Chapter 2 - THE HOUSE BEHIND LORRAINE'S
The shed belonged to Lorraine.
Technically, the whole property did.
A narrow suburban lot outside the city.
Brick ranch house.
Detached wooden workshop behind it.
Evan used the workshop for tools.
Claire rarely went inside.
The day she disappeared, she had planned to meet Evan at a bank branch.
He texted:
MOM WILL SIGN AS WITNESS. COME TO HER HOUSE FIRST.
Claire replied:
I’M NOT TRANSFERRING THE MONEY.
Evan:
JUST COME TALK.
She should not have gone.
That sentence tormented Daniel later.
It should not have.
Claire went because marriage trains people to treat one more conversation as safer than refusing it.
Lorraine opened the front door.
Smiling.
“Come in.”
Claire did not.
“Where’s Evan?”
“Out back.”
Claire walked around the side.
The shed door stood open.
Evan waited inside.
Documents on a workbench.
Laptop.
Phone charger.
A wooden chair.
Claire stopped.
“No.”
Evan smiled.
“What?”
“I’m leaving.”
He moved between her and the door.
“Just hear me.”
“No.”
He grabbed her wrist.
Claire pulled away.
Then Lorraine appeared behind her.
“Stop making this ugly.”
Claire turned.
That was the moment Evan shoved her inside.
The next several minutes became fragments.
Argument.
Claire yelling.
Evan locking the door.
Lorraine saying the neighbors could hear.
Evan taking Claire’s phone.
Then rope.
Claire fought.
Evan was stronger.
He tied her wrists to the chair.
Then ankles.
Not professionally.
Enough.
Claire stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you to listen.”
“This is kidnapping.”
“You’re my wife.”
Lorraine said from the doorway:
“Don’t use stupid words.”
Then she went back toward the house.
Evan opened Claire’s bank app.
Could not log in.
“Password.”
“No.”
He slammed his fist into the chair beside her.
“TRANSFER THE FIFTY GRAND!”
Claire sobbed.
“No!”
He jerked the chair toward him.
“You’re not leaving until Mom gets it!”
There.
Mom gets it.
Claire froze.
Not:
business gets it.
Mom.
“What?”
Evan realized.
Changed wording.
“Mom’s handling the debt.”
Claire stared.
“What debt?”
He leaned closer.
“You don’t need details.”
Then Claire screamed:
“MY DAD WILL FIND ME!”
Evan burst out laughing.
May you like
“Your old man can’t save you.”
He had no idea Daniel was already looking.
