say?”
“Do not involve police.”
“Why?”
“He claimed someone inside law enforcement was helping Mason.”
Sophia spoke from behind them.
“He was right.”
Both men looked toward her.
Richard’s eyes returned to the road.
“How do you know?”
Sophia stared through the windshield.
“Mason always knew when investigators were coming.”
“Who helped him?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect us to believe that?”
“I never met the person.”
Richard glanced in the mirror.
“But you knew there was one.”
“Yes.”
Ethan turned.
“Anything else you forgot to mention during eight years of marriage?”
Sophia flinched.
He faced forward again.
They reached the lake road at 11:38 p.m.
Richard stopped the car one mile from the property.
He turned off the headlights.
Ethan looked around.
“What are you doing?”
Richard pointed into the trees.
“There’s an old service path.”
Sophia frowned.
“Mason said come alone.”
“He also thinks I am seventy-five and predictable.”
Richard took a flashlight.
They entered the woods.
The rain soaked them quickly.
Richard led them toward the rear of the cabin.
The building appeared through the trees.
No lights.
No movement.
A black SUV stood beside it.
Ethan whispered.
“Lily could be inside.”
Richard nodded.
Sophia stared at the SUV.
“I know that car.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Whose?”
“Mason’s.”
Richard studied the cabin.
“Stay here.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
Richard glared.
“I mean both of you.”
“You’re not going in alone.”
Richard lowered his voice.
“If Mason sees three people approaching—”
“He already knows you brought Sophia.”
Richard stared.
Ethan continued.
“He asked for her.”
Sophia looked between them.
“I’m standing right here.”
Neither answered.
Richard finally nodded.
“Follow me.”
They moved toward the rear foundation.
Richard crouched beside an old ventilation grate.
He removed two rusted screws.
Behind it was a narrow crawlspace.
Sophia stared.
“You expect me to crawl through that?”
Richard looked at her.
“You destroyed your own blouse an hour ago.”
He pointed.
“You’ll survive dirt.”
Ethan almost smiled despite everything.
They crawled beneath the cabin.
Richard found a metal panel.
Behind it was an old keypad.
He entered six digits.
The lock clicked.
A narrow door opened into darkness.
They entered a hidden utility room.
Ethan stared.
“You built this?”
“Thomas did.”
“Why?”
“He was paranoid.”
Sophia whispered.
“Apparently not enough.”
Richard switched on the emergency system.
A monitor flickered.
Then another.
Old cameras.
Kitchen.
Living room.
Dock.
Front porch.
Bedroom.
Ethan leaned forward.
“Where’s Lily?”
Richard scanned.
Nothing.
Then movement appeared in the boathouse feed.
A young woman sat inside.
Natalie’s daughter.
“Lily.”
Ethan reached for the door.
Richard stopped him.
“She’s alive.”
Lily was seated beside the wall.
Her hands were not tied.
A man stood several feet away.
His back faced the camera.
Gray hair.
Dark jacket.
Mason Vale.
Sophia stared.
Richard increased the volume.
Mason was talking.
“You have your grandmother’s eyes.”
Lily said something too quiet to hear.
Mason leaned closer.
“You should ask your grandfather why Margaret was afraid of him.”
Richard’s face hardened.
Lily responded.
“My grandfather isn’t afraid of the truth.”
Mason laughed.
“You don’t know Richard.”
Lily looked toward the door.
Mason continued.
“He has always believed money could bury consequences.”
Lily said.
“My mother said you were a thief.”
Mason froze.
Richard almost smiled.
Mason stepped back.
Then another figure entered the boathouse.
Richard leaned closer.
The man was older.
Thin.
White hair.
He walked with a cane.
Richard’s breathing stopped.
Ethan noticed.
“Dad?”
The man turned toward the camera.
Richard grabbed the edge of the console.
“No.”
Ethan stared at the screen.
He had not seen the face in decades.
But old family photographs still existed.
Natalie had inherited the same narrow nose.
Ethan had the same deep-set eyes.
“Uncle Thomas?”
Richard could barely breathe.
Thomas Reed was alive.
He walked toward Lily.
He looked older than Richard.
But unmistakably alive.
Sophia whispered.
“Mason told me he was dead.”
Richard looked at her.
“He told everyone.”
Thomas sat opposite Lily.
He spoke softly.
“Your grandmother saved my life.”
Lily stared.
Thomas continued.
“And Richard almost got her killed.”
Richard froze.
Ethan turned toward his father.
“What?”
Thomas looked directly toward the hidden camera.
For one horrible second, Richard thought Thomas knew they were watching.
Then Thomas said.
“Richard was never supposed to find out.”
Mason stepped into frame.
“Find out what?”
Thomas glared at him.
“The truth.”
Mason smiled.
“That truth belongs to whoever has the key.”
He held up the blue music box.
Richard stared.
Ethan whispered.
“The key is inside.”
Mason placed the music box on the table.
He tried to open the bottom.
Thomas laughed.
“You don’t even know how.”
Mason’s smile disappeared.
Thomas leaned back.
“Margaret changed the mechanism.”
Mason stepped closer.
“Open it.”
“No.”
Mason grabbed Lily’s shoulder.
Ethan reacted instantly.
Richard caught him.
“Wait.”
“He touched her.”
“If you run out there now, he will see you before you reach the door.”
Ethan’s breathing was hard.
On screen, Thomas stood.
“Leave the girl alone.”
Mason released Lily.
“Open it.”
Thomas stared at him.
“You’ve waited fifteen years.”
“You can wait another five minutes.”
Mason’s jaw tightened.
Then Thomas looked toward Lily.
“Your grandmother loved puzzles.”
He turned the music box upside down.
Pressed one decorative brass flower.
Then turned the winding key backward.
A small compartment opened.
Inside was a silver bank key.
Mason’s eyes lit up.
Sophia stepped closer to the monitor.
“There.”
Thomas removed the key.
Mason held out his hand.
Thomas smiled.
Then he threw the key into the lake.
Everyone shouted.
Mason lunged toward him.
Thomas stepped aside.
The key disappeared through the open boathouse door.
Mason stared into the black water.
Then he turned.
His face looked murderous.
Thomas laughed.
“You really think Margaret left only one?”
Mason froze.
Richard leaned toward the screen.
“What?”
Thomas reached into his shirt.
He removed a second key.
Mason stared.
Thomas smiled.
“This one opens the box.”
Mason moved toward him.
Thomas raised a hand.
“But you still don’t know which bank.”
Mason stopped.
Thomas’s smile faded.
“And I am the only person alive who does.”
Richard stared at the screen.
Then Thomas looked toward Lily.
“Except perhaps Richard.”
Ethan whispered.
“Dad?”
Richard shook his head.
“I have no idea.”
Mason grabbed Thomas.
“Where?”
Thomas did not resist.
“Take me to Richard.”
Mason laughed.
“You think I don’t know he’s coming?”
Inside the hidden room, everyone froze.
Mason turned toward the boathouse camera.
This time he looked directly into it.
He smiled.
“Hello, Richard.”
The monitor went black.
Richard stared.
Sophia whispered.
“He knows about the cameras.”
Then a metallic click sounded behind them.
The hidden utility-room door opened.
A flashlight beam entered.
Ethan turned.
A man stood in the doorway.
He raised a pistol.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Richard recognized him instantly.
Not Mason.
Police Lieutenant Harold Pierce.
The same officer who had investigated Thomas’s disappearance fourteen years earlier.
May you like
Pierce smiled.
“Mason sends his regards.”
