Chapter 17 - The Brother in the Shadows
His name was Caleb Blake.
Aaron’s twin brother.
Robert’s other son.
Another secret nobody had bothered to tell Lauren.
Caleb had lived out west for most of his adult life. He returned eight years ago after Aaron disappeared.
And instead of going to police, he went to Sheriff Keene.
Keene told him Daniel had killed Aaron.
Then used Caleb’s grief.
Caleb began watching Daniel, Hannah, Robert, and the entire family.
He became Keene’s invisible hand.
Photographs.
Threats.
Break-ins.
Anything that kept witnesses afraid and confused.
The recent photo of Hannah and Noah at the cabin?
Caleb took it.
The truck?
Caleb used it.
The person who forced Daniel’s transport van off the road?
Caleb.
But now he looked at Lauren with something close to disgust.
“Keene said Daniel murdered my brother.”
“He didn’t,” Lauren said. “Aaron is alive.”
Caleb froze.
Keene’s hand tightened around the gun.
“Don’t listen to her.”
“Aaron is at the tree line right now.”
Caleb stared at Keene.
“You said he was dead.”
Keene stepped closer. “She’s trying to divide us.”
From below, Daniel shouted, “What’s taking so long?”
Lauren watched Caleb’s face.
“Keene lied to you for eight years.”
“Shut up.”
“He used you to scare the people who could expose him.”
Keene raised the gun toward Lauren.
Caleb grabbed his wrist.
The shot exploded into the ceiling.
Everything moved at once.
Lauren dropped.
Keene punched Caleb.
Caleb slammed him into the wall.
Below them, Noah screamed.
Then gunfire erupted in the tunnel.
Nolan.
Daniel.
Lauren crawled toward the stairs.
Keene kicked Caleb backward and aimed at her.
Before he could fire, Aaron appeared through the side entrance.
“Caleb!”
Caleb stopped breathing.
The brothers stared at each other.
Eight years of grief shattered in one second.
“Aaron?”
Keene turned toward him.
Aaron fired first.
The bullet struck Keene’s shoulder.
His gun fell.
Lauren ran downstairs.
The underground room was chaos.
One deputy was bleeding from the arm.
Nolan was behind a concrete pillar.
Daniel stood near the water tunnel with one arm around Noah and a gun pressed beneath the boy’s jaw.
Hannah had somehow followed Lauren inside.
She stood at the foot of the stairs.
Daniel saw her.
His face softened in a way that made Lauren sick.
“There you are.”
Hannah’s whole body shook.
“Let him go.”
Daniel smiled.
“You came back before.”
“Not this time.”
“You always come back.”
Hannah stepped forward.
Lauren grabbed her arm.
“No.”
Hannah whispered, “Trust me.”
Then she looked at Daniel.
“You want me?”
Daniel’s grip on Noah tightened.
“Yes.”
May you like
“Then trade.”
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