Chapter 10 - PIKE LAKE
Police ordered Ethan not to go.
He went anyway.
But he didn’t go alone.
Detectives followed several minutes behind, keeping their distance.
Claire sat in the passenger seat.
“You should’ve stayed.”
“So should you.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“Nothing makes sense anymore.”
Rain hammered the windshield.
Forty miles felt like four hundred.
Claire stared straight ahead.
“I used to think she hated me.”
Ethan gripped the wheel.
“She does.”
“No.”
Claire shook her head.
“Hate is simple.”
“What are you saying?”
“She needs control.”
Ethan looked at her.
“And when she can’t control somebody, she destroys them.”
He thought of Thomas.
His father.
Claire.
Himself.
The cabin appeared through the trees at 2:46 a.m.
One yellow light glowed upstairs.
Ethan stopped the car.
Claire reached for the door.
“No.”
She glared at him.
“Don’t start.”
“Please.”
Something in his voice stopped her.
“Give me five minutes.”
“For what?”
“To get Lily away from her.”
“And if she hurts you?”
“Then the police come.”
“And if five minutes is too long?”
Ethan leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“Then don’t wait.”
He approached the cabin alone.
The front door opened before he knocked.
Evelyn stood inside.
No makeup.
Wet hair.
Bare feet.
She looked twenty years older.
“Where are the police?”
“Not here.”
She studied the darkness behind him.
“You were always a terrible liar.”
“Where’s Lily?”
“Sleeping.”
“Give her to me.”
Evelyn stepped back.
“Come inside.”
He entered.
The smell of wood smoke and old carpet pulled him instantly into childhood.
Christmas mornings.
Fishing trips.
His father laughing.
His mother singing in the kitchen.
That was the cruelest part.
Some of the memories were good.
“Mom.”
“Don’t call me that like I’m a stranger.”
“You kidnapped my daughter.”
“I rescued her.”
“From what?”
“Claire.”
His jaw tightened.
“Claire is her mother.”
“She was leaving you!”
“Because she was afraid of you!”
Evelyn recoiled.
“Me?”
“You drugged her.”
“I helped her sleep.”
“You planted pills.”
Silence.
“You wrote fake messages.”
Silence.
“You put cameras in my house.”
Her eyes hardened.
“My house.”
“Dad left it to Lily.”
“That woman made him do that.”
“Dad was dying, not stupid.”
Evelyn slapped him.
Hard.
Ethan didn’t move.
“Do it again.”
She stared at him.
“Go ahead.”
Her hand trembled.
“Hit me.”
“Stop.”
“That’s what you do, right? When somebody won’t obey?”
“I gave you everything.”
“You gave me fear and called it love.”
Evelyn’s face crumpled.
From upstairs, Lily began crying.
Ethan moved toward the stairs.
Evelyn blocked him.
“Don’t.”
“Move.”
“She needs me.”
“She needs her parents.”
“I am her family!”
“So is Claire.”
Evelyn’s expression twisted.
“She ruined you.”
“No, Mom.”
Ethan’s voice became quiet.
“She showed me what normal love feels like.”
The words broke something.
Evelyn shoved him.
Ethan caught the banister.
Then Claire stepped through the doorway.
“Give me my baby.”
Evelyn stared at her.
“You.”
Claire walked forward.
“Give. Me. My. Daughter.”
“You weren’t supposed to come.”
“You should’ve learned by now.”
Claire’s hands clenched at her sides.
“I don’t scare easy anymore.”
Evelyn laughed.
“You should.”
A floorboard creaked behind Ethan.
He turned.
A man stood at the top of the stairs.
Thomas.
And Lily was in his arms.
Ethan’s face went blank.
“Tom?”
Thomas looked down at him.
May you like
“I’m sorry.”
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