Chapter 8
The police ordered us to remain behind.
Dad refused.
“My mother is inside that house.”
Detective Ramos stepped close to him.
“And rushing in could get her killed.”
“I know Victor.”
“Then help us understand him.”
Dad looked at the flashing fire engines.
“He needs an audience. He wants Rebecca and me to admit that he defeated our family.”
“Will he hurt your mother?”
“Yes, if he thinks it will give him control.”
Rebecca began crying.
“This is my fault.”
“No,” Dad said.
“I protected him.”
“You were afraid of him.”
“I signed the papers.”
“You were twenty-three and pregnant.”
“I watched him destroy your name.”
Dad held his sister’s face between his hands.
“You can tell the truth now.”
Rebecca took a breath.
Then she nodded.
Detective Ramos arranged an operation.
A tactical team would approach the lake house from the wooded side. Dad and Rebecca would drive to the front carrying copies of the recorder and letter.
The real evidence remained with the police.
Mom wanted me taken to a station.
I refused to leave her.
This time she didn’t argue.
Tyler sat across from me in the back of a police vehicle.
Neither of us spoke for several minutes.
Finally, he asked, “Why didn’t you hit me?”
“I stopped you.”
“You could’ve hurt me.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because then I would have been fighting for my pride instead of protecting someone.”
He looked out the window.
“My dad says mercy is weakness.”
“Your dad set fire to a building because he was afraid of a recording.”
Tyler almost smiled.
Then his expression fell.
“I acted like him.”
“You did.”
“What if that’s all I am?”
I thought about my competitions.
One bad move could cost a match, but Dad never let me call myself a failure.
“You are what you keep choosing.”
Tyler looked at me.
“That sounds like something your dad says.”
“It is.”
The Carter family’s old lake house stood beneath tall trees north of the city.
The paint had faded, and several shutters were missing.
Police stopped far from the property.
Dad and Rebecca continued alone.
Mom, Tyler, and I watched through a live camera attached beneath Dad’s jacket.
The front door opened before they knocked.
Victor held Grandma by the arm.
Her silver hair was messy, but she stood straight.
“Daniel,” she said. “Don’t give him anything.”
Victor tightened his grip.
Dad raised the envelope.
“Let her go.”
“Come inside.”
Dad and Rebecca entered.
The door closed.
The camera showed an old living room covered in dust.
Family photographs remained on the walls.
Victor had placed gasoline cans beside the fireplace.
He intended to burn this house too.
“Where is the recorder?” he demanded.
Dad held up a small device.
“You release Mom first.”
Victor laughed.
“You’re negotiating as if you have choices.”
Rebecca stepped forward.
“You wanted me here. I’m here.”
“I wanted my loyal wife. I don’t know what you are now.”
“I’m the woman who lied for you.”
“You enjoyed everything my money gave you.”
“Your money? You stole it from my family.”
Victor slapped the envelope from Dad’s hand.
The tactical officers began moving closer.
Mom covered my eyes for a moment, but I pulled her hand away.
I needed to see.
Victor opened the letter.
He realized it was a copy.
“You gave the police the original.”
“Yes.”
“You think one recording will destroy me?”
“No,” Dad said. “Owen’s testimony will. Greg’s testimony will. Tyler’s testimony will.”
Victor’s face twisted.
“My son would never betray me.”
Tyler leaned toward the screen.
Dad looked directly at the hidden camera.
“He already told the truth.”
Victor grabbed a gasoline can.
At the police command post, alarms sounded.
“He’s escalating,” an officer said.
The tactical team reached the rear of the house.
Victor poured gasoline across the floor.
Rebecca moved toward Grandma.
“Let her leave.”
Victor blocked her.
“Your father always said you were stronger than you believed. He was wrong.”
Rebecca looked at the photographs on the wall.
“No. You just spent years making sure I forgot.”
She kicked the gasoline can away.
Victor lunged at her.
Dad stepped between them.
Victor swung.
Dad blocked him but did not strike back.
“Do it!” Victor shouted. “Show everyone what you are!”
Dad understood.
Victor wanted the camera to capture him attacking.
He still believed he could control the story.
Dad backed away.
“You don’t get to use me again.”
Victor pulled a lighter from his pocket.
Grandma struck his wrist with her cane.
The lighter fell.
I almost cheered.
Victor shoved her.
Dad caught her before she hit the floor.
Rebecca rushed for the front door.
It was locked.
Victor picked up the lighter.
“You want the house? Take it.”
He flicked the flame.
Before he could drop it, the rear windows shattered.
Officers entered.
“Police! Drop it!”
Victor grabbed Rebecca around the neck and held the lighter near her hair.
Everyone froze.
Dad moved slowly toward him.
“Let her go.”
“Bring me Tyler.”
“No.”
“He belongs to me.”
Tyler whispered beside me, “I don’t.”
Victor dragged Rebecca toward the stairs.
The tactical officers couldn’t get a safe angle.
Dad followed.
“What do you want from him?”
“My son needs to understand loyalty.”
“He understands fear. That’s all you taught him.”
Victor’s attention shifted for one second.
Rebecca drove her elbow into his ribs.
She dropped to the floor.
Dad caught Victor’s wrist and turned it until the lighter fell.
Officers rushed forward.
Victor fought wildly.
Dad helped control him without throwing a single punch.
Soon Victor was face down in handcuffs.
Grandma stood over him with her cane.
“You were never worthy of this family,” she said.
Officers brought Dad, Rebecca, and Grandma outside.
Mom ran to them.
Tyler stayed near the vehicle.
Rebecca opened her arms.
He hesitated.
Then he ran to her.
Victor was led past us.
His eyes found me.
“This started because you couldn’t mind your own business.”
I stepped closer to Mom.
“No. It started because you thought nobody would stop you.”
Victor laughed.
“You think this is over?”
Detective Ramos held up a folder recovered from the house.
“Considering what we found behind the dining-room wall, Mr. Reed, I’d say it is.”
Dad looked at the folder.
Inside were the original deeds to Carter Academy, financial records, and Grandpa’s handwritten will.
Rebecca and Dad still owned the academy.
Victor had burned down a building that had never legally belonged to him.
But as he was placed in the police car, Principal Halpern called Mom.
The school board had scheduled an emergency hearing.
May you like
Tyler and I were both facing permanent expulsion.
Even with Victor arrested, his influence was still working.
