Chapter 5 - SHE DIDN'T GIVE LEAH AWAY
417 Willow Street was an abandoned house on the edge of town.
At least, that's what the city records said.
There were no lights.
No cars.
No signs that anyone had lived there for years.
Nah wanted to come.
I told her no.
She stared at me.
"Absolutely not."
I sighed.
"You told me never to walk into a trap without a plan."
"And this isn't a plan."
"I'll call you every five minutes."
"That's not enough."
"I'll keep the location shared."
She crossed her arms.
"Ten minutes."
"Twenty."
"Fifteen."
"Deal."
I drove there alone.
The street was empty.
Snow covered the sidewalks.
The house looked abandoned.
I unlocked the front door with the key from the box.
It opened.
Inside, there was one lamp.
A table.
Two chairs.
And a woman standing near the window.
She turned.
I stopped breathing.
Emily Carter.
Older.
Thinner.
But alive.
She looked at me.
"Graham."
I couldn't speak.
"You look like your father."
I finally managed:
"Where have you been?"
"Running."
"From my mother?"
"From everyone."
"Why?"
She looked toward the photograph in my hand.
"Because your mother didn't want me to tell you what happened."
"What happened to Leah?"
Emily closed her eyes.
"She was never abandoned."
I felt my chest tighten.
"Then why did I think she was?"
"Because that's what your mother wanted everyone to believe."
"Why?"
Emily sat down.
"Because she wanted control."
"Over Leah?"
"Over you."
I stared.
"What?"
"Your mother knew your grandfather intended to leave you control of the family foundation."
I frowned.
"What does that have to do with Leah?"
"Everything."
Emily explained.
My grandfather had discovered my mother's involvement in the private adoption network.
He intended to expose it.
But he needed evidence.
Emily had the evidence.
My mother knew.
She tried to force Emily to hand it over.
Emily refused.
Then my mother threatened Leah.
"She said she'd take my daughter away."
"But you didn't let her."
"I tried."
Emily's voice broke.
"I ran."
"Where?"
"To your grandfather."
He hid Emily and Leah temporarily.
Then he contacted me.
"Why me?"
"Because he believed you were the only person your mother couldn't control."
I shook my head.
"I didn't even know you."
"You didn't need to."
Emily smiled sadly.
"You loved Leah immediately."
I remembered.
The little girl in the hospital.
The way she'd reached for me.
The way I'd stayed beside her.
"You arranged the adoption."
Emily nodded.
"I asked your grandfather to make sure Leah went to someone who would protect her."
"And he chose me."
"He watched you."
I looked down.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because your mother was watching."
"She knew?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't she stop the adoption?"
Emily looked at me.
"Because your grandfather had already activated the trust."
I understood.
"If she tried to interfere, she would lose everything."
"Exactly."
I sat down.
"Then why the Christmas chair?"
Emily's expression changed.
"Because she wanted to test you."
"Test me?"
"She wanted to know whether you would choose Leah over the family."
I laughed bitterly.
"She already knew the answer."
"No."
Emily shook her head.
"She hoped you had changed."
"Why?"
"Because she wanted you to inherit everything."
I stared.
"Everything?"
"Your grandfather's estate."
"The foundation."
"The property."
"The investments."
"Yes."
"And if I chose Leah?"
Emily looked toward the window.
"Then your mother loses control."
I thought about the envelope.
The trust.
The house.
The foundation.
Suddenly, the Christmas dinner made sense.
My mother had expected me to stay quiet.
She expected Leah to endure the humiliation.
She expected me to choose the family image over my daughter.
Instead, I'd walked away.
Emily stood.
"There's one more thing."
"What?"
She handed me a flash drive.
"Your mother doesn't know I have this."
I stared at it.
"What's on it?"
"Proof."
"Proof of what?"
"Everything."
I looked at the drive.
"Why give it to me now?"
"Because I can't keep running."
She took a breath.
"Your mother knows where I am."
My blood froze.
"What?"
"She found me yesterday."
"Then we need to leave."
"No."
Emily shook her head.
"It's too late."
My phone rang.
Nah.
I answered.
"Graham."
Her voice was shaking.
"Where are you?"
"Willow Street."
Silence.
Then:
"Get out."
"Why?"
"I saw someone outside."
I looked toward the window.
A black SUV had stopped across the street.
The driver's door opened.
A man stepped out.
I recognized him.
Daniel Voss.
The investigator who had followed Emily.
I grabbed the flash drive.
"Emily, we have to go."
She nodded.
We ran toward the back door.
Then a loud crash shook the house.
Someone had kicked in the front door.
Emily grabbed my arm.
"There's a tunnel beneath the kitchen."
"What?"
"Your grandfather built it."
We ran.
Behind us, footsteps thundered through the house.
I opened the kitchen door.
There was a trapdoor beneath an old rug.
I pulled it open.
A narrow staircase disappeared into darkness.
Emily pointed.
"Go."
I helped her down.
Then I heard a man's voice above us.
"Mr. Reed."
Daniel Voss.
"Your mother wants her daughter back."
I froze.
Emily grabbed my hand.
"Don't listen."
I looked at her.
"My daughter?"
She shook her head.
"He's not talking about Leah."
My heart stopped.
"Then who?"
Emily looked at me.
And whispered:
"Your mother has another child."
The trapdoor slammed shut above us.
May you like
And somewhere in the darkness beneath the house...
a baby began crying.
