Chapter 7 - Heather’s Choice
For two days, no one heard from Heather.
Susan claimed she knew nothing.
Kyle’s attorney insisted he was “cooperating fully,” though Kyle himself had vanished after being questioned by police.
My father begged me to stop.
“Sweetheart,” he said over the phone, “this land isn’t worth anyone getting hurt.”
I sat in my office, staring at the torn pieces of my mother’s note.
“It’s not about the land anymore, Dad.”
“I know.”
“They took Heather.”
“She helped them hurt you.”
“Yes,” I said. “But that doesn’t mean she deserves to disappear.”
My father sighed deeply.
“You have your mother’s heart.”
I looked out the window.
“No. I’m trying to have her courage.”
That afternoon, Heather called again.
This time, she was crying.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“Where are you?”
“Kyle’s taking me to Nevada. He says we have to leave the country.”
“Why you?”
“Because I know where the money went.”
I held my breath.
“What money?”
“The money Kyle took from you. The payments from Canyon Ridge. The loans. Everything.”
“Tell me.”
Heather was silent for several seconds.
Then she said, “Kyle never wanted the farm just for the rights. He wanted to use it as collateral to pay a man named Marcus Vane.”
“Who is Marcus Vane?”
“His father’s old partner. The one who helped Elijah take land from people.”
My skin went cold.
“He’s alive?”
“Yes. And he wants the Nebraska property because there’s a water reserve under it. The whole area may be developed.”
“Where is Kyle taking you?”
“An airfield. I don’t know where. I saw a sign for Mesa.”
I immediately gave the information to Detective Hart.
“Keep her talking,” she said. “Do not let Kyle know you’re on the phone.”
“Heather,” I said carefully, “why are you telling me this?”
Her voice broke.
“Because I saw what he did to Dad. I mean, your dad. I watched Mom humiliate him. I watched Kyle lie. I thought it was funny at first.”
My heart hardened.
“At first?”
“I know. I know I’m awful.”
“You were cruel.”
“Yes.”
“But you can still tell the truth.”
Heather sniffed.
“I don’t want to be like them anymore.”
The call suddenly went silent.
Then I heard Kyle’s voice in the background.
“Who are you talking to?”
Heather gasped.
The line disconnected.
Police reached the airfield twenty minutes later.
They found Kyle’s car.
They found Heather’s purse.
But the private plane was already gone.
The flight plan listed Nevada.
Except Detective Hart discovered it was false.
The plane had actually changed course toward Nebraska.
Toward my father’s farm.
Kyle was going back for the land.
May you like
And this time, he was desperate enough to use Heather as leverage.
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