Chapter 10 - Forty-Seven Minutes MissingRichard's world narrowed to one thought.
Olivia was gone.
“Lock the house!”
Mason shouted into his radio.
Every officer moved.
Doors.
Windows.
Hallways.
Nothing.
Richard ran toward the back garden.
The security gate was closed.
The driveway camera showed no vehicle.
“How did she disappear?”
Mason checked the footage.
“There is a blackout lasting forty-seven seconds.”
“That's impossible.”
“Someone cut the system.”
Richard searched the house.
Then he noticed the basement door.
Open.
They had never opened it.
A cold draft came from below.
Mason raised his flashlight.
“Stay behind me.”
They descended the stairs.
At the bottom was an old wine cellar.
And a narrow tunnel.
Richard recognized it immediately.
The tunnel led toward the abandoned Bellamy property across the road.
Mason cursed.
“They built escape passages.”
Julian nodded.
“My family used them during Prohibition.”
Richard stared.
“Why would kidnappers know about them?”
Julian said,
“Because they know my family better than I do.”
They moved through the tunnel.
Halfway down, Richard saw something lying on the floor.
Olivia's wedding ring.
His heart stopped.
“She dropped it.”
Julian picked it up.
“No.”
“What?”
Julian examined it.
“It was removed.”
Richard frowned.
“How do you know?”
“The ring has no scratches.”
“So?”
“If Olivia removed it herself, she would have left fingerprints.”
Julian held it out.
“Someone took it.”
They hurried forward.
At the end of the tunnel was a locked steel door.
On it, someone had painted:
ROOM 17.
Richard inserted the brass key.
The door opened.
Inside sat a wooden chair.
Ropes.
Medical equipment.
A camera.
And a table containing Olivia's bridal veil.
Richard nearly collapsed.
“She was here.”
Julian scanned the room.
“No.”
Richard turned.
“How can you know?”
Julian pointed at the chair.
“No restraints were used.”
“What?”
“The ropes are untouched.”
“So where is she?”
Julian's eyes moved to the camera.
“She was never kidnapped here.”
Richard stared.
“What?”
“This room was staged.”
Mason checked the floor.
“No footprints.”
“Exactly,” Julian said.
Richard's anger turned to confusion.
“Then where is Olivia?”
A speaker crackled.
A woman's voice filled the room.
“Looking for her?”
Richard froze.
Evelyn.
“Where is my daughter?”
“You're asking the wrong question.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to stop digging.”
Julian stepped forward.
“You're not Evelyn.”
Silence.
Then the voice laughed.
Richard looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Because my mother always says ‘Richard Hart’ when she's angry.”
Julian listened.
“This woman didn't.”
The voice returned.
“Clever boy.”
Julian's expression darkened.
“Daniel.”
The voice stopped.
Then:
“Hello, Julian.”
Richard's skin prickled.
“Where's Olivia?”
Daniel answered,
“Safe.”
“Give her back.”
“She was never taken.”
Richard clenched his fists.
“Then where is she?”
“She went willingly.”
“No.”
“She finally learned the truth.”
“What truth?”
A pause.
Then Daniel said,
“Ask her who she trusts.”
The speaker went silent.
Ethan stared at the floor.
Richard turned.
“Where were you when the lights went out?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Upstairs.”
“Did anyone see you?”
“No.”
Richard moved closer.
“Then why is your blood on Olivia's ring?”
Ethan looked stunned.
“My blood?”
Mason examined the ring.
A tiny red smear.
Ethan shook his head.
“I didn't touch it.”
Julian looked at the mark.
Then his face changed.
“That's not Ethan's blood.”
Richard stared.
“How do you know?”
“Because it's mine.”
Everyone froze.
Julian wiped his finger.
He was bleeding.
Only then did they notice the cut on his hand.
He looked at the ring.
Then at Richard.
“Someone planted this.”
Richard's phone vibrated.
A message.
MIDNIGHT. BELLAMY HOTEL ROOFTOP. COME ALONE.
Below it was a photograph.
Olivia.
Standing beside a window.
Alive.
And behind her stood a woman.
May you like
Richard recognized the silhouette.
Maria.
