25. Chapter 25 #3
Pelletier stepped inside. “Quickly. I’m not a patient host.”
Lorenz stepped over the threshold, and Charlie followed.
“Close the door behind you,” Pelletier ordered.
Charlie did so, not wanting to anger him. The wind died down, replaced by the warmth of the fireplace. The fire, which was going strong—Pelletier must have lit it as soon as they arrived here.
The air inside the hut smelled old and musty, as if something left behind by the previous occupants hadn’t dried properly. Charlie let her eyes roam the single room. Past the old couch, the rough table … and there, sitting on the floor, his back against the wall, was Théo.
His shoulders were hunched inside his jacket, his face pale, eyes wide and fixed on her.
“Ms. Charlie?” he whispered.
“Théo,” Charlie said gently. “Are you alright?”
The boy nodded. “I think so. Yes.”
Charlie took a step toward the boy.
“Stay where you are,” Pelletier barked. “You’ve done enough damage already.”
Beside her, Lorenz stiffened.
“Damage?” Charlie croaked.
“Teaching him to hate me.”
“I did no—“ She stopped as she caught sight of Lorenz’s eyes.
“You two stand right where you are. You’ve seen Théo. Are you happy now?”
Outside, the wind rattled the hut. The storm was still rising.
“This hut is no place for a boy in this weather,” Lorenz said. “Let’s get him home. Let’s get you both home.”
Charlie kept her eyes fixed on the wooden floor. There was no way Pelletier was going anywhere but to jail. She knew that, and surely Pelletier had to know that as well. She reminded herself Lorenz’s job was to get Théo out of here safely.
Pelletier shifted the revolver to his other hand. “I’ll tell you what. You came all the way here. You want my son so badly, take him. I’m tired of his sniveling, anyway.”
Lorenz cocked his head sideways.
“Really?”
“Really. But you leave the teacher here with me. For insurance.”
Charlie’s body trembled.
Lorenz laughed a humorless laugh. “There is no way she’s staying here with you.”
“Then nobody goes anywhere,” Pelletier said, his tone final.
“Let’s think about this for a moment, Monsieur Pelletier. We don’t need to make this worse.”
Pelletier’s grip shifted back to his right hand. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“No,” Lorenz agreed. Charlie realized he’d shifted, so he was half in front of her. Once again standing between her and danger. “You do.”
Charlie could almost see the wheels turning in Pelletier’s mind—
“You said you wanted to talk,” Lorenz continued. “So put the weapon down and talk.”
“Maybe I should kill the bitch. She’s the one who filled my son’s head with lies about me,” he spat.
Behind her, Théo squeaked out. “No, papa , it’s not like that.”
“You shut up,” Pelletier threatened. “If you know what’s good for you.”
“Stop. You’re scaring him,” Charlie said. “He’s scared of you.”
Fury clouded Pelletier’s features. Charlie realized she’d made a mistake. Maybe her last mistake. Pelletier’s weapon turned towards her—just as Lorenz launched himself at Pelletier.
“Down!” Lorenz shouted.
The weapon went off, the sound exploding through the hut.
So loud, so close.
Charlie stumbled. Her heart slammed against her ribs, but she moved on instinct, half-crawling towards the far end of the hut. Towards Théo.
Behind her, two bodies slammed into the ground. She didn’t turn around.
Finally, she reached the boy. His eyes were wide.
“Théo! Come with me!” she begged, stretching a hand.
Another shot. Wood splintered above them.
She turned to see Lorenz and Pelletier engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
Lorenz wrapped a hand around Pelletier’s wrist. He slammed it against the floor once, twice, three times.
The weapon fell from the big man’s hand.
Lorenz threw it across the room. Then he raised his head, his eyes searching for her.
“Go, Charlie! Take the boy and run!”
This time, Charlie didn’t hesitate. Her fingers closed around the boy’s hand. “I’ve got you, Théo. Come with me.”
When they reached the door, she couldn’t help but turn.
The fight was brutal. Pelletier had managed to stand up, slamming Lorenz onto the wooden table, which splintered into pieces as he landed. There was a dull, sickening sound as he fell. Charlie shuddered. She had to help him. She couldn’t leave Lorenz here alone.
No .
You have to get Théo to safety.
She opened the door a crack. The wind assaulted her. Outside wasn’t safe, but it was safer than here. Outside, they could hide and wait for Lorenz to come for them.
He would come for them.
The thought strengthened her resolve.
“Zip up your coat, Théo. It’s cold out there,” she said, taking off her hat and pulling it over the boy’s ears.
She didn’t turn to look back at Lorenz.
She couldn’t.
If she looked and saw Lorenz getting hurt—
Focus on Théo.
Keep him safe.
Charlie wedged the wooden door open. The darkness—and the wind—rushed out to meet them.
“Look at me,” she said, and this time her teacher voice didn’t come naturally. She had to force it, thinner than she would have liked. “Théo, look at me. You’re going to follow me.”
His eyes snapped to hers, wild with panic. “Outside?”
“Take my hand,” she whispered quickly, tightening her hold. “It’s just wind.”
Just wind.
She pulled him forward, feeling her heart shatter in a million pieces as the door shut behind them.
The wind bit into her skin like the sharpest needles. She pulled the boy to her side.
It had gotten darker while they’d been inside. Not quite night yet, but the threat was there, and the temperature was dropping fast.
Charlie suddenly realized how woefully unprepared she was for this.
We can’t be here when night falls .
But they also couldn’t stay on the porch. Because if something happened to Lorenz—
Nothing is going to happen to Lorenz .
She had to believe that, or she wouldn’t be able to take the first step off the porch.
“I’ll go first,” she said. “You step where I step, okay? And keep hold of my hand.”
Théo nodded bravely.
“You’re doing great,” Charlie said breathlessly. She focused her efforts, one foot in front of the other, her boots sinking further into the snow than they had just a short while before.
They’d only taken a dozen steps when the door opened, light spilling right onto them.
Charlie whimpered, stumbling in her rush to get in front of the boy, until she recognized Lorenz. He was holding tightly onto the door, as if his efforts could hold it upright.
Or as if the door were holding him upright.
Blood pooled down the side of his head. So much blood.
“Wait here,” she told Théo as she ran up the porch steps. “Lorenz!”