Chapter 9 - The Lake House
I drove the stolen police cruiser at over a hundred miles per hour down the dark, rural highway.
The detective had wisely chosen not to stop me, radioing ahead to local county sheriffs to meet me there.
The trees blurred past my windows in a dark, terrifying tunnel of shadows.
I finally turned onto the dirt road that led to the isolated family lake house.
The cabin sat on a steep, rocky cliff that dropped directly into the black, freezing waters of the lake.
I slammed on the brakes, the cruiser skidding sideways to a halt in the gravel driveway.
The lights inside the cabin were completely off, but the front door was wide open, swinging gently in the wind.
I ran inside, ignoring the darkness, and frantically searched the empty rooms.
“Noah!” I screamed, my voice tearing through the silent, dusty cabin.
There was no answer.
I ran out to the back deck, which overlooked a long, wooden pier extending out into the deep water.
The pale moonlight illuminated a horrifying scene at the very end of the dock.
Linda was standing on the edge of the pier, holding a small, weighted duffel bag over the dark water.
I could hear the faint, muffled cries of my baby boy coming from inside the heavy canvas bag.
“Stop!” I roared, sprinting down the wooden stairs and charging onto the pier.
Linda turned to face me, a cold, empty smile spreading across her wrinkled face.
“He failed the test, Sarah, he just wouldn’t stop crying,” Linda said in a chilling, detached voice.
“Give me my son, Linda, the police are completely surrounding this lake,” I pleaded, taking a cautious step forward.
“Ethan failed the test too, and now they can both sleep quietly,” she whispered, extending her arms further over the edge.
I did not hesitate for another split second.
I lunged forward, tackling the older woman with every ounce of furious strength in my body.
We crashed hard onto the wooden planks, and the heavy duffel bag slipped from her grasp.
The bag hit the surface of the freezing water with a loud splash and immediately began to sink.
I completely ignored Linda, rolling off the pier and diving headfirst into the pitch-black lake.
The freezing water shocked my system, burning my lungs as I swam desperately into the depths.
I groped blindly in the darkness until my fingers brushed against the heavy canvas strap of the bag.
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I grabbed it tightly and kicked frantically toward the shimmering moonlight on the surface.
I broke through the water, gasping for air, and ripped the zipper of the bag open to pull my crying son to safety.
