Chapter 4 - Hannah Finally Admitted What She Had Been Hiding, and Ethan Realized Weller Had Taken Her Mother Because of Him TooHannah stood in her mother's empty kitchen.
For the first time, Ethan saw her completely break.
“He has my mom.”
She pressed both hands to her face.
Ethan stepped closer.
“We'll find her.”
“You don't know that.”
“Yes.”
“What if we don't?”
“We will.”
“How?”
“I'll figure it out.”
She laughed bitterly.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“People like Weller don't lose.”
Ethan looked at her.
“They do when someone refuses to let them win.”
She looked at him.
“Why are you still here?”
“Because I love you.”
Silence.
Hannah stopped breathing.
Ethan realized he had said it before he was ready.
He didn't take it back.
She whispered:
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
She stared.
Then she kissed him.
It was brief.
Desperate.
Real.
When they separated, she whispered:
“I'm scared.”
“I know.”
“I don't want you hurt.”
“I know.”
“But I'm tired of being alone.”
Ethan wrapped his arms around her.
“Then stop.”
They searched everywhere.
Finally, a message arrived.
A photograph of Carol.
Alive.
Tied to a chair.
Behind her was an old barn.
Hannah recognized it.
The Weller estate.
She and Ethan went.
They found Carol.
But Weller had already left.
A note was attached.
THE KEY IS IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
They returned.
Hannah searched the building.
Nothing.
Then Ethan noticed the old donation box.
He opened it.
Inside was a small metal key.
Hannah stared.
“My mother never told me.”
“Maybe she was protecting you.”
The key opened a safe beneath the floor.
Inside was the ledger.
Thousands of names.
Payments.
Deals.
Property transfers.
Judicial favors.
Police bribes.
Every major player in the county.
Weller's entire empire.
Ethan turned the pages.
Then stopped.
His father's name.
Beside it:
PAID TO PROTECT THE LEDGER.
Hannah looked.
“My father trusted him.”
“Yes.”
Another page.
A transaction.
Money paid to Sheriff Dalton.
Another to the county judge.
Another to a bank executive.
Then one final page.
THE COLE FAMILY — FINAL THREAT.
Hannah looked at Ethan.
“They were planning to take everything.”
He nodded.
“We have enough to destroy them.”
Suddenly the building doors slammed.
Men entered.
Hannah grabbed the ledger.
Ethan pulled her toward the back exit.
They escaped into the woods.
Shots followed.
They ran for nearly a mile.
Finally they reached a stream.
Hannah collapsed.
“I can't.”
Ethan knelt.
“You can.”
“I can't breathe.”
He held her.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Breathe.”
She did.
He wiped mud from her cheek.
“You're okay.”
She nodded.
Then they kissed.
Longer this time.
No fear.
No hesitation.
When they separated, Hannah whispered:
“I love you.”
Ethan smiled.
“Good.”
She laughed.
“That was your response?”
“I've been waiting three months.”
They returned to town.
The evidence was delivered anonymously to federal investigators.
Within hours, arrests began.
Sheriff Dalton was taken into custody.
Several judges were suspended.
Weller disappeared.
But the ledger contained one final mystery.
The payments stopped at one name.
UNKNOWN BENEFICIARY.
Ethan stared.
“Who is this?”
Hannah shook her head.
“No idea.”
A federal investigator called.
“We found the missing account.”
“Whose?”
The agent hesitated.
“Your father's.”
Ethan froze.
“My father is dead.”
“We know.”
“Then how is the account active?”
May you like
The agent answered:
“Because someone has been making withdrawals.”
Related Stories
