Chapter 7 - The Woman in the Basement
Vincent looked like someone had struck him.
"Elena. Where are you?"
Static.
Then the voice returned.
"There's no time. Nolan is coming for the girl."
I pulled Lucy closer.
"Why does he want my daughter?"
Elena's voice trembled.
"Because Daniel didn't just steal the ledger. He discovered what Nolan did to the children."
Rebecca closed her eyes.
"What children?" I demanded.
Vincent looked at her.
"Rebecca?"
My sister finally broke.
She told us Daniel had discovered a network of illegal adoptions hidden behind several of Nolan's charitable organizations.
Children from struggling families had been moved between states using falsified records.
Some were placed with wealthy families.
Others simply disappeared.
Daniel had found the original files.
And one name appeared repeatedly.
Lucy Carter.
I felt the floor tilt.
"What are you talking about?"
Rebecca shook her head.
"Daniel discovered someone had changed Lucy's birth records."
"Why?"
"Because the hospital records showed a second newborn registered under the same mother's information."
I stared at her.
"I had one baby."
"I know."
"Then why is there another?"
Elena answered through the radio.
"Because someone switched the records before Daniel could stop them."
My hands went numb.
"Was Lucy taken from someone?"
"No," Rebecca said quickly. "Lucy is yours. But another baby was registered as yours. We believe that child was moved through Nolan's network."
I looked at my daughter.
She was six years old.
She had no idea what any of this meant.
"Why would Daniel get involved?"
"Because the other baby was connected to Elena," Rebecca whispered.
Vincent turned sharply.
"What?"
Rebecca looked at him.
"Elena gave birth to twins."
Silence.
Vincent's face drained.
"That's impossible."
"Nolan told you one baby died."
Vincent grabbed the edge of the desk.
"Elena told me our daughter died."
The radio crackled.
"She didn't," Elena said.
Vincent closed his eyes.
For six years, he had believed his wife and daughter were dead.
Daniel had discovered the truth.
And Nolan had apparently built an entire criminal operation around hiding it.
Before Vincent could speak, the basement door slammed.
A lock engaged.
The lights went out.
Then we heard footsteps above us.
Several men.
Rebecca grabbed a flashlight.
"There's another exit."
She pointed toward a narrow ventilation passage behind the cot.
Vincent helped Lucy through first.
Grimm followed.
I went next.
Rebecca was halfway through when gunfire erupted outside.
Vincent turned back.
"Move!"
We reached an old service tunnel that opened near the garden.
But when we emerged, the mansion was surrounded.
Nolan stood beneath the terrace lights.
His hands were in his pockets.
He looked almost amused.
"Vincent," he called. "You always did have a talent for making simple things complicated."
Vincent stepped in front of us.
"Where's Elena?"
Nolan smiled.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
Then he looked at Lucy.
"Hello, little girl."
Grimm moved in front of her.
Nolan's smile vanished.
"Still protecting the wrong family, I see."
He raised a hand.
A man emerged from one of the SUVs.
He was thin.
His face was scarred.
And he was holding an old photograph.
I recognized the man immediately.
Daniel.
May you like
But the man in the photograph was standing beside Nolan.
And he was smiling.
