Chapter 8 - FIVE MINUTESWe had nowhere to run.
Claire grabbed the flash drive.
Willa took the documents.
I picked up Juniper.
“Back door.”
Claire shook her head.
“Too late.”
The farmhouse windows suddenly lit up with red laser dots.
Three on the wall.
Two on Claire.
One on me.
Someone outside had weapons.
My father had surrounded the house.
Then the speaker came alive again.
“You have four minutes.”
My father sounded calm.
Almost amused.
“Bring me the box, Ethan.”
I yelled toward the ceiling.
“You killed my wife!”
Claire grabbed my arm.
“No.”
The speaker crackled.
“I saved her.”
I froze.
My father continued.
“She was going to expose everything.”
Claire stepped forward.
“You kidnapped me.”
“I protected my family.”
“You abandoned me to die.”
“No, Claire. I gave you a choice.”
The transmission ended.
I looked at Claire.
“What choice?”
She didn't answer.
“Claire.”
She closed her eyes.
“He offered to spare Juniper.”
My heart stopped.
“In exchange for you?”
“In exchange for my silence.”
“And you agreed?”
“I thought I could protect her.”
“You faked your death.”
“I had no choice.”
A laser dot moved across the wall.
My father spoke again.
“Three minutes.”
Then the lights went out.
Darkness.
Claire whispered.
“There's a tunnel.”
“What?”
“Under the cellar.”
We ran.
The cellar was hidden beneath a carpet.
Claire pulled up a trapdoor.
A narrow staircase disappeared into darkness.
We climbed down.
The door above us slammed shut.
A loud impact shook the farmhouse.
They had entered.
I carried Juniper deeper into the tunnel.
At the end was a metal door.
Claire pulled a key from her pocket.
It opened.
We emerged behind a line of trees.
A car waited.
Willa climbed in.
I followed.
Then we heard footsteps.
Claire turned.
A silhouette stood at the tunnel entrance.
My father.
He lifted his gun.
But he didn't fire.
Instead, he shouted one sentence.
“Ask Claire who started the accident.”
The car sped away.
I looked at my wife.
“What does he mean?”
She said nothing.
“Claire.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“There was no accident.”
My blood ran cold.
“What happened?”
She stared through the windshield.
“I drove into that car on purpose.”
“Why?”
“Because someone was sitting beside me.”
“Who?”
Claire finally turned.
May you like
And whispered:
“Your sister.”
