Chapter 10: The Sheriff Who Never Died
Sarah Collins stared at the radio in her hand.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Then she pressed the transmission button.
"Identify yourself.""
A familiar chuckle came through the speaker.
"Still stubborn, sweetheart. Just like your mother.""
Sarah's face tightened.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere you should have visited more often.""
"You're supposed to be dead.""
"People believe what they're told. You should know that better than anyone.""
Cole watched Sarah carefully.
She looked like someone trying to hold together a lifetime of memories that had suddenly become unreliable.
"My father died five years ago," she whispered.
Daniel shook his head.
"No. Victor died. Your father took his place.""
Sarah turned toward him.
"What are you saying?""
Daniel pointed at the photograph.
"Your father and Victor were involved in Raymond's operation. They used their resemblance to confuse people. When Victor supposedly died, Robert took over his identity in certain records.""
Sarah's eyes filled.
"Then who did we bury?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Victor.""
Sarah lowered her head.
"That was my father.""
Nobody spoke.
She slowly removed her sheriff's badge and placed it on the workbench.
Cole stepped closer.
"Sarah?""
She shook her head.
"Don't.""
"I wasn't going to—"
"I spent my entire life believing my father was a good man. He taught me to respect the law. He took me fishing. He helped me study for my academy entrance exam.""
Her voice cracked.
"He was the person who told me that people who hurt children deserved to be punished.""
She looked at the radio.
"And now he's threatening a child.""
Mason approached her.
"He's not my grandfather, is he?""
Sarah looked down.
"No, sweetheart.""
"Then why does he want me?""
Daniel answered.
"Because you know where the evidence is.""
Cole held up the necklace.
"And because he thinks this opens the storage locker.""
Sarah picked up her badge again.
Her fingers trembled as she clipped it back onto her belt.
"Then we find the evidence before he does.""
She called the state investigator and explained everything.
Within minutes, a plan was formed.
Two state police units would approach the old Bennett house from the north. A third would monitor the road. Sarah would accompany Cole and Daniel to identify the hostages.
Mason would remain with Jace and Duke.
But Mason had other ideas.
While everyone discussed the operation, he quietly approached the workbench.
He picked up the small red toolbox key.
Then he walked toward the garage's side entrance.
Jace noticed him.
"Where are you going?""
Mason froze.
"Bathroom.""
Jace looked at the door.
"Bathroom's the other way.""
Mason lowered his head.
"I need to find something.""
"What?""
Mason hesitated.
Then he held out a small folded piece of paper.
"I found this inside the lining of the toolbox.""
Jace took it.
It was a handwritten map.
There were three locations marked with red circles.
The old garage.
The Bennett house.
And a storage facility outside Conway.
Beneath the map was a sentence.
If the house is watched, use the back entrance beneath the oak tree.
Cole examined it.
"Rachel left this?""
Mason nodded.
"She told me there was a place where my father used to hide things.""
Daniel stared at the map.
"I know that entrance.""
"Where does it lead?"" Sarah asked.
"An old maintenance tunnel. It connects the basement to the property next door.""
Cole looked at the map again.
"Could we get Noah out through there?""
Daniel nodded.
"If it hasn't collapsed.""
Sarah immediately contacted the state team.
"We have another possible entry point.""
Then she looked at Mason.
"How did your mother know all this?""
Mason's eyes dropped.
"She used to visit the house when Travis wasn't watching.""
Cole felt anger rising again.
Rachel had been closer to the truth than anyone realized.
And she had been fighting to protect her children while dying.
Sarah checked her watch.
"Let's move.""
They loaded into two vehicles.
Cole rode with Daniel and Sarah.
Jace and Duke followed with Mason.
The drive to the old Bennett property took twenty-three minutes.
The house stood at the end of a narrow gravel road, surrounded by overgrown grass and tall oak trees.
Cole hadn't visited in years.
The white paint was peeling.
The front porch sagged.
The windows were dark.
But there was a fresh tire track in the driveway.
Frank's SUV.
Sarah raised her hand.
Everyone stopped.
She scanned the property.
"No movement.""
Daniel pointed toward the largest oak tree.
"That's where the tunnel entrance is.""
They approached carefully.
Beneath a layer of dead leaves was a metal hatch.
Daniel pulled it open.
A narrow staircase descended into darkness.
Cole switched on his flashlight.
"Stay close.""
They entered.
The tunnel smelled of damp soil and old wood.
After approximately thirty feet, they reached a reinforced door.
Daniel knocked twice.
Then once.
Nothing happened.
He tried again.
Two knocks.
One knock.
A pause.
Then three knocks.
A faint scraping sound came from the other side.
The door opened.
A teenage boy stood behind it.
He had dark hair, a bruised cheek, and a crescent-shaped birthmark near his right ear.
Mason gasped.
"Noah!""
The boy stared.
For a moment, he didn't move.
Then he whispered:
"Mason?""
The twins ran toward each other.
They collided in an embrace, crying and laughing at the same time.
Daniel dropped to his knees.
"My boys.""
He pulled both sons into his arms.
Cole stood back, wiping his eyes.
Then Sarah noticed something.
"Noah, where is Frank?""
The teenager looked toward the tunnel.
"He left about ten minutes ago.""
"Where?""
Noah pointed upstairs.
"To meet somebody.""
"Who?""
Noah swallowed.
"Your father.""
Sarah's expression hardened.
"Robert?""
Noah nodded.
Then he looked directly at Cole.
"But Uncle Cole, there's something you need to know.""
Cole crouched.
"What is it?""
Noah's voice trembled.
"The man who raised me wasn't Frank.""
Daniel froze.
"Who was he?""
Noah looked toward the house.
Then he whispered:
"Your father, Raymond Bennett.""
Cole slowly stood.
"That's impossible.""
Noah shook his head.
May you like
"I lived with him for years.""
And suddenly the dead man in the photograph wasn't the only ghost from Cole's past.
