Chapter 11 - MATTEO DISAPPEARS
Maria screamed his name.
“Matteo!”
They searched the bedroom.
Bathroom.
Closet.
Hall.
Nothing.
Richard grabbed a security radio.
“Lock every exit.”
The reply came through.
“Sir, east service door is open.”
Maria ran.
Richard followed.
Outside, rain hammered the lawn.
A stuffed rabbit lay in the mud.
Maria stopped.
“No.”
She picked it up.
One ear was torn.
“No.”
Richard reached her.
She turned and hit him in the chest.
“This is your fault!”
He did not move.
“This is your house!”
“I know.”
“Your brother!”
“I know.”
“My baby!”
Her voice broke.
Richard caught her wrists gently.
“I will get him back.”
“You don’t know that.”
His eyes locked on hers.
“I will.”
Police traced cameras.
A black SUV had exited through an old delivery lane during the garage explosion.
Frank had seen nothing because the camera feed froze for ninety seconds.
Inside the SUV sat a man wearing a baseball cap.
Matteo in the back seat.
Alive.
Maria nearly collapsed with relief.
Detective Monroe studied the video.
“He’s not crying.”
Maria stared.
“He’s scared.”
“How can you tell?”
“He rubs his thumb against his finger when he’s scared.”
Richard leaned closer.
Matteo was doing exactly that.
Then Richard saw something else.
“He’s pointing.”
At every intersection, Matteo briefly lifted one finger.
Left.
Right.
Straight.
Maria blinked.
“He’s showing us the route.”
Richard looked at her.
“How would he know?”
Maria almost laughed through tears.
“He likes maps.”
“Four-year-olds like maps?”
“This one does.”
They followed traffic cameras.
The SUV headed north.
Toward an abandoned property once owned by a Whitfield subsidiary.
Richard knew the place.
An old equestrian estate near Bedford.
Police prepared a tactical team.
Maria grabbed her coat.
Monroe stopped her.
“You’re not coming.”
“That’s my son.”
“That’s exactly why.”
Maria stepped closer.
“You think I’m sitting in a room while strangers rescue my child?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Richard touched her shoulder.
She turned.
“You too?”
“No.”
He looked at Monroe.
“She knows Matteo better than anyone.”
Monroe sighed.
“She stays in the command vehicle.”
Maria nodded.
That was enough.
The Bedford property appeared through thick trees.
No lights.
No movement.
Police surrounded it.
Inside, Matteo sat tied to a chair.
Daniel Whitfield crouched in front of him.
“You know your mother caused a lot of trouble?”
Matteo stared at him.
“No.”
Daniel smiled.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“My mama is good.”
Daniel’s smile faded.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Adults lie.”
“My mama doesn’t.”
Daniel stood.
Thomas paced near the window.
“You shouldn’t have taken the kid.”
“We needed leverage.”
“We needed leverage against Richard, not a federal kidnapping charge.”
Daniel laughed.
“You suddenly care about charges?”
Thomas looked at Matteo.
“He’s four.”
“So?”
Thomas said nothing.
Daniel noticed.
“Oh, don’t grow a conscience now.”
Outside, police moved closer.
Matteo rubbed his fingers together.
Then he saw a small red light through the window.
Laser.
He remembered a cartoon.
Police.
He looked at Thomas.
“I need to pee.”
Daniel groaned.
Thomas untied one wrist.
“Fine.”
Matteo kicked him in the shin.
Then ran.
Daniel shouted.
Thomas grabbed for him.
The front windows exploded inward.
Police stormed the room.
Gunfire erupted.
Maria heard it from the command vehicle.
May you like
She screamed.
Then the radio went silent.
