Chapter 1 - THE BLIZZARD
The storm erased the road ten feet ahead of the SUV.
Samuel Whitaker sat in the back seat with one hand gripping the door handle and the other wrapped around his walker.
His hip throbbed beneath the surgical dressing.
“Slow down.”
Caleb did not answer.
His son’s face stayed fixed on the road.
Meredith sat in the front passenger seat, phone glowing in her hand.
Samuel frowned.
“This isn’t the way to the clinic.”
Meredith said nothing.
“Caleb?”
His son’s jaw tightened.
Then Meredith’s voice exploded through the cabin.
“Throw him out, Caleb!”
Samuel stared.
“What?”
Caleb pulled onto the shoulder.
Snow battered the windows.
Samuel grabbed his son’s coat sleeve.
“I just had surgery.”
Caleb avoided his eyes.
“I’m your father.”
“Dad…”
“Tell her she’s insane.”
Meredith turned.
Her face was calm now.
That frightened Samuel more than the shouting.
“Get him out.”
Caleb opened the rear door.
Cold hit like a wall.
Samuel tightened his grip.
“No.”
Caleb reached in.
“Dad, please.”
“Please what?”
Caleb pulled.
Samuel cried out as his injured leg struck the door frame.
“Caleb! Stop!”
His boots hit deep snow.
Pain flashed through his hip.
Caleb threw the walker beside him.
Samuel grabbed the open door.
“Don’t leave me here!”
Meredith shouted:
“Shut the door!”
Caleb tried.
Samuel held on.
“I carried you when you couldn’t walk!”
Caleb froze.
Samuel’s eyes filled.
“And now you leave me here to die?”
For one second, Caleb looked like a child again.
Then Meredith said:
“Do it.”
Caleb tore Samuel’s hand from the door.
And slammed it.
The SUV pulled away.
Samuel dragged himself after it.
“Caleb!”
The walker disappeared beneath blowing snow.
He fell.
“Come back!”
The red taillights grew smaller.
Inside the SUV, Caleb turned toward the rear window.
Meredith grabbed his face and forced him forward.
“Don’t look back.”
Samuel watched them disappear.
Then his sobbing stopped.
He pulled his phone from inside his coat.
The battery showed twelve percent.
He pressed one number.
Evelyn Price answered.
“Samuel?”
“You wanted me dead…”
His teeth chattered.
“Fine.”
“What happened?”
Samuel stared into the storm.
“Take everything from them.”
Silence.
Then Evelyn asked:
“Even your son?”
Samuel closed his eyes.
“He’s not my son anymore.”
The call disconnected.
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And Samuel realized his phone had only enough power for one more thing.
The emergency location beacon was still active.
