Chapter 13 - FINDING MIA
I don’t remember getting into Daniel’s car.
I remember screaming at Claire through the phone.
“What do you mean gone?”
“She went downstairs to get ice. I gave her the room key. She never came back.”
“You let her go alone?”
“She was gone sixty seconds!”
Daniel drove like every red light was optional.
Hotel security pulled camera footage.
Mia entered the elevator.
Lobby.
She walked toward the vending area.
Then a woman approached her.
Baseball cap.
Large sunglasses.
They spoke.
Mia followed her outside.
I stared at the image.
“No.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“Who is she?”
I knew.
“Brooke.”
He looked at me.
“What?”
“That’s Brooke.”
Police called her.
No answer.
Detective Owens tracked Brooke’s car.
It was moving north.
Daniel slammed his fist against the wall.
“I knew we shouldn’t trust her.”
I grabbed his wrist.
“Why would Mia go with her?”
Claire whispered, “Brooke told her you were hurt.”
I closed my eyes.
Smart.
Cruel.
Effective.
We found Brooke’s car forty minutes later at an abandoned lake house owned by Mercer Development.
Police surrounded the property.
I refused to stay behind.
So did Daniel.
Owens swore at both of us.
Inside, Mia sat on a couch.
Alive.
Unhurt.
Brooke stood near the window holding a phone.
When Mia saw me, she ran.
“Mom!”
I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around her.
“You never go with anyone. Ever.”
“She said Dad was hurt.”
“I know.”
Mia started crying.
“I’m sorry.”
“No. No, baby.”
Daniel knelt beside us.
Mia threw her arms around him too.
That was the first time she had hugged him.
His face crumpled.
Brooke watched us.
I stood.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I needed leverage.”
“For what?”
“My father.”
Daniel stepped between us.
“Your father tried to have you killed.”
“He’s still my father.”
“So you kidnapped my daughter?”
Brooke shook her head.
“I didn’t hurt her.”
“You terrified her!”
“I needed the ledger.”
Daniel stared at her.
“You knew about the box.”
“My father told me.”
“Why does he want it now?”
Brooke laughed bitterly.
“Because he thinks everything can still disappear.”
“It’s already with the FBI.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“You did this for nothing.”
Brooke staggered back.
Police entered.
Owens raised her weapon.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Brooke slowly lifted her hands.
Mia whispered, “Mom?”
I turned.
She held something.
Brooke’s phone.
“I took it when she went to the bathroom.”
Despite everything, Daniel almost smiled.
“That’s my kid.”
Owens took the phone.
A message flashed across the screen.
V: BRING MIA TO THE LAKE HOUSE. DANIEL WILL TRADE ANYTHING FOR HER.
Daniel stared at the initial.
“V.”
Brooke’s face went white.
“That wasn’t my father.”
Owens looked up.
“Then who?”
May you like
Brooke swallowed.
“Vivian.”
