Chapter 9 - THE HUNT
Three days passed.
Three quiet, careful days at the cabin. I kept the curtains drawn. I kept Sophie close. I checked the driveway and the road constantly.
Every car that passed made my heart race. Every sound in the woods made me reach for my phone.
The police had Elena’s name. They had the documents. They had my statement and Lila’s statement and everything on the USB drive.
But they did not have Elena.
She had vanished.
Her house was empty. Her phone went unanswered. Her bank accounts had not been touched. It was as if she had simply disappeared.
Which made her more dangerous.
Because she was out there somewhere. Watching. Waiting. Planning.
Sophie had grown quiet those past few days. She spent hours sitting by the window, patching her bear, talking to it softly.
One evening, she came to me and tugged gently at my sleeve.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Does Aunt Elena want to hurt me?”
I pulled her into my lap.
“I don’t think she wants to hurt you, Sophie. But she wants things that aren’t hers. And she might try to take them. Even if it hurts people.”
“Like Vanessa did.”
“Yes. Exactly like Vanessa did.”
She looked down at the bear in her lap.
“Mommy knew. Didn’t she?”
“Yes, baby. Mommy knew.”
“Is that why she hid the heart inside the bear? So no one bad could find it?”
I kissed the top of her head.
“That is exactly why. Because Mommy knew you would keep it safe. Because she knew you would never let anyone take it away.”
Sophie hugged the bear tighter.
“I won’t let anyone take it. I promise.”
That night, I stayed awake long after Sophie fell asleep. I sat by the window watching the road. Thinking.
Elena had vanished. She had money. She had connections. She knew how I thought. She knew where I used to go. She knew my habits. My friends. My past.
She would find this place eventually.
And when she did… she would not come alone. Or she would not come to talk.
I pulled out my phone and called Marcus.
He answered on the first ring.
“Adrian. Where are you?”
“Somewhere safe. Has Elena contacted you?”
“Not a word. But the police were here. They said she cleared out her accounts. She left her car at the airport. But she didn’t board any flight. She’s still here, Adrian. She’s still in the country.”
My chest tightened.
“She’s hunting us.”
“I think so. And Adrian… she knows about the cabin. I mentioned it once. Years ago. When we were kids. I told her about the place your parents used to own near the lake.”
My blood ran cold.
“She knows.”
“She knows. And she will come. As soon as she figures out which one it is.”
I stood up and looked at the dark road stretching out before the cabin.
“She will be here soon.”
“Call the police, Adrian. Have them come protect you.”
“And give Elena time to find another way in? No. I need to be ready when she arrives.”
“Adrian, please—”
“Marcus… if anything happens… you are Sophie’s godfather. You will look after her. You will make sure she is safe. You will make sure Claire’s wishes are honored.”
“Adrian, don’t say that—”
“Promise me!”
Marcus was silent for a long moment.
“I promise. But you be there to tell her yourself. You hear me? You be there.”
I ended the call.
I walked to the bedroom and looked in on Sophie. She was sleeping peacefully, one hand resting protectively over her bear.
I walked back to the living room. I checked the doors. The windows. The locks.
May you like
Then I sat down in the darkest corner of the room. Where I could see everything but no one could see me.
And I waited.
