Jake looked at me, then down at Owen, who was starting to whimper in the cold.

He rubbed his face, taking a slow, deep breath.

I saw the tension in his jaw soften, a calculated look entering his eyes.

“Fine,” Jake said, his voice dropping to a defeated tone. “You win. I cannot keep doing this to my family.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

“Smart boy,” Walter said. “Where?”

“The Miller Creek development site,” Jake said. “The main office trailer. It is quiet there.”

“One hour,” Walter said. “Bring the military identification and the power of attorney revocation forms. Signed.”

“I will be there,” Jake said.

The line went dead.

Jake set the phone on the counter and pulled me into his arms, his coat cold against my skin.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his breath warm against my forehead.

“They are outside, Jake,” I whispered.

“They will not touch you,” he said. “I am going to end this tonight.”

He pulled out his own phone and dialed a number.

“Major Hayes,” Jake said when the call connected. “It is Jake. Walter just called.”