Chapter 4 - THE IRON DOOR
“Clara!” Julian’s voice roared through the storm as he stepped out of his SUV, a heavy steel tire iron gripped in his right hand.
I didn't look back. I sprinted up the stone steps of the cabin. The front door was a massive slab of reinforced oak and iron. I fumbled in my purse with numb, freezing fingers, pulling out the heavy iron key.
“You stupid little gold digger, you think you can take what belongs to us?” Julian yelled, taking the steps two at a time.
I shoved the key into the heavy iron lock. It clicked loudly. I pushed the door open, threw myself inside, and slammed it shut just as Julian lunged. I threw the heavy deadbolt just as his tire iron smashed against the wood, the impact shaking the entire frame.
“Open the door!” he screamed, pounding against the oak.
I backed away into the darkness of the cabin, my chest heaving. I found a light switch on the wall and flipped it.
The interior was not a rustic cabin. It was a state-of-the-art vault.
Steel filing cabinets lined the walls. A massive desk sat in the center of the room, covered in legal binders. And sitting on top of the desk was a red landline phone.
I rushed to the desk. There was a note taped to the phone.
Clara. If you are reading this, you made it. Pick up the receiver. It connects directly to Sterling.
I grabbed the phone. It didn't even ring. Mr. Sterling’s calm, authoritative voice answered immediately. “Mrs. Vance. You found the cabin.”
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“Julian is outside,” I gasped, watching the heavy oak door shudder as Julian continued to beat against it. “He’s trying to break in.”
“The door is reinforced with Kevlar and steel, Clara. He cannot breach it,” Sterling said calmly. “Listen to me carefully. Open the top drawer of the desk. Take out the red folder. It is time to finish this.”
