The Man in the Shadows

Lake Roscoe shimmered under the noon sun, framed by tall pines and the occasional call of a hawk overhead. It was beautiful—remote. A perfect place to vanish. Jessica’s chest tightened with every mile. Paul drove slowly now, careful not to kick up too much dust on the winding road. Neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with anticipation.

Finally, they saw it. A small cabin nestled among the trees. Smoke curled from the chimney, and a woodpile sat stacked neatly by the door. There was no vehicle in the dirt path driveway. It looked like a cabin where someone had gone off grid and was content to live in the remote wilderness. Serene was the only word Jessica could think of.

Jessica stepped out of the truck, her knees weak. She reached instinctively for Paul’s hand.

He squeezed it. “You ready?”

She nodded. Her legs wobbled slightly as she took that first step toward the truth. Together, they walked to the cabin. Paul knocked.

Silence. A faint sound inside the cabin let them know there was someone inside. Jessica saw the dark curtain in the window moved slightly aside. Someone was watching them. Another shuffling sound and then the door creaked open. And there he was. The man Jessica had thought was out of her life for good, and as of several years earlier, believed he was dead. He stood before her looking pale and gaunt.

Michael Bowden looked older than she remembered—his once-dark hair now streaked with gray, his eyes shadowed by time and guilt. He stared at her, unmoving.

“Jessie?” he whispered.

Her breath caught.

“Dad…”

He opened the door fully. “You shouldn’t have come.”

Jessica stepped forward, her eyes welling. “You’re alive.”

He lowered his head. “I had to make them believe I was dead. For you. For your mother. But they still came after her… after you.” Tears slid down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you come back?”

Michael shook his head. “Because I’m not the man I once was. I’ve done things, Jessica. Terrible things.”

“You tried to stop them,” she said. “The journal says—”

“I should’ve done more,” he cut in. “But I was in too deep. I was scared.”

Paul stepped forward. “We can finish what you started. You’re not alone now.”

Michael studied him. “And you are?”

“Deputy Paul Callahan. I’m helping Jessica. And I’ve got contacts who aren’t part of the Circle. We can expose them. But we need your help.”

Michael hesitated. Jessica took his hand. “Please, Dad. Come home.”

He looked at her, and something broke in his expression—a wall crumbling after years of holding back. Michael ushered them inside the cabin, looking around outside, scouring the woods for signs of trouble. He closed the door.

“I’ll help,” he said softly. “But we’ll have to move fast. They won’t let this go.” Jessica nodded. Paul surveyed the small cabin, his instincts telling him they would only be safe here for a short time.

"Let's get to it." he said in a commanding voice. Michael and Jessica nodded. "What do you have in mind?" Jessica asked.

Paul moved to a table in the center of the cabin, took out a notebook, and began to formulate a plan.