Chapter 7 - The Second Disappearance
Dominic received the call at 5:17 in the morning.
Hannah's voice was shaking.
"Sir, Sophie is gone."
For one second, Dominic could not speak.
"What do you mean, gone?"
"The nurse stepped into the hall to speak with the security officer. When she came back, Sophie was missing. The back gate was open."
Dominic was already moving.
He called Marco, the police, and every trusted person he had.
The residence was sealed. Cameras were reviewed. A vehicle had been seen leaving through a service road at 5:09 a.m.
The license plate was registered to a Sterling shell company.
Dominic gripped the edge of his desk.
"Richard took her."
Marco nodded grimly.
"We have a likely location. An abandoned lakeside property owned by one of his companies."
Dominic headed for the door.
The lead investigator stopped him.
"You are not going alone. We have a warrant and a tactical team on the way."
Dominic's first instinct was to ignore him.
Then he remembered Sophie's small hand in his.
He had promised her that he would protect her.
That meant bringing her home alive, not charging into danger because his anger demanded it.
He agreed to wait for the officers.
The lakeside property was surrounded before sunrise.
A two-story house stood beyond a line of bare trees. One upstairs window glowed with light.
Officers entered through the front and back doors.
Dominic waited outside until the team leader gave the signal.
"Clear."
He ran upstairs.
Sophie was in a small bedroom, sitting on a mattress with her stuffed rabbit clutched to her chest.
Richard stood near the window.
He held no weapon, but his hand was wrapped around Sophie's wrist.
"Let her go!" Dominic shouted.
Richard turned.
"You're too late."
Sophie began crying.
"Daddy!"
Dominic took one step forward.
Richard tightened his grip.
"Stay back. You think you can take everything from me and walk away?"
"You took my daughter."
"I gave you a chance to become the man you were supposed to be. Instead, you wasted three years mourning a child who was perfectly safe."
"She was never safe with you."
Richard's face twisted.
"She was a bargaining chip. Nothing more."
The words seemed to shock even Sophie.
She pulled away from him.
Richard stumbled.
Officers rushed forward and seized him before he could recover.
Dominic crossed the room and dropped to his knees.
Sophie threw herself into his arms.
"Daddy! I thought he was going to take me away again!"
Dominic held her, trembling.
"No one is taking you away again. I promise."
She buried her face in his neck.
"I was brave."
He kissed her forehead.
"You were the bravest girl in the world."
As officers escorted Richard from the house, he looked back at Dominic.
"You think this ends here?"
Dominic held Sophie tighter.
"No. It ends when you answer for everything you did."
Richard was led away in handcuffs.
For the first time in three years, Sophie was going home.
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But Dominic knew the legal fight was not over.
He would have to prove that he was the father Sophie deserved—not just the man who had finally found her.
