Chapter 9 - The Secret Ally
Mara’s heart nearly stopped.
Daniel stood beside the garden path.
His hands were inside his pockets.
“What are you doing out here?”
Mara forced herself to smile.
“Taking out recycling.”
Daniel looked toward the greenhouse.
“No bins over there.”
“I needed air.”
He approached slowly.
“You’ve needed a lot of privacy lately.”
Mara said nothing.
Daniel stopped directly in front of her.
“You know, my wife trusts you.”
“I care about Emily.”
“Yes.”
His smile was thin.
“That’s the problem.”
Mara stared at him.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Employees sometimes forget their position.”
“And husbands sometimes forget theirs.”
His eyes hardened.
“Be careful.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s advice.”
Daniel walked away.
Mara waited until he disappeared inside.
Then she released the breath trapped in her lungs.
The second phone remained hidden beneath her apron.
She returned to Emily.
“He saw me outside.”
“Did he see the phone?”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think?”
Mara looked at her.
“Emily, we have one chance.”
They prepared quietly.
Emily packed identification.
Cash.
A change of clothing.
Her medical records.
The evidence remained stored in Mara’s phone and copied to a small memory card.
They hid the bag beneath winter blankets in a hallway closet.
At exactly midnight, Thomas would wait beside the service gate.
From there, he would drive them to a safe apartment outside the city.
Then they would contact a federal prosecutor instead of local authorities.
Emily felt hope for the first time since the chandelier fell.
That hope lasted until sunset.
The sky darkened.
Thunder rolled across the estate.
Daniel entered the living room carrying wire cutters.
Emily stared at them.
He casually placed the cutters on a table.
“Storm damaged the phone line.”
Emily looked toward the wall phone.
“No service?”
“Unfortunately.”
Mara entered moments later.
She subtly checked her cellphone.
No signal.
Emily did the same.
Nothing.
Daniel poured whiskey.
“Strange weather.”
Emily looked toward the phone.
Then toward Daniel.
A terrible realization came over her.
“Signal jammer,” Mara whispered when Daniel turned away.
Emily’s stomach dropped.
He had cut the landline.
Blocked the cellular network.
And there were still three hours until midnight.
Daniel sat across from Emily.
He drank slowly.
He no longer bothered pretending to look loving.
His eyes stayed fixed on her.
“Long day,” he said.
“Yes.”
“You must be exhausted.”
“I am.”
“You should go upstairs.”
Emily stared at him.
Daniel smiled.
“Before the storm gets worse.”
Outside, thunder shook the windows.
Inside, the lights flickered.
Then a mechanical rumble sounded throughout the mansion.
Emily turned toward the nearest window.
Steel shutters descended over the glass.
One after another.
Mara looked toward the doors.
The electronic locks clicked.
Daniel had sealed the estate.
He lifted his whiskey.
“To family.”
Emily finally understood.
May you like
He was not waiting until tomorrow.
Daniel intended to finish everything tonight.
