Chapter 4 - The Car at the East Gate
I grabbed Vanessa by the arm.
“Where is my daughter?”
She pulled away.
“I don’t know.”
“You just smiled.”
“Because now you understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That this was never about me.”
Marco was already calling the gatehouse.
“No response.”
I ran toward the garage.
“Daniel!”
I didn’t stop.
Marco caught up.
We jumped into his SUV.
The east gate stood open.
The guard booth was empty.
Marco drove through.
“Tracker?”
“Lily’s bracelet.”
I stared at him.
“She has a tracker?”
“Amelia asked me to put one in it years ago.”
A blinking dot appeared on his dashboard.
Two miles east.
Moving.
Fast.
“Go.”
Marco accelerated.
Rain started hitting the windshield.
The dot turned north.
I called Lily’s name even though she couldn’t hear me.
“Come on, baby.”
The SUV ahead appeared on a country road.
Black.
No plates.
Marco pushed faster.
The road narrowed.
The black SUV suddenly braked.
Its rear door opened.
Something small rolled onto the road.
“STOP!”
Marco slammed the brakes.
I jumped out.
Lily’s bracelet.
No Lily.
My legs almost gave out.
Marco picked it up.
“They knew.”
“Who?”
He looked toward the distant taillights.
“Somebody who knew Amelia’s security habits.”
We returned to the house.
Vanessa was still there.
That surprised me.
Police had arrived.
So had county detectives.
Vanessa sat on the couch with an attorney.
I walked straight toward her.
“Where is she?”
Her attorney stood.
“Mr. Reed, do not approach my client.”
“My daughter was kidnapped.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
For the first time that night, they looked real.
“I didn’t order that.”
“Then who did?”
She looked at her attorney.
He shook his head.
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You think he can protect me?”
Her attorney stiffened.
“Vanessa.”
She ignored him.
“Victor Crane.”
The room went silent.
“What about him?”
“He told me if you ever found the photograph, I had one job.”
I felt sick.
“What job?”
“Keep Lily away from you.”
My voice dropped.
“Why?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“You dragged her across the ballroom.”
“I panicked.”
“You locked her in her room.”
Vanessa’s face crumpled.
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because she kept asking about Amelia.”
“She’s her mother!”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.”
I stopped.
“What did you say?”
Her attorney stood again.
“Vanessa, enough.”
She stared at me.
“Amelia loved Lily.”
“What does that mean?”
“She loved her more than anything.”
“Vanessa.”
“But Amelia wasn’t her biological mother.”
I couldn’t breathe.
“That’s a lie.”
“I wish it was.”
Marco walked closer.
“Who is?”
Vanessa looked toward the photograph still lying on the table.
“The little girl in that picture…”
She swallowed.
“That isn’t Lily.”
“I know that.”
“No, you don’t.”
Her voice broke.
“That little girl is Sophie.”
“Who is Sophie?”
“Amelia’s younger sister.”
I shook my head.
“Amelia didn’t have a sister.”
Vanessa gave me a sad look.
“That’s what Victor Crane spent twenty years making everyone believe.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then Lily’s voice.
“Daddy?”
I gripped the phone.
“Lily! Where are you?”
She was crying.
“I don’t know.”
A man spoke behind her.
“Mr. Reed.”
My body turned cold.
“You have something that belongs to Mr. Crane.”
“What?”
“The photograph.”
I looked at Marco.
The man continued.
“Bring it to the old St. Matthew’s maternity wing.”
“When?”
“Now.”
“And my daughter?”
“Come alone.”
The line clicked.
I lowered the phone.
Marco looked at me.
“You’re not going alone.”
I stared at Vanessa.
“Tell me everything.”
She closed her eyes.
May you like
Then whispered:
“Sophie Crane was supposed to be dead.”
