Chapter 3 The First Confrontation

Erica didn't stop driving until the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the sky in hues of amber and crimson. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, the tension in her shoulders refusing to dissipate even as the miles between her and Mark's house grew. The stolen folder sat on the passenger seat beside her, its contents burned into her memory. She had spent hours pouring over the files while Mark babbled excuses and begged for leniency.

The names, faces, and details were seared into her mind now. Victor Kane had been a coward, easily intimidated and quick to betray his old associates. Mark Callahan, though physically tougher, had cracked under the weight of his guilt and greed. The next man on her list would not be so easy to confront.

Andrew Holt.

Victor had described him as the brains of their operation, the one who had orchestrated the group's actions and ensured their alibis were airtight. A lawyer by profession, Andrew had a reputation for winning impossible cases and manipulating the system to his advantage. He had vanished shortly after Lillian's death, and Erica hadn't been able to find any trace of him until now.

Mark's files included a recent address-a remote cabin in the mountains where Andrew had been hiding out under an assumed name. Erica didn't know why he had chosen to isolate himself, but she didn't care. She only knew that the man responsible for orchestrating her sister's downfall was within reach.

---

By the time Erica reached the edge of the mountain range, night had fallen. She parked her car at a small rest stop and studied the map she had printed earlier. The cabin was deep in the forest, accessible only by a narrow trail that wound through dense trees and steep inclines. Erica packed a small bag with essentials-a flashlight, water, a compact first-aid kit, and a stun gun she had modified for increased voltage.

The air was cool and crisp as she set out on foot, the sounds of nocturnal creatures filling the silence around her. Erica moved quickly but carefully, her senses on high alert. She had no idea what to expect when she reached Andrew's cabin, and she couldn't afford to let her guard down.

The trail was treacherous, with uneven terrain and loose rocks that threatened to trip her at every step. Erica pressed on, driven by the thought of her sister's face. Lillian had been so full of life, her laughter infectious and her dreams boundless. Andrew and his associates had taken all of that away, and Erica was determined to make them pay.

After nearly an hour of hiking, Erica spotted a faint light in the distance. She paused, crouching behind a tree to observe the scene. The cabin was a modest structure, its windows glowing with the warm light of a fire. Smoke curled from the chimney, and a faint silhouette moved behind the curtains.

Erica's heart raced as she approached the cabin, her steps silent on the forest floor. She circled the perimeter, looking for any signs of surveillance or traps. When she was satisfied that the area was secure, she moved to the back door and tested the handle.

Locked.

Erica pulled a set of lockpicking tools from her bag and went to work. The lock was more complex than the ones she had encountered before, but her steady hands and sharp mind made quick work of it. The door clicked open, and she slipped inside, closing it softly behind her.

---

The interior of the cabin was rustic but well-kept, with wooden furniture and shelves lined with books. A fire crackled in the stone hearth, casting flickering shadows across the room. Erica could hear the faint hum of classical music coming from a nearby speaker, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air.

Andrew was sitting at a desk in the corner, his back to her. He was engrossed in a stack of papers, a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose. Erica took a moment to study him. His appearance was unassuming-slightly balding, with a trim beard and an air of quiet intellect. But she knew better than to underestimate him.

She reached into her bag and pulled out the stun gun, holding it at the ready.

"Andrew Holt," she said, her voice cold and steady.

Andrew froze, his hand hovering over the papers. Slowly, he turned in his chair, his eyes narrowing as they landed on her.

"Who are you?" he asked, his tone calm but wary.

"You don't recognize me?" Erica stepped closer, her grip on the stun gun tightening. "You should. You ruined my sister's life."

Andrew's expression flickered with confusion, then realization. "You're Lillian's sister."

"That's right," Erica said. "And I'm here to make sure you answer for what you did."

Andrew leaned back in his chair, studying her with a calculating gaze. "I assume you've already visited Victor and Mark," he said. "Did they tell you where to find me?"

"They didn't have a choice," Erica replied. "Just like you don't have a choice now."

Andrew smirked, the confidence of a man who believed he was untouchable. "You think you can intimidate me? I've dealt with people far more dangerous than you."

Erica's jaw tightened. "You're not as untouchable as you think. I have evidence-enough to destroy whatever's left of your life. But I'm giving you a chance to come clean. Tell me everything you know, and maybe I'll let you walk away."

Andrew chuckled, a low, mocking sound. "You're bluffing. If you had real evidence, you wouldn't be here. You'd be at the police station."

Erica's patience snapped. She raised the stun gun and fired, the electrical charge hitting Andrew square in the chest. He convulsed and fell to the floor, gasping for breath.

"Not bluffing," Erica said, her voice icy.

---

When Andrew regained consciousness, he was tied to a chair in the center of the room. Erica stood over him, her arms crossed and her expression hard.

"Ready to talk now?" she asked.

Andrew glared at her, his face pale and sweaty. "You won't get away with this."

"Wrong answer." Erica grabbed a nearby glass of water and splashed it in his face, making him sputter. "Let's try again. Tell me everything you know about Lillian's death and your role in covering it up."

Andrew remained silent, his jaw clenched.

Erica sighed and pulled out her phone, scrolling through the photographs she had taken of Mark's files. She held the screen in front of Andrew's face, showing him the incriminating documents.

"I know you were the mastermind," she said. "You coordinated everything-the lies, the bribes, the threats. You made sure my sister never got justice. But now, all of that is going to come back to haunt you."

Andrew's eyes flicked to the screen, his composure faltering for the first time. "Where did you get that?"

"Doesn't matter," Erica said. "What matters is that I have it. And unless you want the whole world to know what you've done, you'll start talking."

Andrew hesitated, his breathing shallow. "You have no idea what you're dealing with," he said finally.

"Enlighten me," Erica replied.

Andrew's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You think this is just about Lillian? You think she was the only one who suffered because of us?"

Erica's stomach turned. "What are you talking about?"

"There were others," Andrew said. "Other women. Other families. We did what we had to do to protect ourselves, but the fallout was... unavoidable."

Erica's hands trembled with rage. "You destroyed innocent lives, and you're trying to justify it as 'unavoidable'?"

Andrew shrugged. "It's the way the world works. People like us-powerful people-we make the rules. And people like your sister? They're just collateral damage."

Erica felt a surge of anger so intense it nearly consumed her. She raised the stun gun again, her finger hovering over the trigger.

But then she paused. Killing Andrew wouldn't bring Lillian back. It wouldn't erase the pain or the injustice.

It would only make her like him.

---

Erica took a deep breath and lowered the stun gun. "You're going to give me the names of everyone involved," she said. "Every single one. And then you're going to help me take them down."

Andrew laughed weakly. "And why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your life in a prison cell," Erica said. "And I'll make sure everyone knows what you did. Your reputation, your career-everything you've built will be destroyed."

Andrew stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in. For the first time, Erica saw fear in his eyes.

"Fine," he said. "I'll tell you what you want to know. But you're making a mistake. You're opening a door you can't close."

Erica didn't respond. She simply pulled out a notebook and pen, ready to record every detail.

The confrontation had left her shaken, but she knew one thing for certain: she was closer than ever to uncovering the full truth. And she wouldn't stop until justice was served.