CHAPTER 5 — OLIVIA'S LAST RECORDING
The tunnel opened into an abandoned ranger cabin hidden deep inside the forest.
Dust covered everything.
Except one desk.
Someone had cleaned it recently.
Emma immediately ran toward an old metal box hidden beneath loose floorboards.
"It's here."
Inside lay dozens of cassette tapes.
Photographs.
Court documents.
Property deeds.
Birth certificates.
Everything had been carefully labeled in Olivia's handwriting.
One tape was marked:
IF MARK FINDS THEM BEFORE ETHAN DOES.
My hands shook as I found an old battery-powered tape recorder.
The machine clicked.
Static filled the room.
Then Olivia's voice.
Clear.
Calm.
Alive.
"Ethan... if you're hearing this, something has gone terribly wrong."
Tears blurred my vision.
"I know you'll blame yourself for not coming sooner."
"Please don't."
"I made this choice because I couldn't ask you to risk your life."
She paused.
"If Mark Collins reaches you, then he already knows the girls survived."
A deep breath.
"The girls are not the only witnesses."
I froze.
"There is another child."
Another child?
"I separated them to keep them alive."
My heart skipped.
"Emma and Ella know where she is."
The recording continued.
"Mark isn't working alone."
"There are powerful people helping him steal land throughout these mountains."
"The evidence is inside the courthouse."
"The original murder investigation was buried."
Then Olivia whispered something that completely changed everything.
"Ethan... someone you love is about to betray you."
The tape abruptly ended.
Outside...
A vehicle stopped.
Headlights flooded the cabin windows.
Mark had found us.
But he wasn't alone.
Three black SUVs surrounded the cabin.
Men carrying rifles stepped into the moonlight.
One of them wore an expensive tailored suit.
Mark nodded respectfully toward him.
"Mr. Whitmore."
May you like
The businessman smiled.
"Bring me the girls."
