Chapter 34 - THE ESCAPEThe news reached us within minutes.
Arthur had escaped during a transfer.
No broken locks.
No dead guards.
No gunfire.
He simply walked out.
Someone had opened the door.
Someone with access.
My father looked at me.
"This isn't over."
I shook my head.
"No."
I looked at Leah.
"Now it's personal."
Michael called.
"I've been tracking the accounts."
"What did you find?"
"Someone transferred money this morning."
"Arthur?"
"No."
"Who?"
Michael hesitated.
"Your mother's account."
My stomach dropped.
"My mother?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"Enough to disappear."
Sarah stepped closer.
"She's running."
"Why?"
Michael said:
"Because she received a message."
"What message?"
He read it.
THE GIRL IS SAFE. COME HOME.
I stared at the screen.
"The girl?"
Michael nodded.
"That's what it says."
My father suddenly stood.
"Where is your mother?"
"We don't know."
Evelyn looked terrified.
"I know where she'll go."
"Where?"
"Back to the estate."
We returned that night.
The Whitmore house looked exactly as I remembered.
But now every hallway felt different.
Every room held a secret.
We searched the study.
Nothing.
The kitchen.
Nothing.
The basement.
Nothing.
Then Leah stopped.
"Dad."
"What?"
She pointed toward the wall.
"There."
A small scratch was visible beneath an old painting.
I moved it.
Behind it was a keypad.
I entered the only number I could think of.
Leah's birthday.
The door opened.
Inside was a small room.
There were no documents.
No money.
Only photographs.
Hundreds.
My mother.
Arthur.
My father.
Sarah.
Daniel.
And Leah.
But one photograph stopped me.
It showed my mother holding Leah.
The date was nine years earlier.
Underneath was a note.
She was never supposed to be Graham's daughter.
I stared.
Another photograph.
My mother standing beside Arthur.
Then another.
My mother meeting Sarah.
Then another.
My mother handing a baby to Daniel.
Leah.
I turned toward my mother.
But she wasn't there.
A sound came from behind us.
The door slammed shut.
The lights went out.
Leah screamed.
I grabbed her.
"Stay with me!"
A voice came through a speaker.
My mother's voice.
"Graham."
I froze.
"Mom?"
"I'm sorry."
"Where are you?"
"You were never supposed to find this room."
"Where is Leah's mother?"
"Safe."
"Where is Arthur?"
"Coming."
I felt cold.
"Why?"
"Because he wants Leah."
"Why?"
A pause.
Then my mother said:
"Because he finally knows what is inside her."
I stared into the darkness.
"What does that mean?"
Her voice trembled.
"The records weren't stored in a bank."
"They weren't on the flash drive."
"They weren't in the foundation."
I looked at Leah.
"What are you talking about?"
My mother's voice became barely audible.
"Sarah hid the master key inside Leah."
I felt my blood run cold.
"What?"
"Not physically."
"Then where?"
"She memorized it."
I stared at Leah.
She was nine.
She had no idea what they were talking about.
My mother continued:
"Arthur doesn't need the records."
"He needs Leah's memory."
The speaker went silent.
Then a new voice replaced hers.
Arthur.
"Hello, Graham."
I grabbed Leah.
"Where are you?"
He laughed softly.
"Closer than you think."
Then the lights came back on.
May you like
And we saw him.
Standing behind the glass wall.
