CHAPTER 12 — THE FINAL TARGET
The note confirmed that Cassandra was still alive.
It also revealed what she intended to do next.
Ethan wanted to move Sophie immediately.
Detective Ortiz advised against taking her to a hotel or public location.
“Your home has security, cameras, and controlled access. Moving her could create an opening.”
“She knows this house.”
“She also knows we expect her.”
Sophie was assigned two protection officers.
Every school visit, therapy appointment, and family movement was kept private.
For two weeks, nothing happened.
Federal prosecutors built cases against Vivian, Dr. Bell, Ron Keller, and more than a dozen people connected to Vale Family Services.
Addison slowly began recovering.
Sophie returned to school for half days.
Ethan stayed close.
He refused meetings, canceled travel, and slept in the room beside hers.
Then, one Monday afternoon, Sophie’s school received a call.
The caller claimed Ethan had been injured in a car accident.
She provided Ethan’s full name, Sophie’s private security code, and the name of the hospital where Sophie had been treated.
She said Daniel Brooks was arriving to collect her.
The school administrator followed protocol and called Ethan directly.
He answered from his office.
No accident had occurred.
The person waiting outside the school disappeared before police arrived.
Security footage showed a man wearing a cap and medical mask.
He drove a stolen vehicle.
Inside the abandoned car, officers found a photograph of Sophie marked with a red circle.
Cassandra was still trying to reach her.
Ortiz increased surveillance.
“She is running out of people,” Ethan said.
“That may make her easier to catch.”
“Or more desperate.”
“We believe she is still communicating with Victor.”
“Then find Victor.”
Federal authorities traced one of Victor’s offshore accounts to a private marina near Vancouver.
A charter boat had left the marina three days earlier.
The passenger list included a woman traveling under the name Laura Blackwood.
Cassandra had chosen Ethan’s dead wife’s name.
The insult was deliberate.
The vessel sailed south along the Pacific coast before disabling its tracking system.
Investigators believed Cassandra planned to leave the country.
But two days later, a traffic camera captured a woman matching her appearance near Denver.
“She came back,” Ethan said.
“She never intended to run permanently,” Ortiz replied. “She wanted us looking elsewhere.”
That evening, Blackwood Mountain Lodge received a request for a memorial gathering honoring Laura.
The request appeared to come from the Blackwood Foundation.
Staff prepared the same upper ballroom where Ethan’s wedding had ended.
Olivia discovered the reservation before the event took place.
Neither she nor Ethan had authorized it.
The date chosen was the anniversary of Laura’s death.
“She wants us at the lodge,” Daniel said.
“It’s a trap,” Ortiz replied.
Ethan studied the reservation.
The guest list included Sophie’s teachers, Laura’s former colleagues, and several families helped by the Blackwood Foundation.
Cassandra had obtained private contact information.
“She wants a crowd,” Ethan said.
“She wants confusion,” Ortiz corrected.
They canceled the event and placed the lodge under police control.
But Cassandra had anticipated that.
At 7:20 p.m., the fire alarm activated at Sophie’s school.
Although the building was closed, a dance rehearsal was taking place inside.
Sophie had originally planned to attend.
Ethan had kept her home because of the threat.
Firefighters found no fire.
Instead, they discovered a device connected to the security system.
The device had disabled cameras throughout the building.
Cassandra had expected Sophie to be there.
“She is testing our response,” Ortiz said.
“No,” Ethan replied. “She’s learning where we keep Sophie when events are canceled.”
Security searched Ethan’s home again.
Nothing appeared disturbed.
Then Sophie noticed that Laura’s photograph had moved.
It normally faced the living room.
Now it angled toward the hallway.
Behind the frame was a tiny camera.
Someone had entered the house.
The device had streamed live video for at least three days.
Police removed it and traced the signal.
The transmission passed through several networks, but the final receiver appeared close.
Less than two miles away.
Officers searched the surrounding area.
A vacant property behind Ethan’s neighborhood showed signs of recent use.
Inside were canned food, computer equipment, maps of Ethan’s home, and photographs of every person entering or leaving.
On the wall, Cassandra had created a timeline.
At the center was Sophie.
Beneath her photograph was a date.
December 18.
The following day.
“What happens tomorrow?” Ortiz asked.
Ethan immediately knew.
Sophie’s trust documents included an annual board review on December 18.
Trustees, attorneys, and representatives of the Blackwood company would gather at headquarters.
Sophie was usually invited for a short ceremonial appearance.
Cassandra knew the schedule from previous years.
“We canceled Sophie’s attendance,” Olivia said.
“But Cassandra may not know that.”
Ortiz studied the map on the wall.
“She expects Sophie to travel from the house to Blackwood headquarters at nine in the morning.”
“Then we use that.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You want to make Cassandra believe Sophie is in the car.”
“We place an officer in the rear seat. We follow with tactical units.”
“What about the real Sophie?”
“She stays in a secure location.”
Ethan disliked the plan.
But Cassandra had avoided every search by waiting for opportunities.
They needed to force her into the open.
The next morning, an armored SUV left Ethan’s home at exactly 8:40.
A small figure wearing Sophie’s pink winter coat sat in the back seat.
The vehicle followed the usual route toward Blackwood headquarters.
Three miles from the house, a delivery truck suddenly blocked the road.
A second vehicle struck the SUV from behind.
Masked men emerged.
Police units closed in.
Two suspects were arrested immediately.
The driver of the delivery truck attempted to escape through the woods.
He was captured minutes later.
But Cassandra was not among them.
One suspect carried a phone connected to a live video.
On the screen, Sophie sat in a room Ethan did not recognize.
Her hands were tied.
Her face was pale.
Ethan’s entire body went cold.
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The decoy operation had been another distraction.
Cassandra had already taken the real Sophie.
