Chapter 4 - The Rescue That Changed Everything
The rescue plan began at midnight.
Emmett had eight men.
Jillian had determination.
Cody had the sketchbook.
Together, they had enough information to locate the Bannon safe house where Patrick was being held.
The property had three entrances.
One was guarded.
One was monitored.
The third had been abandoned for years.
Cody's drawings revealed a service tunnel beneath it.
Jillian stared at the map.
“How did he know?”
Emmett answered.
“Shawn showed him.”
“And Shawn knew we might need it?”
“He knew someone would.”
Jillian looked at her stepson.
Cody was sitting at the table, drawing another map.
“You shouldn't be doing this.”
“I know.”
“Then stop.”
“I can't.”
She looked at Emmett.
“He sees things we don't.”
Emmett nodded.
“He does.”
Jillian's voice softened.
“You're not bringing him.”
“No.”
Cody looked up.
“I know.”
“You're staying here.”
“Okay.”
He surprised her by not arguing.
Then he handed her a card.
It showed a black door.
On the back:
This is where Dad is.
Jillian looked at Emmett.
“That's enough.”
They left.
The safe house stood on the edge of the river.
A warehouse disguised as a shipping office.
Emmett had used one of his companies to obtain the original construction plans.
Jillian wore black.
She hated it.
It felt like costume.
Like pretending to be someone tougher than she was.
Emmett noticed.
“You don't have to do this.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You could stay in the car.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because Patrick is in there.”
“Understood.”
They entered through the service tunnel.
No alarms.
No guards.
They reached the basement.
A voice came through the dark.
“Jillian?”
She froze.
“Patrick?”
A chair scraped.
Then Patrick emerged.
He had blood on his forehead.
His hands were tied.
But he was alive.
Jillian ran toward him.
Emmett's men cut the restraints.
She wrapped her arms around her husband.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You idiot.”
“I know.”
She hit his chest.
Then hugged him again.
Patrick looked over her shoulder.
“Where's Cody?”
“Safe.”
“Thank God.”
“You knew this was coming.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me.”
“I know.”
“You sent me to him.”
Patrick looked at Emmett.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Patrick's eyes filled.
“Because he's the only man I trust to protect you.”
Silence.
Emmett looked away.
Patrick laughed weakly.
“That hurts his pride.”
“It doesn't.”
“It does.”
Jillian looked between them.
“You two have been working together?”
“For months,” Patrick said.
She stared.
“Since when?”
“Before Shawn died.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Malcolm had someone inside your house.”
Jillian went still.
“Who?”
Patrick hesitated.
“Your housekeeper.”
Jillian remembered the woman who had worked for them for twelve years.
She had trusted her.
Patrick continued.
“She reported everything.”
“Everything?”
“Where you went.”
“When Cody came home.”
“What we discussed.”
Jillian felt sick.
“How did you know?”
“Shawn discovered it.”
“And Malcolm killed him.”
“Yes.”
Patrick looked at Emmett.
“Did you find the ledger?”
“No.”
Patrick's expression changed.
“Then we need to move.”
“Why?”
“Because Malcolm knows the location.”
Jillian frowned.
“How?”
Patrick looked at her.
“He has the original.”
“What?”
“The ledger isn't missing.”
“Then what are we doing?”
“Looking for the copy.”
“The one Cody drew?”
“Yes.”
Patrick took a breath.
“Shawn made three copies.”
“Where?”
“One is in the original Bannon office.”
“One is with a journalist.”
“And the last…”
He looked at Jillian.
“…is with you.”
Her blood froze.
“What?”
Patrick nodded.
“Shawn gave it to you.”
“No.”
“You don't remember?”
“I never received anything.”
Patrick stared at her.
“He called you that night.”
“Yes.”
“He came to the house.”
“What?”
“Thirty minutes before he was killed.”
Jillian remembered.
A knock at the door.
Shawn standing there.
He had seemed nervous.
She had opened the door.
He had handed her a small wooden box.
She had asked what it was.
He had said:
“Something for Cody.”
Then he had left.
Jillian had placed the box in a drawer.
She had forgotten.
“Oh my God.”
“Where is it?”
“At home.”
Patrick swore.
“Then Malcolm has it.”
Jillian's stomach dropped.
They rushed back to the lake house.
It was empty.
The lights were off.
The front door was open.
Cody was gone.
Jillian screamed his name.
“Cody!”
No answer.
Emmett searched every room.
Then he saw the sketchbook on the floor.
One page had been torn out.
Another drawing remained.
An old church.
Jillian recognized it.
“The church near the Bannon estate.”
Emmett nodded.
“Let's go.”
They drove there.
Cody sat alone in the empty church.
A man stood behind him.
Malcolm.
Jillian stepped out of the vehicle.
“Let him go.”
Malcolm smiled.
“You've become troublesome.”
“Leave him out of this.”
“You brought him into it.”
“No.”
Jillian took a step.
“You did.”
Malcolm laughed.
“You have no idea what this family has built.”
“I know enough.”
“You think your husband can save you?”
Jillian looked at Patrick.
Then Emmett.
Then Cody.
“Yes.”
Malcolm's smile disappeared.
“You don't understand.”
“No.”
She looked straight at him.
“I understand perfectly.”
She raised the wooden box.
“This?”
Malcolm froze.
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
“And you don't know what's inside.”
“Actually, I do.”
She opened it.
Inside was a flash drive.
Malcolm's face changed.
Emmett's men raised their weapons.
Malcolm pulled Cody closer.
“Drop it.”
Jillian did.
The flash drive hit the floor.
Then she smiled.
“It's fake.”
Malcolm stared.
“What?”
“The real one is somewhere you will never find.”
Malcolm's expression turned murderous.
Patrick moved.
Everything happened at once.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
Cody dropped.
Emmett tackled Malcolm's guard.
Patrick grabbed Jillian.
Emmett reached Cody.
They escaped through the side entrance.
Outside, police sirens filled the street.
Malcolm had no idea Jillian had secretly activated a tracking device inside the fake flash drive.
Every conversation inside the church had been recorded.
Including Malcolm admitting he ordered Shawn's death.
The first domino fell.
But it did not end the war.
It only made Malcolm desperate.
That night, Patrick sat with Jillian.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked at him.
“For everything.”
She reached for his hand.
“I’m still angry.”
“I know.”
“But you're alive.”
“Yes.”
“And Cody is alive.”
“Yes.”
“And I'm starting to understand why you did it.”
Patrick smiled sadly.
“Do you hate me?”
“No.”
She squeezed his fingers.
“But I don't think I can stay in this marriage.”
Patrick went still.
“You're leaving?”
Jillian nodded.
“I love you.”
His eyes filled.
“But I can't live inside your family's war.”
“I understand.”
He looked toward Emmett.
“And I think you're going to choose him.”
Jillian froze.
“What?”
Patrick smiled.
“You already look at him differently.”
May you like
She could not answer.
Because the terrifying part was that Patrick was right.
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