Chapter 3 - The Second Man
Kyle was thirty-two, broad-shouldered, loud, and usually smiling.
Ellie had liked him once.
He brought fireworks on the Fourth of July.
He taught her how to skip rocks.
He also never asked why Emily stopped coming to family dinners.
Kyle came around the side of the house and froze when he saw Linda outside the shed.
“What is this?” he asked.
Linda lowered her voice. “Family business.”
Kyle looked into the doorway.
His face changed.
“Grant.”
“Don’t start.”
“What are you doing?”
“She hid money from me.”
Kyle stared at Emily.
Her wrists were together near the beam. Her face was pale, but her eyes were sharp.
“You need to let her go,” Kyle said.
Grant laughed.
“Since when are you on her side?”
“I’m not on anybody’s side. I’m looking at something stupid that’s about to ruin your life.”
Linda stepped between them.
“Don’t be dramatic.”
Kyle pointed toward Emily. “Mom, look at her.”
“I am looking.”
“No. Actually look.”
For the first time, Ellie saw Linda’s confidence flicker.
Grant grabbed Kyle’s arm.
“Get out of here.”
Kyle pulled away.
“Let her go.”
The brothers stared at each other.
Ellie quietly lifted her phone again.
Recording.
Grant moved closer to Kyle.
“You always did think you were better than me.”
Kyle shook his head. “This isn’t about me.”
“It’s always about you.”
Emily spoke before either man could move.
“Kyle.”
He looked at her.
“Ellie is outside.”
Grant spun toward the doorway.
Ellie ran.
She took off along the fence, phone in hand, sneakers slipping in the dry grass.
“Ellie!” Grant shouted.
Kyle stepped in front of him.
“Don’t.”
Grant shoved him.
Kyle stumbled into the workbench.
A metal toolbox crashed to the floor.
Ellie reached the side gate.
Locked.
She yanked it twice.
Behind her, footsteps pounded across the yard.
She turned.
Grant was coming.
Then another sound broke over the neighborhood.
A siren.
Then a second.
Grant stopped.
Ellie didn’t.
She climbed the gate, dropped hard onto the driveway, and ran toward the street just as two police cruisers turned the corner.
She waved both arms.
“Here!” she screamed. “He’s in the shed!”
One officer jumped from the first car.
May you like
The second reached for his radio.
And behind Ellie, Grant stepped through the gate with the wet rope still in his hand.
