Chapter 9 - THE PRICE OF A CHILD
The SUV belonged to a dead company.
The dead company belonged to another dead company.
By 8:40 p.m., police had nothing.
By 8:47, Evelyn did.
Claire found a toll camera hit.
Southbound.
Heading toward an abandoned Cross Holdings distribution center near Joliet.
Rachel insisted on going.
Detective Price refused.
Evelyn ignored him.
By 9:23, they were parked half a mile from the warehouse.
Police units surrounded the property.
No sirens.
No lights.
Evelyn stared through binoculars.
One light burned inside.
Rachel sat beside her.
“If he hurts Noah—”
“He won't.”
“You don't know that.”
“No.”
Evelyn lowered the binoculars.
“But Ethan wants something.”
Her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Evelyn Cross.”
A man's voice replied.
“You always answer like you're in a board meeting?”
“Ethan.”
Rachel leaned closer.
“Put Noah on.”
Ethan laughed.
“You're not in a position to demand anything.”
Evelyn's voice went flat.
“What do you want?”
“The records.”
“No.”
Rachel grabbed her arm.
Evelyn didn't look at her.
Ethan paused.
“You're willing to gamble with the kid?”
“No.”
“Then bring me Daniel's documents.”
“You'll kill us after.”
Ethan laughed again.
“You've been watching too many movies.”
“No.”
Evelyn's eyes remained on the warehouse.
“I've been dealing with men like you my entire life.”
Silence.
Then Noah's voice came faintly through the phone.
“Aunt Evelyn?”
Evelyn froze.
Rachel covered her mouth.
“Noah.”
“I'm okay.”
Someone struck something near him.
Noah gasped.
Rachel whispered, “Baby.”
Evelyn's voice changed.
“Listen to me.”
“Okay.”
“Don't be brave.”
Noah was quiet.
“What?”
“Don't fight them.”
“Don't try to run unless you know you're safe.”
“Watch.”
“Listen.”
“Remember.”
Ethan grabbed the phone.
“Touching.”
Evelyn's face hardened again.
“One hour.”
“No police.”
“You know I brought police.”
Ethan paused.
Evelyn continued.
“So let's stop wasting each other's time.”
Rachel stared at her.
“You want the records?”
“Yes.”
“Then Noah walks out first.”
“No.”
“Then burn the records yourself.”
Ethan's voice sharpened.
“You think I'm bluffing?”
“I think you need those files more than you need that boy.”
Silence.
Evelyn knew she'd hit something.
She pushed harder.
“Which means Noah is valuable alive.”
Ethan whispered, “You sound like your father.”
Evelyn's face changed.
“No.”
A beat.
“I sound like the daughter who survived him.”
She ended the call.
Rachel stared at her.
“You hung up?”
“He'll call back.”
“You don't know that!”
Evelyn turned.
“Rachel.”
“No.”
“You are not doing that cold executive thing with me.”
“I am trying to get your son home.”
“He is your nephew.”
Evelyn stopped.
Rachel's voice cracked.
“Stop saying my son like he's only mine when you're scared.”
Evelyn looked away.
Rachel grabbed her hand.
“He called you Aunt Evelyn.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“He barely knows me.”
“He knows you ran into a moving car for him.”
They stood in silence.
Then Evelyn's phone rang.
Ethan.
She answered.
“Thirty minutes.”
Evelyn looked toward Detective Price.
He nodded.
They had a plan.
Or something close enough to one.
Evelyn said, “Agreed.”
Ethan gave her instructions.
She would enter alone.
With the case.
No police.
No Rachel.
No tracking devices.
Evelyn smiled faintly.
“Fine.”
She ended the call.
Price looked at her.
“You're not going in alone.”
“Yes.”
Rachel stepped forward.
“No.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“I know how men like Ethan think.”
“And?”
“They think love makes people weak.”
Rachel's eyes filled.
May you like
Evelyn picked up the metal case.
“So I'm going to let him believe it.”
