CHAPTER 2 — The Dead Man's Game
Two nights later...
Jason drove alone to the abandoned cabin where the blackmailer demanded the money.
A suitcase filled with fake cash sat beside him.
Inside his jacket...
A loaded pistol.
Claire had one simple instruction.
"No witnesses."
The cabin door stood open.
Dark.
Silent.
Jason stepped inside.
"Where are you?"
No answer.
Only the slow creak of old floorboards.
Then...
A television switched on by itself.
Static.
The screen flickered.
Suddenly...
Waterfall footage appeared.
Jason froze.
The recording showed everything.
The wheelchair.
The push.
Claire's face.
His own hands.
Every second.
His breathing became uneven.
"Who's there?"
A distorted voice echoed through hidden speakers.
"You murdered an innocent man."
Jason raised his gun.
"Show yourself!"
Instead...
Another video appeared.
This time...
The camera angle was different.
Someone had been filming from only a few yards away.
Impossible.
No tourists had been nearby.
Then the voice laughed.
"You never wondered..."
"Why nobody screamed?"
Jason felt sweat drip down his neck.
The recording ended.
The screen turned black.
Three words appeared.
LOOK BEHIND YOU.
Jason spun around.
Nothing.
When he turned back...
The television displayed a live security feed.
Claire.
Inside their mansion.
Standing before Daniel's private safe.
She was smiling.
Not crying.
Not grieving.
Smiling.
Jason whispered,
"What are you doing...?"
Back at the mansion...
Claire finally opened Daniel's hidden vault.
She expected millions.
Gold.
Private account numbers.
Instead...
She found a single folder.
Across the cover...
Written in bold black ink.
OPEN ONLY AFTER MY DEATH.
Her hands trembled.
Inside...
Lay hundreds of documents.
Photos.
Bank transfers.
Private investigator reports.
Hotel receipts.
Messages.
Every meeting with Jason.
Every kiss.
Every phone call.
For over a year...
Daniel had documented everything.
At the bottom...
A handwritten letter.
Dear Claire...
If you're reading this...
You probably believe I'm dead.
Which means...
You finally did exactly what I knew you would.
Her heartbeat stopped.
The final sentence made her collapse.
The police already have copies.
At that exact moment...
Police cars surrounded the mansion.
Blue lights flashed through every window.
Claire stared outside.
Her nightmare...
May you like
Had only begun.
END OF CHAPTER 2
