Chapter 14 - The Fall of the House of Vance
Margaret’s hand began to shake violently.
The distant wail of state police sirens bounced off the surrounding mountains, growing louder by the second. The private security guards she hired were already scattering, their SUVs heard speeding away down the main gravel road to save themselves.
She was completely alone.
"No... no, no, no," Margaret muttered, looking down at the small pistol in her hand as if she had never seen it before. "This is my company. This is my legacy."
"Drop the weapon, Margaret," Thomas commanded, taking another step forward.
Margaret looked at Thomas, then at Julian, and finally at Evelyn. A bitter, twisted smile formed on her lips.
"I gave you everything," she whispered to Julian. "And you threw it away for nothing."
She didn't raise the gun to shoot. Instead, she spun around and bolted toward the boathouse exit leading out onto the open lake dock.
"Mom, stop!" Julian yelled, chasing after her.
Margaret ran out onto the weathered wooden dock. The morning mist was burning off, revealing two police boats speeding across the blue water directly toward the cabin, their sirens cutting through the mountain air.
Trapped between the approaching police boats and her two sons, Margaret backed up toward the very edge of the dock.
Her heel caught the edge of the wet timber.
She wobbled, her arms flailing wildly—the exact mirror image of the moment at the mansion pool just twenty-four hours earlier.
"Julian!" she screamed.
Julian reached out, his hand lunging forward to catch her coat. His fingers brushed the heavy wool of her sleeve.
He could have grabbed her. He had the reach.
May you like
Julian stopped his hand.
Margaret’s eyes went wide with pure shock as she realized he was letting her go. She tumbled backward, hitting the deep, icy mountain water with a thunderous splash.
