Chapter 6: Board Meeting Failure
“This is an outrage!” Elder Thompson, a portly man whose wealth was heavily invested in the Sanctuary, slammed his fist on the polished mahogany table. [more…]
Series: Trust Fund Trustee Mother Silently Flees Isolationist Religious Cult With Shaved Seven-Year-Old Daughter Before Freezing Family Twelve Million Dollar Credit Limit Ending Commune Control
Chapter 7: The Mountain Falls
My hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, as I drove the rented SUV up the treacherous mountain road. The rain was a solid sheet, [more…]
Chapter 7: The Bridge Collapses
The county sheriff’s station was a hive of activity, dispatch radios crackling with updates about the rapidly escalating storm. I paced the linoleum floor, every [more…]
Chapter 8: The Altar Confrontation
The wind howled through the gaping hole in the chapel wall, tearing at my clothes. Rain lashed down, mixing with dust and crumbling plaster. The [more…]
Chapter 8: The Buried Ledger
“We can’t go in there, Abigail!” Jonas coughed, his face pale and streaked with blood. He clutched the heavy ledger to his chest, his eyes [more…]
Chapter 9: The Dissolution Deed
The new debris pile had sealed Sarah off, a final, concrete barrier. The roar of the storm outside mingled with the groaning timbers of the [more…]
Chapter 9: The Duress Document
The new debris pile had sealed Sarah off. The roar of the storm outside mingled with the groaning timbers of the collapsing chapel. Jonas, cradling [more…]
Chapter 10: The Maine Coast
The small, weathered cottage clung to the rocky coast of Maine like a limpet. The air smelled of salt and pine, a stark contrast to [more…]
Chapter 10: The Harassment Campaign
Despite Mrs. Albright’s warnings, I decided to stay in the county. There were loose ends to tie up, the liquidation of commune assets to oversee, [more…]
Chapter 11: The Birthday Eve
The fog rolled in from the sea, thick and silent, swallowing the distant lighthouse beam. Tomorrow was my thirty-fourth birthday. I sat at my small [more…]
