Chapter 8 - The Empty CribThe house was full of police officers within minutes.
Amy was screaming.
I had never heard that sound from her before.
It wasn’t crying.
It was terror made human.
Frederick’s crib was empty.
The bedroom window was open.
The police found a small footprint in the garden.
Then another.
The security cameras had been disabled.
Amy collapsed.
I caught her.
“I’ll find him.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
I called every person connected to my mother.
No one answered.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A message.
COME ALONE.
A location followed.
An abandoned warehouse near the Cumberland River.
I knew it was a trap.
I also knew I was going.
Mason tried to stop me.
“I’m going with you.”
“No.”
“You’ll get yourself killed.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
I looked at him.
“My son is there.”
Mason stared at me.
Then sighed.
“Fine.”
We went.
The warehouse was dark.
Silent.
I walked inside alone.
“Frederick?”
No answer.
Then lights turned on.
My mother sat in a chair.
Across from her was Elliot Vance.
And beside him stood Caldwell.
I felt like the floor disappeared.
“Where is my son?”
My mother smiled.
“You should have come alone.”
“Where is Frederick?”
She stood.
“He’s safe.”
“Bring him to me.”
“Not until you listen.”
I moved toward her.
Two men stepped into the room.
Mason appeared behind me.
My mother’s expression hardened.
“You never were good at following instructions.”
“You kidnapped my son.”
“I protected him.”
“You stole him.”
She shook her head.
“You were going to ruin everything.”
“What everything?”
“Our family.”
I laughed.
“You humiliated my wife.”
“You let Amy poison you against me.”
“My wife nearly collapsed because of you.”
“She was never strong enough.”
I stepped closer.
“Where is my son?”
My mother pointed to a monitor.
The screen came alive.
Frederick was sitting in a room with a woman.
He was crying.
Amy screamed from behind me.
I turned.
My mother said quietly:
“You want him back?”
“Yes.”
“Sign the transfer.”
She pushed a document across the table.
My house.
The trust.
My company.
Everything.
I looked at Caldwell.
He smiled.
“You don’t have a choice.”
I picked up the pen.
Mason whispered, “Connor, don’t.”
My hand hovered over the signature line.
Then I noticed something.
The woman beside Frederick on the screen.
I knew her.
She was the pediatric nurse who had treated him last month.
I stared.
“How did you get her?”
My mother’s smile faded.
I looked closer.
The nurse wasn’t watching Frederick.
She was watching the camera.
Then she raised one finger.
A signal.
One.
Two.
Three.
She looked away.
My heart exploded with hope.
She was helping us.
I dropped the pen.
“Burn in hell.”
Caldwell shouted.
The lights suddenly went out.
Glass shattered.
Someone fired a gun.
Everyone screamed.
When the emergency lights came on, my mother was gone.
So was Frederick.
But Caldwell was on the floor.
And in his hand was a phone.
May you like
A phone displaying one message.
YOUR TURN, CONNOR.
