Page 95 of The Lake Escape
“Stop right there, Rick, because I have nothing to lose,” he said.
Julia watched David’s finger tighten on the rifle’s trigger.
“Stay back,” she warned. “He means it.”
Rick froze, following the order.
“If you take so much as a step in my direction, I will shoot,” David threatened. “Maybe the gun isn’t loaded, maybe it is, maybe there’s one in the chamber that you didn’t check for—are you willing to gamble your son’s life?”
The bravado drained from Rick’s face. Erika visibly trembled, her confidence gone now that Lucas was in the line of fire.
“Don’t test me,” David continued. “I’m a dead man walking if I don’t find Fiona. Jimmy T isn’t going to let this slide. No place will be safe for me, and that includes prison. So you’re going to tell me where Fiona is, right here, right now, or it’s your son who will pay the price. You decide.”
“Don’t hurt him, David, please,” Erika begged. “Put the gun away.” She dropped to her knees, hands clasped in front of her. “Leave my son out of this. I promise, I’ll tell you everything.”
Chapter 44
Izzy
The air is so thick it’s hard to breathe. All eyes rest on Erika, who is on her knees, her face a knot of agony.
“Talk,” says David.
I watch him closely. He’s a time bomb, a threat that grows with every second that ticks by.
Unfortunately, Erika seems to have lost her voice at a most inopportune moment. She manages to get to her feet, but she’s not saying a word. The gun stays on Lucas.
In the silence, I find myself moving toward David, not away. I know I should be afraid—terrified, in fact. But I’ve reached some kind of breaking point. This man has put his mark on my family for long enough. I won’t let him control the narrative any longer.
“Let him go—you can have me instead,” I say, stepping in front of Lucas.
Julia’s eyes go wide. She can’t believe what I’ve just done. Honestly, I can’t believe it, either. Taylor gasps, but I’m not budging. I’ve set my sights on David while he glares back at me.
It’s on.
“Susie Welch is my aunt,” I announce, mainly for David’s benefit. The shock that spreads across his face delights me.
“She’s your aunt?” David squints as though he can’t see clearly. “You sneaky little bitch. I knew you weren’t telling me the whole story, but I never would have guessedthat.I suppose you get what you pay for. Iwasdesperate for a new nanny after Fiona figuredout I was sleeping with the last one.” He smirks like he’s proud of himself.
“Nice. Way to keep it classy,” I say. “And you hadnochance with me, by the way, I can assure you of that. I only wanted this job to investigate what happened to my aunt. I found out quite a lot, too. I know what you did to her, and I have every intention of exposing you for her rape and murder. So, if you have to hold someone accountable, it should be me. Let Lucas go. He has nothing to do with this.”
I sound a lot braver than I feel. Inside, I’m quaking. I’ve never had a gun pointed at me, and the feeling is far more frightening than I anticipated. But here I am, being dangerously impulsive yet again, skipping the filter of logic and reason and going straight from thought into action.
I steal a glance at Lucas, who appears conflicted about being rescued. Instead of relief, his eyes are full of confusion. We look at each other, and I try to make it clear he doesn’t have to be the big strong man. I’ve got more skin in this game than he does. Besides, he has more pressing concerns—namely the baby he doesn’t know about.
I shift my focus ever so briefly to Taylor, and when I do, Lucas seems to get it. He might not know all the facts, but he’s sensitive enough to understand that this is best for her, and that’s enough for him. Lucas moves aside.
David doesn’t object.
“Go ahead and play hero if that’s what you want,” he says. “Your aunt’s charges against me went nowhere. And good luck sending me to jail now that she’s not around to tell her side of the story.” He addresses Lucas directly. “Stay where I can see you. If your mother doesn’t give me the answers I need, this rifle will be pointing right back at you.”
Welp, my heroism hasn’t really changed anything. Lucas and Taylor are still in danger. Hopefully, Erika will pull it together and get us out of this jam.
David turns toward her, expecting the same. My body relaxes, but only a little.
“You’re my worry, not the damn nanny,” he says, addressing Erika. “Now, answer me… where the fuck is Fiona, and what the hell are you both up to?”
A ragged inhale and exhale help Erika to settle. She appears more composed, while my blood pressure is skyrocketing.
