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CHAPTER 69

Bend, Oregon Friday, August 2, 2024

“HELP,” THE VOICE SAID AGAIN.

“It’s coming from the tunnel,” Nora said.

They wanted to leave the caves, to push through the doors and run for their lives through the vineyards. But the soft pleas had captured their attention. Both women slowly walked toward the darkened tunnel. A few feet into the cave, just beyond the light from the atrium, they found a man on the ground.

“Please,” the man said. “Help me.”

“Lester?” Nora said, crouching on the ground. “What are you doing in here?”

“Please, he’s going to kill me.”

Sloan crouched next to Nora and saw the face of Lester Strange, the Margolis family’s handyman. His left wrist was handcuffed to the metal rack that held the wine barrels. His face was badly beaten.

“He’s going to kill me. He’s going to kill everyone and make it look like I did it. Please.”

Lester pointed down the cave.

“There’s a sledgehammer down there. I use it to rack the wine. Please.”

Sloan didn’t hesitate. She stood and ran into the darkness. After a moment of searching she found the sledgehammer and carried it back to Lester.

“Look out,” she said to Nora.

Lester pulled his handcuffed wrist away from the metal rack, removing all slack from the handcuffs. In one swift motion, Sloan brought the hammer down and obliterated the cuffs. Lester’s hand sprang from the rack, the shattered cuff hanging from his wrist.

“Nora!”

Ellis’s voice echoed from the far end of the cave that led from the darkroom. All three ran through the tasting room, bright sunlight searing their eyes when they pushed open the double doors.