Chapter 6
Daniel looked at Lily.
“What tunnel?”
“The one under the lake house.”
He had no idea what she meant.
Lily explained that Vanessa had taken her to the property months earlier.
They entered through a small door behind the boathouse.
Vanessa told her it was a secret passage for playing hide-and-seek.
“She said never to tell you,” Lily whispered.
Daniel remembered that the lake house had once belonged to his grandfather.
Old construction plans showed a storm shelter connected to the boathouse by an underground passage.
The entrance had supposedly been sealed decades ago.
Vanessa must have discovered it while studying the property.
The police captain created a plan.
Daniel would approach through the front gate.
Elena would remain with officers.
A tactical team would enter through the tunnel.
Elena refused.
“My mother may call out if she hears me. I can help them find the right room.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Daniel said.
“So was leaving her with Vanessa.”
Daniel could not argue.
Claire stayed with Lily in a secure location.
Before Daniel left, Lily placed her mother’s necklace in his hand.
“For luck.”
He closed his fingers around it.
“I’ll bring Elena’s mom home.”
At sunrise, Daniel drove to the lake house.
White ribbons covered the front gate.
Vanessa had decorated the porch with flowers from their canceled wedding.
A speaker played soft music.
Daniel entered alone.
Vanessa stood in the living room wearing her wedding dress.
A pistol rested in her hand.
“You came.”
“Where is Rosa?”
“Always so impatient.”
“You kidnapped an innocent woman.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Innocent people are useful. They make good pressure points.”
Daniel’s phone vibrated in his pocket.
One pulse meant the team had entered the tunnel.
Vanessa moved closer.
“You humiliated me in front of servants and police.”
“You framed Elena.”
“She was replacing me.”
“She was protecting my daughter.”
“I was supposed to be Lily’s mother.”
“A mother doesn’t terrorize a child.”
Vanessa slapped him.
Daniel did not move.
Her eyes filled with rage.
“Say you love me.”
“No.”
She raised the gun.
“Say it.”
“I never loved you. I loved the person you pretended to be.”
Her hand trembled.
A floorboard creaked beneath them.
Vanessa glanced toward the basement door.
Daniel lunged.
He caught her wrist as the gun fired.
The bullet struck the ceiling.
They crashed into a table.
Vanessa clawed at his face.
“You ruined everything!”
She kneed him and pulled away.
Before she could fire again, the lights went out.
The tactical team had cut the power.
Daniel rolled behind the couch.
Vanessa fired into the darkness.
Outside, officers shouted for her to surrender.
She ran toward the basement.
Daniel followed.
Beneath the house, Elena moved through the tunnel with two officers.
Smoke drifted through the passage.
“Do you smell that?” she asked.
One officer found a wire connected to several fuel containers.
Marcus had prepared another fire.
A timer showed less than four minutes.
The officer radioed the bomb team.
Elena heard a muffled cry beyond the wall.
“Mom!”
She followed the sound to a locked door.
An officer broke it open.
Rosa sat tied to a chair.
Marcus stood behind her with a knife.
“Drop your weapons,” he said.
The officers aimed at him.
Elena stepped forward.
“Marcus, this is over.”
“No. It ends when I decide.”
Rosa stared at her daughter.
“Don’t listen to him.”
Marcus pressed the blade against Rosa’s throat.
Then Vanessa burst into the room.
“Give me the keys to the boat,” she ordered.
Marcus looked at her.
“You were supposed to control Daniel.”
“He attacked me.”
“You always lose control.”
Vanessa pointed the gun at her brother.
“Give me the keys.”
Daniel reached the doorway behind her.
Marcus laughed.
“You think I’m letting you escape with the money?”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“What money?”
“The eight hundred thousand dollars,” Marcus said. “It belongs to me.”
“You told me it was safe.”
“It is safe. From you.”
Vanessa aimed at him.
Marcus shoved Rosa toward Elena and threw the knife.
The blade struck Vanessa’s arm.
Her gun fell.
Daniel tackled her.
The officers rushed Marcus.
May you like
Then a mechanical voice echoed through the basement.
Sixty seconds until ignition.
