Chapter 4 - THE TRAP
I called the police.
Rachel called them too.
But before we could give them everything, my mother called again.
This time, she was whispering.
"Penelope."
"Mom, where are you?"
"I don't know."
"Can you hear anything?"
"There's a machine running."
"What kind?"
"I don't know."
"Do you see a window?"
"No."
"Anything else?"
She breathed heavily.
"There's a wooden table."
"Anything on it?"
"A glass of water."
"Any markings?"
"Wait."
She moved.
Then she whispered:
"There's a number written underneath."
"What number?"
"Seven."
My heart raced.
Rachel was already searching.
"Seven what?"
"Just seven."
Then the call disconnected.
I looked at Rachel.
"What did you find?"
She turned her laptop toward me.
"The cabin."
I stared at the satellite image.
"Seven."
Rachel nodded.
"The property has seven exterior cameras."
I grabbed my coat.
"I'm going."
"No."
"Rachel—"
"No."
She stood.
"That's exactly what they want."
"They have my mother."
"Then we don't walk into their trap."
"What do we do?"
"We make them believe you will."
At 2:00 a.m., a black SUV drove toward the cabin.
I was inside.
But I wasn't alone.
Two private investigators followed at a distance.
Police were waiting nearby.
Rachel had arranged everything.
I wore a recording device.
My phone was connected to a live location tracker.
If the signal disappeared, law enforcement would know.
The cabin appeared ahead.
Dark.
Silent.
I stepped out.
"Mom!"
No response.
I walked toward the door.
It opened before I touched it.
Hattie stood inside.
She was smiling.
"Welcome home."
I stared at her.
"Where is my mother?"
"Safe."
"Bring her out."
Hattie laughed.
"You always were impatient."
Michael appeared behind her.
His expression was cold.
"Come inside."
I didn't move.
"You kidnapped my mother."
"That's a serious accusation."
"I have evidence."
Hattie's smile disappeared.
Michael stepped forward.
"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."
I looked directly at him.
"No."
I smiled.
"I finally do."
He froze.
Hattie looked at him.
Then at me.
"You think those little recordings will save you?"
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
I answered:
"Because you wanted me here."
Hattie smiled.
She thought I was afraid.
She didn't know that three police vehicles were less than two minutes away.
She didn't know the entire conversation was being recorded.
And she definitely didn't know that Rachel had already obtained a warrant.
I stepped inside.
"Where's my mother?"
Michael pointed toward a hallway.
"Down there."
I started walking.
Then I heard a noise.
A door slammed.
I turned.
The hallway lights went out.
Someone grabbed my arm.
I screamed.
Then a man's voice whispered:
"You're going to sign something."
I fought.
The lights came back on.
Grant Coleman stood in front of me.
He held a folder.
"Sign it."
I stared at the document.
It was another power of attorney.
My name.
My signature.
Everything fabricated.
I looked at him.
"You forged this."
Grant smiled.
"You won't be saying that tomorrow."
"What happens tomorrow?"
He leaned closer.
"Tomorrow, everyone believes you left voluntarily."
My stomach turned.
"Where's my mother?"
"She's part of the story."
I looked toward the hallway.
"Bring her here."
Grant nodded to someone.
A door opened.
My mother appeared.
Her hands were tied.
I nearly lost control.
"Mom!"
"I'm okay."
Hattie walked toward her.
"You see, Penelope? Families have consequences."
I looked at Michael.
"How could you?"
He didn't answer.
I stared at him.
"After everything."
He finally spoke.
"You were supposed to make this easy."
Something inside me went silent.
I stopped fighting.
Stopped crying.
Stopped pleading.
I looked at the camera hidden in the corner of the room.
Then I smiled.
Michael frowned.
"What?"
I said quietly:
"You just confessed."
His face changed.
"What?"
"The whole thing."
I lifted my phone.
"You admitted it."
Grant lunged toward me.
The front door exploded open.
"POLICE! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!"
Chaos erupted.
Hattie screamed.
Grant ran.
Michael froze.
My mother collapsed into my arms.
I held her.
"It's over."
But Rachel's voice came through my earpiece.
"No, Penelope."
I looked at her through the doorway.
May you like
She shook her head.
"This is only the beginning."
