Chapter 9 - The Secret Sophie Carried
Laura stared at Emily.
"My daughter is nine years old."
"I know."
"Thomas Mercer never met her."
Emily shook her head.
"He didn't have to."
Laura felt anger rising.
"Stop speaking in riddles."
Emily took a trembling breath.
"Three weeks ago, Thomas realized he was being watched."
"He couldn't carry the evidence himself."
"So he arranged for it to be placed inside a gift."
Laura remembered the package.
A small blue box delivered to her home.
No return address.
Inside was a silver bracelet with a tiny airplane charm.
Sophie had loved it.
She wore it everywhere.
Laura had assumed it came from an old Air Force friend.
Her stomach dropped.
"The bracelet."
Emily nodded.
"The evidence is stored inside the charm."
Laura gripped the edge of the compartment.
"Why give it to my daughter?"
"Because nobody would expect a child to be carrying it."
Laura's voice hardened.
"You used my child as a hiding place?"
Emily flinched.
"I didn't know until afterward."
"Thomas arranged it."
"He believed it would keep the evidence safe."
Laura looked away.
For seven years, she'd tried to protect Sophie from the world that had killed Nathan.
Now that world had found its way into her daughter's jewelry box.
"Does Halden know?"
Emily nodded.
"He knows about the bracelet."
Laura felt her throat close.
"Then Sophie is in danger."
"Yes."
Laura stood.
She reached for the cabin communication handset.
"Can we contact Madrid?"
Elena nodded.
"We can try through the aircraft's communications."
Laura returned to the cockpit.
Mercer listened as she explained.
His face changed when she mentioned Thomas.
"The bracelet?"
"Yes."
Mercer closed his eyes briefly.
"That sounds like him."
Laura glared.
"He put my daughter in danger."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because he believed he was running out of time."
Laura leaned closer.
"Then he'd better have left something worth finding."
Mercer attempted another communication.
Static.
Then a faint response.
"Atlantic 417, this is Shanwick Radio."
Mercer immediately transmitted their emergency information.
Laura waited.
The signal weakened.
"Atlantic 417, say again your intended diversion."
Mercer repeated the request.
The response broke apart.
Then a different voice entered the channel.
"Major Vance."
Laura went still.
Halden.
She knew it.
"Your daughter is safe," he said.
"For now."
Laura reached for the microphone.
"Where are you?"
A quiet laugh.
"Close enough."
"Leave Sophie out of this."
"That depends on you."
"What do you want?"
"The evidence."
"I don't have it."
"I know."
"Then why are you doing this?"
Halden's voice sharpened.
"Because Nathan Vance made a mistake."
Laura felt rage burn through her.
"Nathan died trying to expose you."
"No."
Halden paused.
"Nathan died because he refused to understand what was necessary."
Laura stared at the microphone.
"What was necessary?"
Halden answered calmly.
"Sometimes, Major, you sacrifice a few lives to protect something much bigger."
Laura's hands began shaking.
"You murdered my husband."
Halden didn't deny it.
May you like
Instead, he said something worse.
"And if you don't cooperate, your daughter will learn exactly how he died."
