Chapter 21 - The Voice in the Dark
The call had been dead for less than ten seconds when the room erupted.
“Trace it.”
The investigator was already moving.
“Get me every tower hit around this building. Every camera within a five-mile radius. I want traffic feeds, private security, everything.”
Two officers ran toward the doors.
Anna was still clutching Samuel against her chest.
Diane sat frozen in the chair, staring at the phone in my hand as if it had become something alive.
Evan didn't move.
He was looking at the note.
Find Lucas.
But whatever you do…
Do not let him meet his mother.
I read it again.
Then again.
My hands were shaking.
“Why would David write that?” I whispered.
Diane covered her face.
“I don't know.”
“You must know something.”
“I told you. I was told my baby died.”
“By who?”
“By the hospital.”
Richard laughed from across the room.
It was quiet.
Almost amused.
The investigator turned toward him.
“You find something funny?”
Richard leaned back against the wall, blood soaking through the sleeve of his shirt.
“You're all asking the wrong question.”
Evan stepped toward him.
“Shut up.”
Richard looked at him.
“The question isn't why David wanted Lucas hidden.”
He smiled.
“The question is why he needed Lucas hidden from Diane.”
Diane suddenly stood.
“You knew.”
Richard said nothing.
“You knew my son was alive.”
Richard's smile faded.
“I knew he was valuable.”
Evan crossed the room so fast that one of the officers stepped between them.
“You sold a child?”
Richard didn't blink.
“I protected an asset.”
“He was a baby!”
“And your father built an empire around people treating human beings like assets.”
Evan's fists tightened.
The investigator stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Anna's voice came from behind us.
“Where is Victor?”
Everyone looked at her.
She was staring directly at Richard.
“You knew he was alive before tonight.”
Richard didn't answer.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Months ago.”
Anna took a step forward.
“And you still let us believe he was dead?”
Richard shrugged.
“Dead men are useful.”
Her face twisted with anger.
“You destroyed my life.”
“I preserved yours.”
“You shot at me.”
“I missed.”
“You told everyone I was dead.”
“You disappeared yourself.”
“You left my child without a mother.”
Richard looked at Samuel.
“I left your child alive.”
Anna went pale.
The room fell silent.
I felt something cold move through my stomach.
“What are you saying?”
Richard looked at me.
“Victor didn't want Anna dead.”
Anna stared at him.
“He wanted her gone.”
“Why?”
“Because she knew too much.”
“About what?”
Richard looked toward the trust deed in my hand.
“About the transfer.”
“What transfer?”
He smiled.
“You haven't opened the second envelope.”
The investigator frowned.
“What second envelope?”
Richard glanced at my hand.
“The one hidden inside the deed.”
I turned the papers over.
Nothing.
Evan came closer.
“There's a seam.”
He was right.
A tiny fold ran along the inside edge of the leather cover.
I slipped my fingernail beneath it.
A thin white envelope came loose.
No name.
No seal.
Just one word written across the front.
LUCAS.
Diane made a broken sound.
“No.”
I looked at her.
She shook her head violently.
“Don't.”
“Mom,” Evan said softly.
Diane backed away.
“Don't open it.”
I looked at Anna.
Then Samuel.
Then Evan.
The investigator stepped closer.
“Open it.”
I pulled the paper free.
Inside was a photograph.
A little boy.
Maybe six.
Dark hair.
Serious eyes.
He was sitting beside a lake.
On the back of the photo was a date.
Four years ago.
And one sentence.
He knows his name.
I flipped the photograph over.
There was another piece of paper.
A handwritten list.
Three locations.
One church.
One motel.
One abandoned property outside the city.
Next to the abandoned property was a single word.
WATCHED.
The investigator grabbed the paper.
“This could be current.”
My phone vibrated.
Everyone froze.
A new message.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
There was no text.
Only a photograph.
A dark bedroom.
A narrow bed.
A lamp.
And Lucas standing in the corner.
Alive.
His face was turned toward the camera.
Behind him was a man whose face had been deliberately blurred.
The investigator swore.
“When was this taken?”
Another message appeared.
One minute ago.
Then another.
You shouldn't have opened the envelope.
Evan looked at me.
“Call him.”
“I don't know if he'll answer.”
“Try.”
I pressed the number.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then Lucas answered.
I heard breathing.
Very quiet.
“Lucas?”
Silence.
“It's Natalie.”
His voice finally came.
“You opened the letter.”
“Yes.”
“You weren't supposed to.”
“Who took you?”
Another pause.
“I don't know.”
“Does Victor have you?”
“I don't know if his name is Victor.”
“You just told me it was.”
“He said his name was Victor.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“I know.”
I heard something in the background.
A door.
Lucas whispered.
“He's coming.”
Evan leaned closer.
“Lucas, listen to me. We're going to find you.”
The boy's voice shook for the first time.
“Don't come here.”
“Why?”
“Because he'll kill somebody.”
“Who?”
Lucas answered so softly that I almost missed it.
“Your brother.”
Evan went still.
“My brother?”
Lucas swallowed.
“He says he already killed one family.”
The call ended.
No one spoke.
Then the investigator grabbed his radio.
“All units, change the priority. This is now a child-abduction case with a known violent suspect.”
Diane started crying.
Evan looked at me.
And I realized something.
Lucas hadn't sounded like a kidnapped child.
May you like
He had sounded like someone protecting us.
That scared me more than anything.
