Chapter 14 - The Rabbit in the Woods
The tracker inside Maya’s rabbit moved north through the forest.
Julian had taken the toy with them without realizing it.
Claire followed the police command vehicle as officers searched the area.
Rain began falling.
The signal stopped near an abandoned hunting cabin owned by the Mercer family.
Detective Ortiz ordered Claire to remain behind the perimeter.
She ignored him when she heard Maya scream.
Inside the cabin, Julian stood near a window with Maya in front of him.
The gun shook in his hand.
His confidence was gone.
His suit was torn.
Mud covered his shoes.
“Maya,” Claire called from outside, “Mommy is here.”
Julian pulled the curtain aside.
“You should have signed the papers.”
“Let her go.”
“You destroyed everything.”
“You destroyed it when you decided people were property.”
Julian shouted that the company belonged to him.
The trust belonged to him.
Maya belonged to him.
Claire kept her voice steady.
“No one belongs to you.”
Maya looked toward the cabin floor.
Her stuffed rabbit lay near the door.
Claire saw the tiny blinking tracker.
She also saw an old storm cellar entrance behind Julian.
Police could reach him from below.
Claire needed time.
“You told the judge I was unsafe,” she said. “But you’re the one holding a gun.”
“You humiliated me.”
“You did that yourself.”
His face twisted.
For the first time, Claire understood why Rebecca’s resistance had terrified him.
Julian could tolerate hatred.
He could tolerate fear.
What he could not tolerate was being seen clearly.
The cellar door shifted slightly behind him.
An officer was moving into position.
Maya noticed too.
She squeezed her eyes shut and took four slow breaths.
Then she dropped to the floor.
The officer burst through the cellar entrance.
Julian fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Claire rushed inside as two officers tackled him.
Maya crawled toward her.
Claire wrapped both arms around her daughter.
Julian screamed while officers handcuffed him.
“You think this is over? Maya’s trust will never be yours!”
Claire held Maya tighter.
“It was never mine.”
The stuffed rabbit continued recording as Julian was dragged outside.
Then Detective Ortiz picked it up.
“There’s another file on this device.”
May you like
The timestamp was from Harrison’s final night alive.
👉 Maya’s rabbit had captured a conversation that could prove Julian’s crimes began with his own father’s death.
