Chapter 5 - The Girl Who Disappeared
Her name was Eva.
Victor repeated it once.
“Eva.”
Elena had given birth eight months after the crash while hiding under another identity in Vermont.
For three years, Elena and Eva moved between safe houses while Nikolai secretly protected them.
Then Sergei found them.
“He didn't kill me,” Elena said. “He took her.”
Victor went perfectly still.
“When?”
“Nine years ago.”
“And you never told me?”
“If I'd contacted you, Sergei would have known immediately.”
“He took my daughter nine years ago, Elena.”
“I know.”
“No. You don't know.”
Victor's voice cracked.
“You don't know what you've taken from me.”
Aliyah sat quietly across the safe-house kitchen.
For the first time, Victor's anger frightened her.
Not because she thought he would hurt Elena.
Because she understood how much pain stood behind it.
Nikolai placed a folder on the table.
“We've searched for Eva since.”
Victor turned on him.
“You looked me in the face every day.”
“Yes.”
“You watched me visit an empty grave.”
“Yes.”
Victor hit him.
Nikolai fell against the counter.
He did not defend himself.
Victor raised his fist again.
Aliyah caught his arm.
“Victor.”
His whole body shook.
“Don't.”
He looked at her hand on his sleeve.
Then at her face.
Slowly, he lowered his arm.
Nikolai wiped blood from his lip.
“I deserved that.”
“You deserved worse.”
“Probably.”
Elena opened the folder.
Inside were photographs of girls around Eva's approximate age.
“We followed every lead.”
Aliyah looked at the dates.
One photograph caught her attention.
A twelve-year-old girl entering a private school outside Boston.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
“What about her?”
Elena leaned closer.
“That's Lily Carter. We ruled her out.”
“Why?”
“DNA.”
Aliyah frowned.
“Whose DNA?”
Nikolai answered.
“Hair collected from her brush.”
“Who collected it?”
“One of my investigators.”
“Did you witness collection?”
“No.”
Aliyah looked at Victor.
“Then you didn't rule her out. You tested hair someone claimed belonged to her.”
Victor understood instantly.
Within an hour, they were driving toward Newton.
Lily Carter lived with a wealthy couple named Andrew and Rebecca Carter.
At least, she had.
The house was empty.
Neighbors said the family had left that morning.
Victor's men searched the property.
Aliyah entered Lily's bedroom.
Books.
Art supplies.
A violin.
On the desk sat a framed photograph of Lily at seven.
Aliyah stared.
Then she carried it downstairs.
Victor looked at it and lost all color.
The child had Elena's smile.
Nikolai's phone rang.
He listened.
“The Carters' vehicle was found near Logan.”
Victor headed for the door.
“They're leaving the country.”
“No,” Aliyah said.
Everyone looked at her.
“Look around.”
She pointed toward the kitchen.
Coffee still warm.
Food in the refrigerator.
A suitcase sitting beside the stairs.
“If they planned to flee, why leave luggage?”
Victor stopped.
“You think they were taken.”
“Yes.”
A muffled noise came from below.
Victor drew his weapon.
They found Andrew Carter tied inside the basement.
Rebecca was unconscious beside him.
Aliyah rushed down and checked her.
“She's breathing.”
Andrew coughed.
“They took Lily.”
“Who?”
“A woman.”
Victor crouched.
“What woman?”
Andrew shook violently.
“She said Lily belonged to someone else.”
“Describe her.”
“Blond. Forty maybe.”
Elena gasped.
Nikolai looked at her.
“What?”
Elena whispered a name.
“Marina Volkov.”
Sergei's sister.
Victor stood.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A man's voice spoke.
“Hello, old friend.”
Victor's expression became stone.
Sergei.
“Twelve years,” Victor said.
“Twelve very educational years.”
“Where is my daughter?”
Sergei laughed softly.
“You're finally asking the correct question.”
Victor gripped the phone.
“If you hurt her—”
“I haven't.”
“What do you want?”
“Something Elena stole.”
“The records?”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at Elena.
She shook her head.
Sergei continued.
“Bring them to Pier Twenty-Seven tomorrow at midnight.”
“And Eva?”
A pause.
“Come alone, and perhaps you'll finally meet your daughter.”
The call ended.
Victor stared at the phone.
Aliyah saw something else.
A text had arrived simultaneously.
From Lily's number.
May you like
Only four words.
DON'T TRUST MY MOTHER.
