Chapter 12: Leaving The Coast
By noon, the moving van was loaded and parked beside the grand iron gates of the estate, its engine rumbling with a low, heavy vibration that seemed to shake the damp air. The sky overhead was a uniform slate gray, typical for the California coast in late autumn, but the air was clean and smelled of pine and rain. I walked down the grand marble steps of the front entrance for what would be the last time, carrying two small canvas duffel bags containing our immediate travel clothes and Sofia's favorite drawing books. Barnaby trotted closely at my heels, his paws clicking against the stone steps with cheerful urgency.
Robert stood near the passenger door of my SUV, holding a final set of signed legal documents in a manila folder. Across the courtyard, two state troopers stood by their cruiser, observing the departure to ensure there were no unexpected disruptions from Veronica's remaining legal representatives. But there were no interruptions. The once-formidable socialite network that had protected her for years had dissolved the moment the federal indictments became public knowledge, leaving her isolated in a holding facility awaiting arraignment.
"Everything is secure, Alex," Robert said, handing me the folder through the open window. "The local sheriff's department in Mendocino has been notified of your arrival, and the property manager has the heat turned on. You won't have to worry about a thing."
"Thank you, Robert," I said, resting my hands on the steering wheel. "For everything. You didn't have to stay through the final move."
"Somebody had to make sure the movers didn't pack your grandmother's rocking chair by mistake," Robert replied with a dry, knowing smile. "Besides, my work here isn't finished until the last box is accounted for. I'll drive up north in a couple of days to check on the transition of the corporate holdings."
In the passenger seat, Sofia was securely buckled into her booster seat, holding Barnaby tightly in her lap as the puppy gazed out the window with wide, curious eyes. She pointed a small finger at the sprawling white mansion behind us, its tall glass windows reflecting the gray sky.
"Is this our old house, Daddy?" she asked softly.
"Yes, honey," I answered, putting the SUV into gear and letting the transmission engage with a smooth, solid thud. "We're not coming back here."
May you like
"Good," she murmured, leaning back against the headrest and clutching her puppy closer. "It was too cold in there."
I shifted my gaze back to the private road ahead, gently pressing down on the accelerator. The heavy iron gates, which had once felt like the boundaries of a gilded prison, slowly swung open as we approached, operated by the automated system Robert had reprogrammed that morning. As we rolled past the stone pillars and onto the coastal highway, the estate vanished behind a dense stand of eucalyptus trees. The road stretched out before us, winding north toward the cliffs, narrow and quiet, leading us away from the shadows and toward the open sea.
