Chapter 11 - THE BORDER ROAD
We didn't chase Victor ourselves.
Christopher wanted to.
I wanted to.
Federal agents refused.
For once, somebody had more authority than my father.
A statewide alert went out.
Border Patrol received Toby’s photograph.
Roadblocks were established along major routes south.
Then Victor disappeared.
His SUV was found abandoned outside Casa Grande.
Empty.
No Toby.
No Victor.
My fear became physical.
I couldn't sit.
Couldn't eat.
Couldn't breathe normally.
Hours passed.
At 6:40 p.m., Chad called from federal custody.
I almost refused.
Then answered.
“Where is my son?”
“I don't know.”
“Wrong answer.”
“Genevieve, listen.”
“You have ten seconds.”
“Victor has a pilot.”
I froze.
“What?”
“He owns a small airstrip through a shell company.”
“Where?”
“I don't know exactly.”
“Then you're useless.”
“Wait!”
I nearly disconnected.
“He called it Red Feather.”
Christopher looked up.
He was listening.
Naomi immediately searched.
Nothing.
Then Chad added:
“It used to belong to somebody named Daniel Rusk.”
Christopher knew the name.
I saw it.
“Who?”
He grabbed another phone.
“Former rancher. Died ten years ago.”
Naomi found the property.
Forty miles southeast.
Federal agents moved.
Christopher looked at me.
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Genevieve.”
“That is my child.”
“You will make them manage two hostages instead of one.”
I hated him for being right.
Twenty-eight minutes later, agents reached the airstrip.
The hangar was open.
The small plane was gone.
My knees buckled.
Then an agent shouted through the radio.
“Child located!”
I stopped breathing.
Toby was found inside an equipment shed.
Alive.
Terrified.
But alive.
Victor had left him behind.
Why?
An hour later, Toby was in my arms.
I held him so tightly he complained.
“Mommy, I can't breathe.”
I laughed and cried at the same time.
“Sorry.”
He looked at Christopher.
“Who’s that?”
My father froze.
I smiled through tears.
“That’s your grandfather.”
Toby considered him.
“You’re old.”
Christopher actually laughed.
“Yes.”
“Do you have snacks?”
“I can acquire some.”
For one beautiful minute, the world felt normal.
Then Toby reached into his pocket.
“The bad man gave me this.”
A flash drive.
Christopher and I exchanged a look.
“What did he say?” I asked.
“He said Grandpa would understand.”
Back at the office, Naomi opened the drive on an isolated computer.
One file.
Video.
Victor appeared onscreen.
“If you're watching this, Christopher, you found the boy.”
My father’s face went stone cold.
Victor continued.
“The child was never part of our fight.”
I whispered:
“At least he has one limit.”
Christopher said nothing.
Victor leaned toward the camera.
“But Genevieve deserves the truth.”
A document appeared.
Old.
Dated thirty-nine years ago.
Christopher moved toward the screen.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
The document contained my grandfather’s signature.
And one sentence highlighted in yellow.
MERIDIAN SHALL TRANSFER ONLY UPON THE DEATH OF CHRISTOPHER LINDQVIST.
I stared at my father.
“You said it transfers when I turn forty.”
Christopher looked suddenly older.
“I lied.”
May you like
And now I finally knew why Victor hadn't killed me.
He needed my father dead first.
