Chapter 4 - The Deadly Setup
My hands shook so violently that the heavy parchment paper rattled in my grip.
Patricia hadn't come here seeking safety from her abusive son.
She had come to ensure her two-million-dollar investment paid off.
I quickly folded the document and shoved it into the pocket of my jeans before stepping back into the living room.
Patricia was sitting on the sofa, sipping a glass of water and looking remarkably calm for a woman who had just been thrown through a table.
"Are you feeling better?" I asked, forcing my voice to remain perfectly steady.
"Yes, thank you, Claire," she sniffled, playing the role of a traumatized victim flawlessly.
My father caught my eye, sensing the shift in my demeanor immediately.
I gave him a subtle, almost imperceptible nod toward the hallway.
"I'm going to make some tea," my father announced, excusing himself from the room.
I followed him into the kitchen a moment later, pulling the insurance policy from my pocket.
"Look at this," I whispered, sliding the paper across the granite counter.
My father read the document, the color draining from his weathered face.
"This policy has a double indemnity clause," he pointed out, tracing the legal jargon with his finger.
"If you die in an accident or a home invasion, the payout doubles to four million."
The realization washed over us simultaneously.
Patricia wasn't hiding from a home invader; she was the Trojan horse sent to unlock the door.
Suddenly, the security alarm panel on the kitchen wall beeped twice, signaling that the back door had just been opened.
We hadn't opened it.
I heard heavy, deliberate footsteps moving through the mudroom toward the kitchen.
"Take Lily and get in the panic room," my father ordered, pulling a heavy cast-iron skillet from the stove.
Before I could move, the kitchen lights suddenly flickered and died, plunging the house into total darkness.
May you like
A familiar, chilling voice echoed from the shadows of the hallway.
"Did you really think it would be this easy to walk away, Claire?" Derek asked.
