Chapter 9 - The Truth Buried in Daniel's Voice
By sunrise, the mansion was surrounded by state police.
Vincent had called a federal contact he trusted.
Elena surrendered the recordings.
Marcus agreed to testify.
Nolan was gone.
And I still didn't know whether my husband was alive.
I sat in the guest bedroom while Lucy slept beside Grimm.
The dog had refused to leave her.
Vincent stood in the doorway.
"I owe you an apology."
I didn't look up.
"You owe me six years."
"I know."
"Did you know Daniel was involved in Nolan's operation?"
"No."
"Then why did Nolan say he was paid?"
Vincent entered.
"Because Daniel accepted money to infiltrate the organization. He needed access to the original records. He pretended to work for Nolan."
I stared at him.
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"Because he believed Nolan would use you against him."
I wanted to hate Vincent.
It would have been easier.
Instead, I hated the invisible years between the truth and my life.
Later that morning, Elena came upstairs.
She sat opposite me.
"I need to tell you something about Lucy."
I stiffened.
"She's my daughter."
"I know."
"Then choose your words carefully."
Elena nodded.
"Daniel helped me escape after the twins were born. Nolan had falsified the medical records because he wanted control over my inheritance and the Hale family trust."
"Why would that involve my daughter?"
"Because one of the babies was moved during the confusion. Nolan needed a child whose identity could be erased without attracting attention."
I felt sick.
"Which child?"
Elena looked toward Lucy.
"That's what Daniel spent six years trying to discover."
"You're telling me you don't know?"
"I know which baby I gave birth to. But the records were altered twice. We have no reliable proof of where the second child went."
I looked at the photograph again.
Two babies.
Two bracelets.
Two names.
And somewhere in the middle of that terrible lie was my daughter.
A knock sounded.
Marcus entered.
He was bruised and pale.
"Boss, we recovered something from the basement."
He placed a small recorder on the table.
"Daniel left it inside the wall."
Vincent pressed play.
A familiar voice filled the room.
"Claire. If this reaches you, then I couldn't get home."
My breath caught.
Daniel.
His voice was older.
Tired.
But alive.
"I need you to know that I never abandoned you or Lucy. I was trying to get back to you. I made mistakes. I trusted the wrong people."
A pause.
Then he said something that shattered me.
"Lucy isn't the only child I saved."
The recording continued.
"There's a boy. His name is Samuel. He's six years old. He's been living under another identity."
Grimm suddenly raised his head.
Daniel's voice softened.
"Sammy, if you're listening, you know what to do."
The dog stood.
He walked to the bedroom door.
Then he looked back at Lucy.
She woke up.
"Mommy?"
I took her hand.
"Yes, baby?"
"Sammy wants to go somewhere."
Vincent picked up the recorder.
The final words played.
"Find the boy. He's the reason Nolan is afraid."
A location followed.
An abandoned children's hospital outside Hartford.
Then the recording ended.
Vincent looked at me.
"Claire, I think Daniel is still alive."
I stared at the door.
"Then we're going to find him."
But before we could leave, a phone rang.
It was Elena's.
She answered.
Listened.
Then dropped it.
"What happened?" Vincent asked.
Her lips trembled.
"The hospital just called."
May you like
She looked at Lucy.
"Someone has already taken the boy."
