Shadowbrook

Chapter 16: A Dangerous Game

"With the evidence ready to be released, Cassidy and Evan make their final move. But Vale's men are closing in, and survival is no longer guaranteed."

The streets were quieter than usual, the fog hanging low like a shroud over Shadowbrook. It was early, and despite the gray light of dawn creeping through the mist, everything felt unnaturally still. A tension hummed in the air, like the calm before a storm that we knew was coming. My pulse quickened as Evan and I moved through the alleyways, keeping close to the shadows.

Every step felt heavy, every corner we turned making my heart race with the fear that Vale's men were already closing in. We had the proof we needed to bring him down, but that only made the danger more real.

"They'll be looking for us by now," Evan muttered, his eyes scanning the street ahead. "Vale's not stupid. He'll know we have the file."

I nodded, gripping the strap of the bag slung over my shoulder. Inside it was the evidence we had risked everything to find—the file that could finally expose Marcus Vale for what he was. Sam's death, the smuggling operations, all of it was documented. But that proof meant nothing if we couldn't get it to someone who could help us.

"We need to get to Margot before they do," I said, my voice tight with urgency.

Evan nodded. "She's staying in a safe house just outside town, off the old logging road. It's isolated, but we'll have to be careful. Vale might have people watching the outskirts."

The thought of Vale's men lying in wait sent a chill down my spine. We had been lucky to escape the warehouse last night, but luck wouldn't last forever. If we didn't move fast, they'd find us before we could deliver the file.

"Do you trust her?" I asked, glancing at Evan as we turned down another narrow alley.

"I do," Evan said, his voice firm. "She's been hiding for years, waiting for the right time to come forward. She'll know what to do with the file, and she'll help us get it into the right hands."

I nodded, though the anxiety still gnawed at me. Margot had been a key player in the tangled web of secrets surrounding Evan's family, and I knew she carried the weight of those secrets just as heavily as we did. But we didn't have a choice. Margot was the only person left who could help us. If we didn't trust her, we had no one.

As we reached the edge of town, the familiar sound of engines in the distance made my heart skip a beat. I grabbed Evan's arm, pulling him back into the cover of a nearby building.

"They're coming," I whispered, my pulse racing.

Evan nodded, peering around the corner. A black SUV rumbled down the road, moving slowly, its windows tinted. My stomach twisted. Vale's men were already patrolling the streets, hunting for us.

"They'll sweep the area," Evan said quietly. "We need to stick to the back roads, avoid the main streets."

We moved quickly, darting between alleyways and side streets, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Every sound—every creak, every distant voice—set my nerves on edge. The town felt like a labyrinth of danger, and every step we took felt like it was leading us closer to being cornered.

Finally, we reached the outskirts, the town giving way to dense trees and the rugged terrain of the old logging road. The air felt colder here, the trees towering overhead like silent sentinels. My heart pounded as we hurried down the narrow, winding path that led to the cabin where Margot was hiding.

"We're almost there," Evan said, his voice barely audible. "Just a little farther."

The sound of the forest around us was unnervingly quiet, and the tension in the air was palpable. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being followed, that every shadow in the trees was watching us. But there was no turning back now.

Finally, through the fog and the trees, I saw the outline of a small cabin nestled in the woods. It was old, weather-beaten, but it felt like a beacon of safety in the middle of the wilderness.

"There it is," Evan whispered, relief flickering in his eyes.

We hurried toward the cabin, my pulse racing as we approached the door. Evan knocked softly, his hand resting on the small of my back as we waited. Every second felt like an eternity, the fear of being caught closing in on me.

The door creaked open a moment later, and Margot stood there, her face pale but her eyes sharp and alert. She glanced behind us, checking the road, before stepping aside and ushering us inside.

"Come in, quickly," she muttered, her voice tense.

We stepped inside the small cabin, and I immediately felt a sense of relief, though the anxiety still buzzed beneath the surface. The cabin was sparse, with just a small table, a few chairs, and a cot in the corner. A single window faced the woods, the glass covered by a worn curtain.

Margot closed the door behind us, locking it with a heavy click before turning to face us. "I've been expecting you."

"We got the file," Evan said, pulling the bag off my shoulder and placing it on the table. "It has everything—evidence that links Vale to the smuggling operations and proof that he's behind Sam's death."

Margot's eyes flicked to me, and I saw a flicker of something—sympathy, maybe?—pass over her face. "Sam didn't deserve what happened to him," she said quietly. "None of this should have happened."

I swallowed hard, the weight of Sam's death pressing down on me like a lead blanket. "We need to get this to someone outside the town," I said, my voice steady despite the emotions threatening to break through. "Someone who can help us bring Vale down."

Margot nodded, her expression serious. "I know someone who can help. But we'll need to be smart about how we do this. Vale has eyes everywhere, and if he catches wind that we're making a move against him, he'll stop at nothing to destroy the evidence—and us."

"We're ready for whatever comes," Evan said, his voice hard with determination.

Margot studied him for a moment, then turned her attention back to the bag on the table. "Let me look through the file, see what we have. We'll need to be careful how we release it. If Vale knows we're planning to expose him, he'll come after us with everything he has."

I nodded, stepping aside as Margot opened the bag and began flipping through the documents. My heart pounded as I watched her scan the pages, my mind racing with the reality of what we were about to do. This was the moment we had been working toward—the moment when we could finally bring justice for Sam, for Evan's sister, for everyone Vale had hurt. But the danger felt closer than ever.

After a few minutes, Margot looked up, her expression grim. "This is enough to bring him down," she said quietly. "But we need to move fast. Vale won't sit back and let this happen."

"What do we do?" I asked, my voice steady but filled with urgency.

"We'll leak the file to someone who can protect it," Margot replied. "A reporter outside of Vale's reach. Once it's out there, he won't be able to stop it."

Evan nodded, his eyes dark with determination. "Then let's get moving."

We spent the next few hours finalizing the plan, preparing the documents, and making sure every detail was in place. The atmosphere in the cabin was tense, the air thick with anticipation. I could feel the weight of what was about to happen pressing down on all of us, but there was also a sense of purpose—a resolve that we were doing the right thing.

As the light outside began to fade, Margot handed me a burner phone, her expression serious. "I've contacted the reporter. He's waiting for the file. You'll need to deliver it in person. The location is secure, but you'll have to be careful."

I nodded, slipping the phone into my pocket. "We'll make sure it gets to him."

Margot's gaze lingered on me for a moment, and I could see the worry in her eyes. "Be careful, Cassidy. Once this file is out, there's no going back. Vale will come for you."

I swallowed hard, feeling the gravity of her words settle over me. But I wasn't afraid. Not anymore.

"Let him come," I said, my voice steady. "We're ready."