Chapter 9
Shivering in the biting wind, Leo and Buster retreated to the relative shelter of the shed once again, wrapping themselves in the same dusty blankets from the previous night. Sleep was impossible now; adrenaline kept Leo’s mind racing as he stared into the dark. He needed someone outside of Evelyn’s sphere of influence—someone who had known his father before the marriage. A name floated to the surface of his memory: Marcus Vance, a retired master carpenter who lived on the edge of town, an old friend of his father’s who had helped build the very house they were currently trapped in. Marcus had stopped visiting after Evelyn took over, citing her hostility, but he had always slipped Leo secret candies when they ran into each other at the hardware store.
If anyone could help them expose the forgery and secure the evidence, it was Marcus. But the old man lived nearly three miles away across unplowed rural roads, a daunting journey for a shivering boy in plaid pajamas and a dog in the dead of winter. Leo looked down at his bare feet, noticing the angry red frostbite developing on his toes. Walking three miles in this condition was a dangerous gamble, but staying meant waiting for Evelyn to uncover the missing manila folder and deal with them permanently. He had to make a choice, and he had to make it before dawn painted the horizon.
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Buster pressed his warm nose against Leo’s hand, letting out a low, resolute huff that seemed to settle the matter entirely. The dog stood up and shook himself, walking toward the open door of the shed and looking back down the snowy path that led toward the property gate. He was ready. Leo swallowed hard, standing up on stiff, trembling legs. He tucked the small brass key securely into the pocket of his pajama top, buttoning the flap tight. Taking a deep, ragged breath of the freezing air, he stepped out of the shed alongside his faithful companion, turning their backs on the house and stepping out into the vast, unforgiving night.
The wind was a relentless adversary as they trudged down the unpaved driveway toward the main road. The snow was knee-deep in places, making every step a grueling test of endurance. Leo’s bare feet quickly lost all sensation, turning entirely numb against the packed ice, which paradoxically made walking slightly easier, though far more dangerous for his skin. Buster forged a path ahead, using his powerful chest to break through the deepest drifts, looking back constantly to ensure the boy was keeping up. The dark woods flanking the rural road cast eerie, skeletal shadows under the moonlight, but fear was overshadowed by a singular, burning determination to see justice done.
