Chapter 6 - THE PRICE OF A CHILD
“No.”
Hannah’s answer came before anyone asked.
“No. Absolutely not.”
She held Ellie so tightly the little girl could barely move.
Adrian read the message again.
BRING THE GIRL WHO SAW THE POISON.
LOCATION IN 20 MINUTES.
COME ALONE.
Hannah stared at him.
“You are not using my daughter as bait.”
“I’m not.”
“You people always say that right before somebody gets used as bait.”
Adrian handed the phone to Marco.
“Trace it.”
“Already trying.”
Hannah shook with anger.
“If Rachel dies—”
“She won’t.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at Ellie.
“But I can promise they won’t get her.”
Ellie looked up.
“Is Aunt Rachel hurt?”
Hannah knelt.
“She’s scared right now.”
“Because of me?”
“No.”
Ellie’s eyes moved to Adrian.
“Bad people want me?”
Adrian crouched.
“Yes.”
Hannah shot him a furious look.
“You don’t tell a four-year-old that.”
“I don’t lie to children about danger.”
Ellie hugged Rosie.
“Are you a bad person?”
The room went silent.
Marco looked away.
Hannah closed her eyes.
Adrian answered carefully.
“I’ve done bad things.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Adrian almost laughed despite himself.
“No.”
Ellie studied him.
“Okay.”
That simple trust hurt more than any accusation.
Marco’s laptop beeped.
“Got something.”
A location appeared.
Abandoned freight terminal near Red Hook.
“Could be spoofed.”
“Of course it is,” Adrian said. “But they want us there.”
Hannah stood.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“My sister is tied to a chair because of your family.”
“And I’m getting her back.”
“You don’t get to order me around.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You want Ellie coming with us?”
Hannah stopped.
“No.”
“Then stay here with her.”
Marco interrupted.
“Boss, there’s another option.”
He turned the laptop.
A traffic camera showed Vincent’s black SUV entering the freight district.
Clear image.
Same plate.
“We can hit the warehouse before the deadline.”
Adrian picked up his jacket.
Dr. Greene stepped into the doorway.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Adrian walked past him.
“Apparently I am.”
“You just had an anaphylactic event.”
“Write me a bad review.”
Twenty minutes later, Adrian and Marco sat in a black armored SUV with four men behind them.
Hannah remained at the estate with Ellie.
At least that was the plan.
What nobody saw was Ellie slipping out of the bedroom.
She had heard Marco say Red Hook.
She had heard Hannah crying.
And she remembered something else.
The blond woman near Vincent’s car.
Ellie had seen her before.
Not that day.
Weeks earlier.
Standing outside their apartment building.
Watching Hannah.
Ellie found Marco’s forgotten phone on the hallway table.
She pressed the picture button by accident.
The screen opened to a security still.
The blond woman.
Ellie whispered,
“That’s the lady.”
Then she noticed something in the background of the photo.
A symbol painted on the warehouse wall.
A red crown.
Ellie had seen that too.
On a tattoo.
On the wrist of someone inside Adrian’s house.
Someone who was still there.
May you like
She ran back toward her mother.
But before she reached the room, a hand covered her mouth.
