Chapter 8: The Cabin in the Woods
The police arrived before midnight.
They searched the property.
They found footprints near the back fence.
A broken camera.
And Vanessa's abandoned car three miles away.
But they didn't find Vanessa.
Grant barely noticed.
His entire focus was on Fiona.
On the cabin.
On the woman he thought he lost.
The next morning, he left Lila and Owen with a trusted neighbor.
He hated leaving them.
But he knew he couldn't bring them into danger.
The mountain road was narrow and covered in fog.
Every mile felt like an hour.
When he reached the cabin, he stopped.
The door was open.
"Fiona?""
No answer.
He stepped inside.
The cabin was small.
A fireplace.
A wooden table.
A bed.
And photographs.
Hundreds of them.
Photos of Lila.
Owen.
Him.
Photos taken over the last year.
Grant felt his stomach turn.
Someone had been watching them.
Then a voice came behind him.
"Grant.""
He froze.
Slowly, he turned.
Fiona stood in the doorway.
Older.
Thinner.
Her hair shorter.
But alive.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then Grant crossed the room.
He didn't hug her.
He couldn't.
Too many emotions were fighting inside him.
Anger.
Relief.
Pain.
"You let me bury you.""
Fiona cried.
"I know.""
"You let our children think you were dead.""
"I had no choice.""
"You always had a choice.""
Her eyes filled.
"No, Grant.""
She stepped closer.
"Not when Vanessa threatened them.""
The anger disappeared.
"What?""
Fiona looked away.
"She found out I had evidence.""
"Evidence of what?""
"Everything.""
She walked to the table and opened a folder.
Inside were bank records.
Photographs.
Documents.
"Vanessa planned everything.""
Grant stared.
"Why?""
"Because of the trust.""
"Only the trust?""
Fiona shook her head.
"No.""
She looked at him.
"Because she knew something about Lila.""
Grant felt cold.
"What?""
Fiona took out a DNA report.
"This.""
Grant looked at the page.
Then his world changed.
The results weren't about Lila's father.
They were about Vanessa.
"She isn't just after the money.""
Fiona whispered.
"She's after revenge.""
The cabin door suddenly slammed.
Both of them turned.
A shadow moved outside.
Fiona grabbed Grant's arm.
"She's here.""
The window shattered.
Grant pulled Fiona down.
Glass fell everywhere.
Then a voice came from outside.
A voice he recognized.
May you like
Vanessa.
"You should have stayed dead.""
