Chapter 7 - THE DRIVE
Ethan wanted to call the police immediately.
Maya grabbed his wrist.
“Wait.”
“That’s my son!”
“And whoever took him knows the police are here.”
Ortiz read the message.
“They’re watching the property.”
Ethan paced.
“We need to find that car.”
“We will,” Ortiz said. “But we do it carefully.”
Maya enlarged the photograph.
Oliver sat in a black car seat.
Dark upholstery behind him.
A silver latch.
Then she noticed the corner of a blanket.
Yellow stars.
“I know that blanket.”
Ethan looked at her.
“It came from the downstairs emergency bag.”
Ortiz asked, “Who had access?”
“All household employees,” Maya said.
“And Vanessa?”
“Yes.”
Maya enlarged the image again.
Something reflected in the window.
A sign.
Only three letters were visible.
MAR.
Ethan frowned.
“Market?”
Maya shook her head.
“No.”
She remembered the back roads around the estate.
“Marston Road.”
Ortiz immediately radioed officers.
Ethan grabbed his keys.
“You’re not going.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Police will handle it.”
“My son is in that car.”
Maya stepped between them.
“I’m going with him.”
Ortiz stared at her.
“That is a terrible idea.”
“I know the service roads better than he does.”
Ethan nodded.
Ortiz cursed under her breath.
“Stay behind my units.”
They drove out through the east gate.
Three miles later, Ortiz’s patrol car turned onto Marston Road.
The road cut through dense woods.
No streetlights.
No houses.
Then Maya saw tire marks leading toward an abandoned maintenance building.
“There.”
Cars stopped.
Officers moved first.
Ethan shook with rage beside her.
“Stay here,” Ortiz ordered.
Then a baby cried inside the building.
Ethan ran.
“Ethan!”
Everyone followed.
The door slammed open.
An empty SUV sat inside.
Oliver was in the back seat.
Alone.
Ethan ripped the door open and pulled him out.
“My boy.”
Oliver cried into his father’s shoulder.
Maya nearly collapsed with relief.
Ortiz searched the vehicle.
“Vanessa’s not here.”
Maya looked around.
Something was wrong.
Too easy.
Then a phone began ringing.
It sat on the driver’s seat.
Ortiz answered on speaker.
Vanessa’s voice filled the building.
“You found him.”
Ethan shouted, “Where are you?”
A soft laugh.
“Still giving orders.”
“You touched my son—”
“Your son is alive.”
“No thanks to you.”
Silence.
Then Vanessa said, “Ask Maya what Claire told her.”
Maya froze.
Ethan turned.
“What?”
Vanessa continued.
“She never told you, did she?”
Maya’s stomach tightened.
“Vanessa, stop.”
Ethan stared at her.
“What did Claire tell you?”
The line went dead.
May you like
Ethan looked at Maya.
And for the first time that night, she was the one holding a secret.
