Chapter 8 - The Empty Classroom
Daniel arrived at Noah’s school twenty minutes after dismissal.
The classroom was empty.
His stomach dropped.
Then a teacher appeared.
“Mr. Cross?”
“Where’s Noah?”
“His mother picked him up.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“She showed identification.”
“Sophie is with the FBI.”
The teacher went pale.
Security footage revealed a woman wearing a dark wig.
Noah had followed because she told him his mother had been hurt.
Daniel called Sophie.
Her scream nearly broke him.
A vehicle was identified.
Agents pursued it.
The car was abandoned near a railway station.
Inside they found Noah’s backpack.
No Noah.
A message had been written on the fogged window.
TRADE HALE FOR THE BOY.
But authorities didn’t have Hale.
Someone believed they did.
Alvarez realized the truth.
“Hale isn’t the kidnapper.”
“Then who is?”
She showed them another photograph.
Rachel Mercer.
Beside Rachel stood her older sister.
Claire.
The woman from the school footage.
Sophie stared.
“She thinks we know where Hale is.”
Claire wanted revenge.
But she had taken the wrong person to get it.
Daniel called the number Claire provided.
A woman answered.
“Bring me Hale.”
“I don’t have him.”
“Then find him.”
“You have my six-year-old son.”
“And my sister is in your wife’s grave.”
The line went dead.
Daniel looked at Sophie.
For the first time, their enemy wasn’t motivated by money.
May you like
Claire was motivated by grief.
Daniel knew exactly how dangerous grief could become.
