Chapter 8 - THE CHILDREN IN THE BASEMENT
The boy crawled backward beneath the vehicle.
Cross tried to grab him.
The child slipped through the crowd gathering on the sidewalk.
Noah struggled against Cross.
“Leave him alone!”
Sirens approached from several directions.
Cross looked toward Mrs. De Los Santos’s distant black SUV.
He knew the street was becoming too crowded.
He shoved Noah to the ground.
“This is not over.”
Cross returned to his cruiser and drove away.
The boy came out from behind a newspaper stand.
He still held Noah’s phone.
The upload had completed.
Elena knelt in front of him.
“What is your name?”
“Milo.”
“Where did you see my daughter?”
“In the basement warehouse.”
“Which warehouse?”
Milo pointed toward the waterfront.
“The one with the blue door.”
“They keep kids there when they need someone small.”
Elena’s blood turned cold.
“What do you mean?”
Milo looked down.
“They make us carry boxes.”
“They say police will arrest us if we talk.”
Alexander slowly approached.
“How many children?”
“Seven.”
“Sometimes more.”
Noah stared at the ledger.
The shipping addresses matched several abandoned warehouses.
Mrs. De Los Santos had not only moved stolen jewels.
She had used vulnerable children to transport them.
Milo handed the phone to Noah.
“Valentina told me her mom would come.”
“She said you would believe her.”
Elena fought back tears.
“I do believe her.”
“Where is she now?”
“Vincent took her to the blue-door warehouse.”
“He said she knows where the memory card is.”
Noah touched his shirt pocket.
“They think Valentina has it.”
Milo nodded.
“She told them she swallowed it.”
Despite everything, Noah almost smiled.
“She protected us.”
Alexander looked at the map inside the ledger.
“There are three warehouses with blue entrances.”
Milo pointed to one address.
“That one.”
They found an empty taxi near the curb.
Alexander offered the driver cash.
The driver saw the blood, broken glass, and frightened child.
He shook his head.
“I don’t want trouble.”
Elena opened the door.
“My daughter was kidnapped.”
The driver looked at her face.
Then he unlocked the car.
“Get in.”
They sped toward the East River.
Noah’s phone rang.
The caller ID displayed Valentina’s name.
Elena answered immediately.
“Valentina?”
Vincent’s voice came through instead.
“Bring me the memory card and the ledger.”
“Let me speak to my daughter.”
“No.”
“I need to know she is alive.”
A pause followed.
Then Valentina’s trembling voice came through.
“Mom?”
“I’m coming for you.”
“I know,” Valentina whispered.
Vincent took the phone back.
“You have twenty minutes.”
“If I see police, she disappears.”
The call ended.
Milo looked through the rear window.
A black SUV was following them.
Alexander recognized it.
“Mrs. De Los Santos.”
Noah checked the road ahead.
Another SUV appeared.
They were trapped between two vehicles.
The taxi driver gripped the steering wheel.
“What do I do?”
Elena looked toward the river.
“Drive straight.”
“There’s no road straight ahead!”
May you like
Elena pointed toward a loading dock.
“There is now.”
