Chapter 8 - The Legal Fortress
By dawn, the storm had passed, leaving behind a crisp, mist-covered morning over Pine Ridge. Inside Marcus’s secluded timber cabin, the fireplace crackled with warm cedar logs.
Lily sat on a plush couch, bundled in a clean, oversized flannel shirt, happily eating a bowl of oatmeal that David had prepared on the wood stove. On the coffee table in front of her, Clara’s gold dress was laid out neatly. David had already washed away the dirt and stains in the sink, hanging it by the fire to dry.
The heavy front door clicked open. David was instantly on his feet, reaching instinctively for the wooden bat propped beside the armchair.
"Easy, David. It’s just me," Marcus said, raising both hands as he walked inside, carrying a thick leather briefcase and two steaming paper coffee cups.
David lowered the bat, letting out a relieved sigh. "What's the situation?"
Marcus handed David a cup of coffee and sat down heavily across from him. "It’s over, David. Or at least, the worst of it is."
"What happened to the men who chased us?"
"Both drivers were hired from an off-the-books private security firm Eleanor keeps on retainer," Marcus explained. "When the tow trucks and county sheriffs pulled them out of the ravine, they found Eleanor’s signed checks and communications on their phones. Explicit instructions to kidnap Lily and stage a hit-and-run on your truck."
David felt a cold chill run down his spine. "Attempted murder."
"Worse for them, better for us," Marcus said, snapping open his briefcase and pulling out a stack of stamped court documents. "Judge Vance tried to push through that emergency custody order at three in the morning, but the District Attorney had already seen Victoria’s video. By four a.m., state police raided Eleanor’s manor."
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Lily looked up from her oatmeal, her large brown eyes wide. "Is Aunt Victoria going to jail?"
Marcus looked at the little girl with genuine warmth. "Yes, Lily. Aunt Victoria was arrested for child abuse, unlawful imprisonment, and grand theft. And your grandmother Eleanor was arrested as an accessory and for conspiracy to commit kidnapping."
