Katrina

Chapter Eight - Story A

A Place to Hide

Jason finished explaining what had happened since Katrina's return, while Gabriel filled Miguel in on the discoveries that had brought their families together under such troubling circumstances.

Miguel listened without interrupting. His expression grew increasingly serious as the details emerged, particularly when he learned that the remains of their fathers had been found in the garden of the Miramar house.

When the men finally fell silent, he leaned back slightly.

“Now I understand.”

Jason frowned. “Understand what?”

“What might be happening.” Miguel glanced between him and Gabriel. “A few days ago, I began hearing reports of men who were later caught armed, turning up at some of our hotels. They were asking questions about the family.”

Gabriel straightened.

“Armed men?”

“Yes. At first, I thought the incidents might be unrelated. Then it happened again, and I began to suspect there was a connection.”

Jason's expression hardened. “What exactly were they asking?”

“Questions about the family. Who had been staying at the hotels, who had visited, and whether anyone had recently returned from abroad.” Miguel paused. “During the last incident, one of the men specifically asked for you, Jason.”

The room fell silent.

Jason stared at him. “He asked for me?”

“Yes.”

Gabriel exchanged a look with Jason. The revelation was unsettling enough on its own, but the fact that Jason had been singled out made it impossible to dismiss the incidents as coincidence.

“Did you find out who they were?” Gabriel asked.

“Not yet. I was trying to establish whether the incidents were connected before bringing the matter to you.”

“And you thought this was something you could handle alone?” Gabriel's voice sharpened.

Miguel held his gaze. “I didn't want to raise an alarm without sufficient information. I also didn't want you thinking I couldn't manage my responsibilities.”

Jason shook his head. “You should have told us regardless. Someone was asking about the family, and we had no idea.”

“I know that now.”

“No,” Gabriel said coldly. “You should have known it then.”

Miguel accepted the rebuke without arguing.

Katrina remained quiet, taking in the implications. They had uncovered disturbing information about their fathers, and now armed men were asking questions about the family. Whatever connected those events, they could no longer afford to assume the danger was confined to the past.

“We need to take this seriously,” Gabriel said. “The incidents must be reported immediately, and the authorities need everything you've gathered.”

“They'll receive it,” Miguel assured him. “I'll make sure of that.”

Gabriel nodded. “Good.”

Miguel rose and straightened his jacket.

“I wish you and your family good luck. I hope you find the answers you're looking for, and I hope this situation is resolved soon.”

“Thank you,” Jason replied.

Gabriel shook Miguel's hand before he left. The conversation had provided another piece of the puzzle, but it had also introduced a more immediate concern. Someone was definitely looking into their families.

“We're leaving,” Gabriel announced once Miguel was gone. “All of us. I've arranged for us to stay at a private estate outside Charlotte until our family is safe.”

The objections began almost immediately.

“What? We can't just up and disappear. We have lives!” someone protested.

“Yeah,” another voice added. “We can't just abandon everything.”

Heather folded her arms. “How long are we supposed to stay there? A few days? A few weeks? What if this takes months?”

“I don't know how long it will take,” Gabriel answered. “That's why I'm not giving you a date I can't guarantee. We'll remain there until I know we're safe.”

“But we're expected to put our entire lives on hold?” Heather demanded.

“Yes, if that's what it takes.”

His answer left little room for negotiation.

Katherine understood the frustration. They had all been pulled into a situation they didn't fully understand, and nobody knew how much of their lives would have to change before things returned to normal. Still, she couldn't fault Gabriel for choosing caution.

Heather turned towards her.

“Perhaps people like Katherine won't mind leaving everything behind. They've already lost everything, after all.”

Gabriel's expression turned icy.

“Don't.”

Heather lifted her chin. “I haven't said anything that isn't true.”

“You've said something deliberately cruel because you're angry about my decision.” His voice was curt and sharp. “If you have a problem with me, address me. Don't drag Katherine into it.”

“I can speak for myself,” Katherine said calmly.

Gabriel glanced at her, but she showed no sign of distress. Heather's remark was so petty that it barely deserved consideration. Whatever response Heather had hoped to provoke, she wasn't going to get it.

Katherine had far more important things to worry about than someone else's attempt to make her feel small.

“Perhaps we should focus on the arrangements,” she added. “Arguing won't change the situation.”

Heather looked away, visibly displeased.

Gabriel took a breath before continuing.

“We leave as soon as everyone's ready. Take what you'll need, and make whatever essential arrangements you can before we go. Until our family is safe, we're staying at the estate.”

Nobody appeared particularly happy with the decision, but the discussion gradually ended. There were responsibilities to consider and belongings to pack, and none of them had a better solution to offer.

---

The journey began with considerably more enthusiasm than Gabriel had anticipated.

The family travelled in separate vehicles, with the luggage in another. Katherine rode with Sebastian, Susan, and Michelle, watching as the once-familiar streets gradually gave way to longer stretches of road.

For a while, the change of scenery seemed to lift everyone's spirits. Conversation flowed easily, and even the children appeared to enjoy the prospect of going somewhere new.

Then came the inevitable questions about food, the complaints about how long the journey was taking, and the increasingly frequent requests to stop.

Katherine smiled despite herself when one particularly impatient voice demanded to know whether they were nearly there, just as they stopped for lunch.

Sebastian shook his head. “We haven't even reached the interesting part of the journey yet.”

“That doesn't help,” came the immediate response.

But the journey wore on, and the initial excitement faded. The children grew restless, the adults grew quieter, and the hours began to feel longer than they were.

Eventually, the landscape outside changed. As they approached the outskirts of Charlotte, the roads became less crowded, and thick woodland stretched along the route. Tall trees cast shifting shadows across the asphalt, their leaves catching the afternoon sunlight in flashes of gold and green.

The scenery was beautiful, peaceful enough to make the uncertainty of their situation feel strangely out of place.

The vehicles turned onto a narrower road, winding between dense stands of trees until they reached a tall iron gate. Beyond it, a long driveway led towards a substantial private estate, its elegant stone exterior partly concealed by the surrounding woodland.

The gates opened, and the vehicles passed through.

Katherine looked towards the trees lining the driveway. The property was secluded, with no neighbouring houses immediately visible and little sign of the busy world beyond its boundaries.

It was beautiful. Quiet. Private.

She wasn't sure whether she should feel relieved or uneasy.

They had come here to be safe, yet the very isolation that made the estate appealing also left her feeling as though they had been cut off from everything familiar.

Katherine turned her attention towards the house as the vehicles came to a stop.

Perhaps this place would give them the time they needed to uncover the truth.

For now, she could only hope that the distance between them and their old lives would be enough.