Chapter 20 - Ready for War|
Silas turned on his heel and walked out the front door, his two silent bodyguards trailing closely behind him. The heavy mahogany door clicked shut, leaving us standing in an agonizing, suffocating silence.
“Mom... oh God, Mom!” Emily sobbed hysterically, sinking onto the foyer bench as Lily began to cry. “Who are those monsters? What ledger were they talking about? We have to go to the police right now!”
I walked over, wrapped my arms tightly around my daughter and granddaughter, and kissed the top of Emily’s head. My mind was no longer racing with fear. The terror had burned away, replaced by an ancient, merciless instinct.
“Listen to me, Emily,” I said, my voice dropping into a low, unshakable register. “The police cannot stop men like Silas. But your father didn't leave us defenseless. He left us the ultimate weapon.”
“What are you going to do?” Emily whimpered.
“You and Lily are leaving tonight,” I ordered, looking directly into her eyes. “I’ve already contacted an offshore private security team. A private helicopter will land in the rear meadow in two hours to fly you both to an undisclosed compound in the mountains. No cell phones, no internet, no trackable signatures.”
“I’m not leaving you here alone, Mom!”
“You have to,” I said firmly. “Because as long as you’re safe, I can turn this house into a graveyard.”
Two hours later, I stood alone on the dark balcony, watching the silent red lights of the private helicopter disappear over the tree line into the night sky. Emily and Lily were officially safe. Out of reach. Beyond their touch.
I walked down to the dark basement study, pulled away the wooden paneling, and unlocked the steel safe once again. I reached inside, pulling out the thick, wax-sealed master ledger containing the names, bank accounts, and criminal networks of the most dangerous men in the country.
I didn't reach for a white flag. I reached for my satellite phone, dialing an encrypted, unlisted number that Richard had written inside the back cover of his journal—a number reserved for the absolute end of the world.
The line rang twice before a deep, gravelly voice answered in the dark.
“Identification,” the voice grunted.
May you like
I pulled the ledger against my chest, a cold, terrifying smile breaking across my face in the shadows.
“This is Margaret Vance,” I said smoothly into the receiver. “Get your men ready. It’s time to go hunting.”
