Chapter 4 - The Shadow over the Mountain
Five state troopers in arctic gear, led by County Sheriff James Vance, kicked through the broken terrace doors, their rifles trained directly on Marcus Kane.
“State Police! Don't move! Drop the weapon!” Sheriff Vance shouted, his heavy boots crunching over the glass.
Marcus immediately dropped the crowbar, raising his hands, his face turning pale as he looked up at the armed officers. “Sheriff! Thank God! This crazy doctor just shot at me! He’s keeping my children hostage!”
Sheriff Vance—a sixty-year-old lawman who had known the Pierce family for thirty years—didn't even look at Marcus. He gestured to two deputies, who dragged Marcus to his feet and slammed him face-first against the marble wall, snapping steel handcuffs around his wrists.
“Save it, Kane,” Vance said coldly. “We just cleared your house on the valley road. Medical responders found Sarah.”
Nathan felt his whole body go rigid. His breath hitched in his chest. “James... is Sarah...?”
Sheriff Vance turned to Nathan, taking off his snow-dusted hat. His eyes were heavy with a mixture of solemn gravity and quiet relief.
“She’s alive, Nathan,” Vance said softly. “Barely. She has a fractured skull and severe hypothermia, but the state patrol helicopter managed to land on the valley highway forty minutes ago. She’s currently in the Intensive Care Unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. They’ve taken her into emergency surgery to relieve the cranial pressure.”
Nathan let out a long, ragged breath, sinking against the edge of the dining table, his hand covering his face as tears of overwhelming relief finally spilled over his eyelashes.
“And the kids?” Vance asked, looking toward the grand staircase.
“They’re safe,” Nathan choked out, his voice thick with emotion. “Lily walked six miles through the pass carrying the twins. She’s... she’s the bravest thing I’ve ever seen in my life, James.”
Sheriff Vance looked at Marcus Kane, whose face had gone completely gray as he was pulled toward the door.
“You’re going away for a very long time, Kane,” Vance spat, shoving the man through the broken door into the freezing storm. “Aggravated assault, attempted murder, child endangerment, and felony domestic violence. You’re never seeing the light of day again.”
As the police vehicles drove away down the mountain, their sirens echoing softly through the pine trees, Nathan ran back up the stairs to his bedroom.
Lily was sitting up in the middle of the large bed, wrapped in a pink blanket, her green eyes wide and frightened as she looked at the door.
When she saw Nathan step through the threshold, she held out her small, Band-Aided arms.
“Uncle Nathan?” she whispered nervously. “Was that... was that the bad man?”
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Nathan dropped his gun onto the nightstand, walked over to the bed, and pulled his niece into a fierce, protective embrace, holding her small body against his chest while she wept softly against his shoulder.
“He’s gone, Lily,” Nathan promised, his tears soaking into her hair. “He’s gone forever. Nobody is ever going to hurt you or your brothers again.”
