Chapter 6 - The Wrong Kidnapping
I did not panic.
Panic wastes seconds.
I checked the bathroom.
Empty.
The closet.
Empty.
The window opened onto a maintenance platform two floors above the parking garage.
Fresh scrape marks covered the frame.
Someone had prepared the route before the alarm.
I called Grant.
“They took Lily.”
His answer came instantly.
“Hospital security is sealing the exits.”
“They’re already outside.”
“How do you know?”
“This was planned.”
I picked up the black card with a glove from the medical tray.
“No fingerprints.”
“Where do they want you?”
“They haven’t said.”
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
“Commander Cole.”
“You have ten seconds to prove Lily is alive.”
The voice paused.
Then I heard breathing.
Weak.
Uneven.
“Dad?”
My chest tightened.
“Lily.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.”
The line changed hands.
“Drive north on Route 9.”
“Come alone.”
“No police.”
“No tracking.”
“If we see another vehicle, she dies.”
The call ended.
Grant heard everything through my open line.
“I’m coming with you.”
“No.”
“Arthur—”
“They expect surveillance.”
“We’ll use a covert tail.”
“They know our methods.”
“Your methods are fifteen years old.”
“So are theirs.”
I looked at the maintenance platform.
A small blood smear marked the rail.
Lily was injured.
Time mattered.
“I’ll keep the line open.”
“You follow only if I ask.”
Grant cursed.
Then he agreed.
I left through the service elevator.
A nurse tried to stop me.
I showed her the black card.
She stepped aside.
My pickup was still at Richard’s estate.
Grant sent an unmarked sedan.
I drove north.
The caller directed me through three turns.
Then five miles of empty farmland.
The final location was an abandoned packing plant near the river.
I parked outside.
The doors stood open.
No vehicles.
No guards.
Too quiet.
I entered through the loading bay.
A single light burned in the center of the warehouse.
A woman sat tied to a metal chair.
A hood covered her head.
Blood darkened one sleeve.
I moved slowly.
“Lily?”
The woman jerked at the sound of my voice.
I removed the hood.
It was not my daughter.
She was younger.
Maybe twenty-five.
Terrified.
Tape covered her mouth.
I removed it.
She gasped.
“You’re Arthur Cole?”
“Who are you?”
“Rachel Dunn.”
“Richard’s assistant.”
“Where is Lily?”
“I don’t know.”
“They grabbed me from the estate.”
“Who?”
“Two men.”
“One called the other Mason.”
I cut the restraints.
“Why did they bring you here?”
Rachel began crying.
“Because I copied the ledger.”
My eyes narrowed.
“You knew about it?”
“I handled Richard’s payments.”
“I thought they were political donations.”
“Then I found the photographs.”
“The building reports.”
“The insurance files.”
“I copied everything.”
“Where?”
She swallowed.
“Online.”
“Encrypted storage.”
“Richard found out this morning.”
“Who has the access key?”
“Lily.”
The answer struck me.
“What?”
“I hid it in her Easter gift.”
“A small silver egg.”
“She put it in her purse before the party.”
Lily had been taken because they needed the key.
Not because of me.
A phone rang somewhere above us.
I looked toward the metal catwalk.
A man stepped into view.
Black jacket.
Rifle in his hands.
“Thank you, Rachel,” he called down.
“You just told us where to look.”
Three more men emerged behind him.
I moved in front of Rachel.
The first man smiled.
“Commander Cole.”
“Welcome back.”
May you like
Then the warehouse doors slammed shut behind us.
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