Chapter 14 - David reached the apartment in less than fifteen minutes.The front door was open.
The living room was empty.
The crib was empty.
Mikey was gone.
Clara screamed.
“Mom!”
Melissa rushed inside behind them.
“No…”
David searched every room.
Nothing.
Then he noticed the baby blanket.
A trail.
A small blue thread caught on the crib.
He picked it up.
“Someone wore a uniform.”
Ryan entered.
“The police are outside.”
David shook his head.
“They took Mikey.”
Ryan saw the thread.
“Private security.”
David looked at him.
“Whose?”
Ryan examined it.
“Harper Security.”
David froze.
“Daniel?”
“No.”
Ryan's expression changed.
“Someone inside the company.”
Melissa whispered,
“He's alive.”
David turned.
“Who?”
She shook her head.
“The person who called me every night.”
Ryan looked at her.
“Tell us.”
Melissa finally said the name.
“Thomas Vane.”
Ryan's face went white.
“The chief investigator?”
Melissa nodded.
David stared.
“The police investigator is behind this?”
“He was.”
“Where is he?”
Melissa looked toward the old hidden cabinet.
David opened it.
The black box was back.
A red light blinked.
The device activated.
Thomas Vane's voice came through.
“David.”
David's jaw tightened.
“Where is my son?”
“Safe.”
“Give him back.”
“You've exposed too much.”
“I don't care.”
“You should.”
“What do you want?”
“I want the girl.”
David looked at Clara.
“No.”
“Then you don't get the boy.”
Silence.
Thomas continued.
“You have one hour.”
“To do what?”
“Bring Clara to the old Harper clinic.”
David looked at Daniel.
The old clinic.
The same place Clara was born.
Thomas said,
“Come alone.”
David laughed bitterly.
“You really think I'm stupid enough to do that?”
“No.”
A pause.
“That is why I'm counting on your love for your children.”
The line ended.
David turned to Clara.
She was crying.
“I'll go.”
“No.”
“She has my brother.”
“No.”
“Dad…”
David knelt.
“You don't understand.”
“I do.”
She wiped her tears.
“He wants me.”
David shook his head.
“He isn't getting you.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“She may be right.”
David looked at him.
Daniel continued.
“If Thomas believes Clara is the key to the trust, he'll follow the exchange.”
“But Mikey…”
“We get him back.”
David stared at Daniel.
“You trust him?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because I know where the clinic is.”
They drove through the city.
David carried Clara in the back seat.
She held Mikey's stuffed rabbit.
The old clinic appeared exactly as Daniel had described.
Abandoned.
Windows boarded.
Doors chained.
But inside, lights were on.
David entered.
The air smelled like antiseptic.
A monitor beeped.
Then another.
At the center of the room was a crib.
Empty.
David's heart dropped.
Thomas stepped into view.
Mikey was in his arms.
The baby was sleeping.
David raised his hands.
“Put him down.”
Thomas smiled.
“Not yet.”
Clara stepped forward.
“I'll go with you.”
David grabbed her.
“No.”
Thomas pointed a gun.
“Let her go.”
David froze.
Clara looked at him.
“Dad.”
David's eyes filled with tears.
He slowly released her.
Clara walked toward Thomas.
Thomas took her hand.
Then suddenly the lights shut off.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
Glass broke.
David grabbed Mikey from Thomas.
Thomas vanished into the darkness.
“CLARA!”
David heard her scream.
Then silence.
He ran toward the sound.
A door slammed.
He kicked it open.
Clara was gone.
Only her stuffed rabbit remained.
David dropped to his knees.
“No.”
Then his phone rang.
Thomas.
David answered.
Thomas spoke softly.
“You saved your son.”
David's voice cracked.
“Where is my daughter?”
“You wanted truth.”
“What truth?”
Thomas laughed.
“You've been protecting the wrong child.”
David stared.
“What does that mean?”
Thomas said,
“Ask Emily Harper why Lily wasn't the only girl born that night.”
The call ended.
David looked at Melissa.
Her face had gone completely white.
“What?”
May you like
Melissa whispered,
“There were three babies.”
