Chapter 5 - Forty-Seven Minutes
Daniel did not shout.
That frightened Natalie more than if he had.
He became completely still.
Then every trace of grief disappeared from his face.
The man Chicago feared took over.
“Seal the property.”
His voice was low.
“Every gate.”
Security moved.
“Check cameras.”
Another man ran.
“Find Jensen.”
Jensen was the missing guard.
Natalie picked up Arthur.
One of the fox's ears had torn.
Lucas never slept without it.
She turned toward Daniel.
“He'll be afraid.”
Daniel did not look at her.
“I know.”
“Then don't think like your enemies.”
His gaze snapped toward her.
“Think like Lucas.”
Something shifted.
Natalie walked toward the open French doors.
“Whoever took him wants you to react.”
“They will regret that.”
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
She faced him.
“They're counting on Daniel Brooks.”
Her voice softened.
“Lucas needs his father.”
The words hit harder than any accusation.
Daniel looked outside.
“What would Lucas do?”
“He would hide.”
Natalie stepped through the doors.
“If he got away from whoever came for him, he would hide somewhere he believes adults won't find him.”
Daniel followed.
“He's five.”
“He notices everything.”
They crossed the dark lawn.
Searchlights illuminated hedges and stone paths.
Security teams spread toward the gates.
Natalie looked at Arthur.
“Does Lucas have another hiding place?”
Daniel shook his head.
Then stopped.
“The greenhouse.”
They ran.
The greenhouse doors were locked.
Daniel broke the side panel with a landscaping tool.
Inside, tropical plants cast strange shadows beneath emergency lights.
“Lucas!”
Nothing.
Natalie listened.
A faint sound came from beneath a potting bench.
Breathing.
She crouched.
“Lucas?”
Two eyes appeared.
Natalie's knees nearly gave out.
Lucas crawled from behind stacked soil bags.
His face was streaked with dirt.
He launched himself into her arms.
Daniel stopped several feet away.
His son was alive.
For a moment, Daniel seemed unable to move.
Natalie held Lucas tightly.
“Are you hurt?”
He shook his head.
“Who took you?”
Lucas began crying.
“The guard.”
“Jensen?”
Lucas nodded.
“He said Daddy wanted me in the car.”
“What happened?”
“I kicked him.”
Despite everything, Natalie nearly smiled.
“Then?”
“I ran.”
Daniel finally approached.
Lucas looked at him.
Something painful passed between father and son.
Then Daniel knelt.
Not commanding.
Not reaching.
Just there.
“I am sorry.”
Lucas stared at him.
Daniel's voice broke.
“I should have kept you safe.”
Lucas looked toward Natalie.
She nodded gently.
The boy stepped forward.
Daniel opened his arms.
Lucas hesitated.
Then he entered them.
Daniel held his son as though the world might take him again if his grip loosened.
Forty-seven minutes had passed since Lucas disappeared.
It changed the Brooks mansion forever.
Jensen's vehicle was found abandoned two miles away.
Inside were zip ties.
A child's jacket.
Two prepaid phones.
And twenty thousand dollars.
Adrian denied knowing anything.
Daniel no longer believed him.
By sunrise, Caroline's flash drive had been decrypted.
It contained shipping records.
Payments.
Photographs.
And dozens of voice recordings.
One recording changed everything.
Adrian's voice spoke clearly.
“When Daniel falls, the companies move to me.”
A second man responded.
“And the child?”
Adrian was silent for several seconds.
Then he answered.
“Children adapt.”
Daniel stopped the recording.
Natalie stood beside him.
“That was recorded before Caroline died.”
Daniel nodded.
He looked twenty years older.
“I built all of this with him.”
His eyes moved around the office.
“I trusted him with my home.”
“With Lucas.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Natalie watched him.
“What are you going to do?”
Daniel opened his eyes.
May you like
The answer frightened her.
“I am going to end it.”
