Chapter 4 - The Return from Miami
Sunday afternoon arrived with a heavy gray sky and a cold drizzle that slicked the streets of Columbus.
Gabriel’s massive silver rig was parked three streets away in a commercial lot. His personal pickup was parked in the driveway of his home, making it look as though he had just arrived from his delivery route. Inside the house, subtle, invisible changes had taken place: four high-definition micro-cameras with directional microphones had been installed in the kitchen, living room, master hallway, and utility room, broadcasting a live, encrypted feed directly to a mobile command van parked two blocks down the street.
Lucas was safely situated inside the command van with Detective Jenkins and a child advocate, wearing pair of noise-canceling headphones, protected from the storm that was about to break.
At 3:15 PM, the unmistakable sound of tires crunching on gravel echoed through the quiet street.
Candice’s luxury black SUV pulled into the driveway. Through the living room window, Gabriel watched as the doors flew open. Candice stepped out first, wearing an expensive leather jacket and designer sunglasses, followed by her mother Beverly, her sister Evelyn, and sixteen-year-old Wyatt, who was holding a new video game console bag.
Laughter echoed from the driveway as they walked up the front steps.
"I'm telling you, Evelyn, the resort's spa package was worth every penny of Gabriel's credit card," Candice’s voice boomed as she unlocked the front door. "He won't even notice the five grand until next month, and by then I'll tell him the truck needed new transmission fluid!"
They stepped into the foyer, dropping their designer luggage onto the hardwood floor.
Candice immediately looked toward the utility room, expecting to hear the sound of the washing machine running or to see Lucas kneeling on the floor. When she saw the empty hallway, her sweet, refined persona evaporated instantly. Her face contorted into an ugly, furious mask.
"Lucas!" Candice shrieked, her voice echoing shrilly off the walls. "You useless little leech! Get out here right now! Why aren't my silk dresses hung up?!"
Wyatt tossed his shopping bags onto the sofa and scoffed. "I bet the freak ran away, Aunt Candice. I told you we should have locked him in the basement before we left."
"If he didn't finish my laundry, I swear to God I'm throwing his mother's remaining junk in the incinerator," Evelyn added, kicking her heels off in the hallway.
From the kitchen doorway, Gabriel stepped out quietly into the light. He wore his work boots, dark jeans, and a flannel shirt, his hands stuffed calmly into his pockets.
Candice froze. Her eyes went wide for a fraction of a second before she instantly smoothed her face into a warm, loving smile.
"Gabriel!" Candice gasped, clutching her chest theatrically. "Oh, my goodness! Honey, you scared me! What are you doing home? You weren't supposed to be back from Phoenix until Tuesday!"
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She rushed forward, reaching out her arms to hug him. Gabriel stood like an iron pillar, taking one step back, letting her arms fall uselessly into the cold air between them.
"Where is my son, Candice?" Gabriel asked, his voice low, flat, and terrifyingly calm.
