Chapter 8 - THE SCHOOL BUS
Police protection arrived the next morning.
Too late.
Lily wasn’t at school.
Because she had never arrived.
Jenna had personally watched her board the bus from the hospital safe house.
The bus arrived at school twenty-eight minutes later.
Lily wasn’t on it.
The driver swore she had been.
Security video showed Lily sitting in the fourth row.
Then the bus stopped because a dark SUV was blocking the road.
A man wearing a reflective vest boarded.
He told the driver there had been a gas leak near the school.
He carried paperwork.
He knew Lily’s name.
He said her mother had authorized alternate transportation.
The driver believed him.
The footage showed Lily refusing to move.
Then the man leaned close and whispered something.
Lily went pale.
She got off.
“What did he say?”
I screamed at the screen.
Nobody knew.
Ruiz sent an Amber Alert.
Daniel became a wanted fugitive.
Every camera in the city started looking for the SUV.
I couldn’t breathe.
“She knew not to go with strangers.”
Ruiz held my shoulders.
“He probably threatened you.”
That was exactly what he had done.
Three hours later, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Mom?”
My knees gave out.
“Lily!”
“I’m okay.”
“Where are you?”
Daniel’s voice replaced hers.
“Claire.”
I gripped the phone.
“If you touch her—”
“You’re finally listening.”
“Let her go.”
“I will.”
“What do you want?”
“The Walker trust originals.”
Marcus shook his head violently.
Ruiz motioned for me to keep him talking.
“I don’t have them.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No.”
“Michael hid them.”
“I don’t know where.”
Daniel laughed softly.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
My nails dug into my palm.
“You slapped an eight-year-old child.”
“And somehow I’m still the villain in your version.”
“You kidnapped her.”
“I protected my investment.”
My stomach turned.
“She’s a child.”
“She’s an inheritance.”
Ruiz’s expression became murderous.
Daniel continued.
“Bring me the original trust documents and the title deed.”
“Where?”
“I’ll call again.”
“Let me hear her.”
Silence.
Then Lily returned.
“Mom?”
“I’m here.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. Listen to me. None of this is your fault.”
“He said Grandpa’s box has another compartment.”
I froze.
Daniel grabbed the phone.
“What did you say?”
Lily screamed.
The call ended.
Ruiz immediately started shouting orders.
Marcus looked at me.
“Another compartment?”
I thought about the box.
The wooden strip beneath Michael’s desk.
We raced back to the house under police escort.
Ruiz dismantled the hiding place.
Behind the first cavity was another panel.
Inside sat a sealed envelope.
A key.
And a handwritten note from Henry.
The land is not the reason they want Claire.
It’s what Michael buried beneath it.
I stared at the key.
May you like
On the tag were three words.
STORAGE UNIT 317.
