Chapter 10 - The Red Truck
Sarah’s scream brought everyone running.
Marco reached the rear window first.
A child’s shoe lay beneath it.
Across the service road, a red pickup pulled away.
Sarah ran through the office and out the front door.
“Emily!”
Brooks shouted into her radio.
Marco reached his car.
Vincent climbed in beside him.
Sarah yanked open the back door.
“Drive.”
The pickup turned toward the marina.
Marco followed at a distance while Brooks called out their location over the phone.
Sarah watched the rear window of the truck.
A small hand struck the glass.
“There. She’s there.”
Vincent’s stomach tightened.
A man sat beside Emily.
The photograph had been enough.
The promise had been enough.
Eight years old, and she had climbed through a window because somebody told her father was waiting.
The truck reached a railway crossing.
The lights began flashing.
Its driver accelerated.
Marco braked as the barrier dropped.
“Go around!” Sarah shouted.
A freight train thundered between them.
Marco took the next street.
Brooks directed him toward a second access road.
By the time they reached the marina, the truck was abandoned.
Sarah opened the passenger door.
Emily’s other shoe lay on the floor.
A folded paper sat beside it.
One of her drawings.
The house.
The red door.
Vincent stood motionless.
He had looked at abandoned cars before.
He had ordered men to find people before.
He had never understood what waiting did to the people left behind.
His phone buzzed.
A video call.
Carlo held the phone toward Emily.
She sat in a chair, crying silently.
“Mom?”
“I’m here, baby.”
“I thought he was Daddy.”
“I know.”
Carlo turned the phone back.
“Now we can speak clearly.”
Brooks signaled for them to keep him talking.
Vincent’s voice went flat.
“Release the child.”
“Bring Sarah. Bring the originals. Leave your men.”
“Take me.”
“I am taking you.”
Behind Carlo, Daniel appeared at the edge of the screen.
He stared at Emily.
Then at the phone.
His voice broke.
“Sarah. Is that our daughter?”
May you like
Carlo smiled.
“Good. Now everybody understands what we have to lose.”
