Chapter 6 - Elsie was gone.The nursery was empty.
Her blanket lay on the floor.
A stuffed rabbit sat beneath the crib.
The window was open.
I shouted her name.
No answer.
Julian collapsed against the wall.
“No.”
I grabbed him.
“Where did they take her?”
“I don't know.”
“You're her father.”
“I don't know!”
I released him.
Security swept the estate.
Every hallway.
Every bedroom.
Every gate.
Nothing.
Then Samuel found a footprint beneath the nursery window.
Small.
Child-sized.
Next to it was another shoe.
Elsie's missing shoe.
The one we had found at the gala.
I picked it up.
Something was folded inside.
A piece of paper.
On it was a single line.
ASK WHO SIGNED THE GATE LOG.
We rushed outside.
The gate logs showed no unauthorized entry.
But there was something odd.
At 1:52 a.m., a delivery van entered.
Driver: Daniel Cross.
We searched the database.
Daniel Cross did not exist.
The license plate belonged to another vehicle.
I looked at Samuel.
“Someone forged the entry.”
“Can you track the van?”
“Security cameras caught it leaving.”
“Where?”
“East road.”
We followed the footage.
The van disappeared three intersections later.
Then we found another clue.
A fuel receipt.
The van had stopped at a station eighteen minutes away.
We obtained the station camera.
The driver wasn't alone.
A second person entered the passenger side.
Vanessa.
Julian stared at the screen.
“She took Elsie.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“She wouldn't.”
I turned.
“Why not?”
“Because she hates children.”
“That isn't enough.”
“She can't have children.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“She was told she couldn't.”
Julian looked haunted.
“Doctors told her years ago.”
“Does that matter?”
He hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Vanessa blamed Mara.”
I stared at him.
Julian swallowed.
“She believed Mara stole the life she deserved.”
My blood went cold.
We tracked the van to an abandoned warehouse.
It was empty.
But a chair sat in the center.
Tied to it was a red ribbon.
On the floor was another paper flower.
I picked it up.
HP-4829.
The next payment.
Then my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I answered.
Her voice was calm.
“Your granddaughter is safe.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Where is she?”
“You don't speak unless I ask.”
I motioned for him to stay back.
“What do you want?”
“Your foundation.”
I almost laughed.
“You think money will protect you?”
“No.”
She paused.
“Evidence will.”
My grip tightened.
“What evidence?”
“The evidence Mara found.”
“How do you know about Mara?”
“Because I was there.”
The room went silent.
“You were there the night she died.”
“Yes.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Vanessa continued.
“She came to me first.”
“What happened?”
“She threatened to expose everyone.”
“And you killed her?”
“No.”
A pause.
“But I watched her leave.”
“With whom?”
“Ethan.”
I looked at Samuel.
Vanessa continued.
“Then I made one mistake.”
“What?”
“I trusted my father.”
The line went silent.
Then:
“Bring the original foundation ledger to the old ferry terminal.”
“Why?”
“Because it contains the name you're looking for.”
“Whose name?”
Vanessa whispered:
“Your own.”
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Julian looked terrified.
“What did she say?”
“That she was there when Mara died.”
He covered his face.
“No.”
“Julian.”
“I didn't know.”
“Know what?”
“She was supposed to be at home.”
“Who?”
“Mara.”
He looked at me.
“Dad, the night she died, I wasn't supposed to meet her.”
“What?”
“I was told someone else would.”
“Who?”
He whispered:
“Samuel.”
I turned slowly.
Samuel stood behind me.
His face was unreadable.
For several seconds, none of us moved.
Then my chief financial officer said:
“Cesare, we need to leave.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
His eyes dropped toward the paper flower.
“Because Vanessa just told you where the ledger is.”
I didn't move.
“How did you know?”
Samuel looked at me.
“Know what?”
“That the ledger exists.”
Silence.
I finally understood.
Mara's warning.
Don't trust the person who comes to you first.
Samuel had been the first.
And now he knew things he shouldn't know.
I stepped backward.
“Security.”
My men moved instantly.
Samuel raised his hands.
“Cesare.”
I shook my head.
“Don't move.”
He smiled sadly.
May you like
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“Before you arrest me, you should know where Elsie really is.”
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