The Enemy's Son Read Online Free PDF

lots of character but not good for much. Instead of a porch or steps, just a plain wood door marked the entrance. Nick led her in with an arm around her. He shut the door and walked to something – a table maybe. His shadow blocked the light.
    “I can’t see anything,” she said, panicking. Why did he bring her here?
    She heard something and a light came on. He had a propane camping lamp and it hissed as it burned. “Let’s look around and make sure it’s okay.”
    What could he possibly mean by okay? This was not okay.
    The dark interior contained a stove, a table, two wooden kitchen chairs and a worn brown couch. There was a tiny bathroom in the corner, and a wall extended from that to create a semi private space for two twin beds. It was just a one room cabin. Cans of food sat stacked next to the stove. No pictures hung on the walls, no carpets padded the uneven wood floor.
    “I have to go to the bathroom,” she said, and then glanced at him.
    “Oh, here, take the lamp.”
    She grabbed that and her work out bag, and left him standing there to go into the bathroom, which was the only room in the cabin with a door. It had running water at least, but it didn’t have a window, so that killed that idea. She changed into cotton shorts and a tank top, stuffing her other clothes back into the bag.
    When she opened the bathroom door, she saw Nick trying to light the cooking stove with a match. She set the lamp on the table and went around the wall to the beds. There was a tiny window, but it had boards nailed across it from the inside. If they were nailed form the outside, she might have been able to push or kick them off. They also looked newer and sturdier than the parts of the cabin.
    She could hear Nick making noise by the stove, but when she peeked toward the door, she realized he was close enough to easily grab her if she ran.
    Who would have built a cabin so far out in the country? It was hard to picture a couple or family living here and being happy. Maybe it was an old hunting cabin. That made more sense. Now the Holloways used it to hold people hostage.
    She sat on the bed. The plan was to think up a plan.  Instead she let the tears come, and it felt good to let go. She had every right to be upset, mad and scared.
    She fell across the bed, covering her nose so she wouldn’t smell it, and let the tears run down the sides of her face. How could her dad have gotten into so much trouble? Why hadn’t he just quit that job?
    “Cora?” He stopped by the end of the bed. She hadn’t heard him walk over. “I have some dinner on the table. Nothing fancy, but you have to be hungry by now.”
    Cora didn’t want him to see her wrecked emotional state, so she just nodded. She had her arm over her face, and it was dark, so he wouldn’t see, but she couldn’t find her voice.
    “Cora?”
    He sat down next to her and touched her leg. That made her jump. Still, he didn’t move his hand.
    “You should eat something.” He took her hand and tried to pull her up. She fought at first, but couldn’t find a reason for it and gave in. He pulled her up so quickly she bumped into his chest. His arm came up around her back.
    It’d feel so good to lean into him and cry some more. He wiped her wet check and began soothing and rubbing her back. There was a desperate feel to his caresses that revealed his guilt.
    She needed someone to reassure her, but not him, not now. “Don’t.” She pushed off the bed and walked to the table. He had set just one metal camping plate and a full glass of water.
    “Sit down,” he said, pulling the chair out.
    It would feel very strange to sit down and eat with him, but she felt uneasy about the single plate too. She glanced toward the stove and then up at him.
    “Your candle lit dinner,” he said, trying to smile. When he stepped back to the stove, she finally spotted the other plate full of food. She was staring, and he might have even figured out her line of thinking. He took a bite of his