Chapter 7
My blood turned cold.
“What do you mean gone?”
Claire was crying so hard I could barely understand her.
“I woke up and her room was empty.”
“Where are you?”
She gave me the name of the hotel where police had moved them.
My father looked furious.
Apparently nobody had told him either.
“Did she leave a note?”
“No.”
“Her phone?”
“Gone.”
“Did anyone see her leave?”
“I don’t know.”
Margaret was already calling Detective Ortiz.
I tried to keep my voice steady.
“Claire, listen to me. Have you talked to Richard?”
“No.”
“Has he contacted you?”
“Yes.”
Everyone looked at me.
“What did he say?”
“He sent one message.”
“What?”
Claire started crying again.
“He said, ‘Families belong together.’”
My stomach twisted.
“Did you show the police?”
“Yes.”
“We’re coming.”
My father immediately shook his head.
“No.”
I covered the phone.
“I’m not asking.”
“This could be a trap.”
“Then come with me.”
He stared.
For once, he had no argument.
The hotel security footage showed Sophie leaving alone at 6:17 that morning.
Hoodie.
Backpack.
Baseball cap.
She walked through a service exit and got into a city bus.
No one followed her.
Detective Ortiz replayed it.
“She left voluntarily.”
Claire shook her head.
“She wouldn’t.”
I sat beside her.
“Has she ever run away?”
“Never.”
“Did you argue?”
“No.”
“Did she seem afraid?”
Claire looked down.
“She heard me talking to the police last night.”
“About what?”
“Her father.”
Claire wiped her eyes.
“I told them things.”
Nobody pushed.
Finally she said, “Things Richard did to me.”
I took her hand.
Sophie might have heard more than Claire intended.
Ortiz said, “We’re tracking the transit card.”
A young officer entered.
“Detective.”
He handed Ortiz a printout.
She read it.
“Sophie got off near Belmont Harbor.”
Claire stood.
“Why?”
Then she froze.
“Oh my God.”
“What?”
“My mother.”
Claire grabbed her coat.
“She had a condo near there.”
“Is it still in the family?”
“No. She died two years ago. We sold it.”
“Would Sophie know that?”
“Yes.”
Claire shook her head.
“But there’s somewhere else.”
We drove north.
Not to the condo.
To a small public garden beside the lake.
Claire explained Sophie’s grandmother used to take her there every Sunday.
“She called it their secret place.”
We found Sophie sitting on a bench.
Alone.
Alive.
Claire jumped out before the car fully stopped.
“Sophie!”
Sophie looked up.
Her face crumpled.
Claire ran to her.
I stayed back.
So did my father.
Mother and daughter held each other for a long time.
Then Sophie said, “I’m sorry.”
Claire grabbed her shoulders.
“Why would you do this?”
“I thought Dad would find you because of me.”
Claire went still.
“What?”
Sophie looked at me.
“He tracks my phone.”
Ortiz stepped closer.
“How do you know?”
“He put an app on it.”
Claire stared.
“What app?”
“I don’t know. Dad said it was for emergencies.”
“Where’s your phone now?”
Sophie reached into her backpack.
Ortiz immediately told everyone not to touch it.
A technician placed it inside a signal-blocking bag.
Sophie rubbed her arms.
“I heard Mom tell police Dad always knew where we were.”
She looked ashamed.
“I thought maybe it was me.”
Claire started crying.
“No, baby.”
“I left because I thought if I got away from you, Dad would follow me.”
My chest hurt.
A sixteen-year-old girl had tried to become bait to protect her mother.
Richard had done that.
Not with one dramatic act.
With years of fear.
Claire hugged her.
“You never protect me by disappearing.”
Sophie whispered, “I didn’t know what else to do.”
I looked away.
My father was watching me.
There was something in his eyes.
Maybe he finally understood why I kept refusing to hide.
Protection could become another cage if you weren’t careful.
Ortiz’s phone rang.
She walked away.
When she returned, her expression had changed.
“We located Marcus Reed.”
My father stiffened.
“Where?”
“Indiana.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Did he surrender?”
“No. State police stopped him for speeding.”
I almost laughed at the absurdity.
“How does a man involved in all this get caught speeding?”
Ortiz’s mouth twitched.
“Criminals disappoint everyone.”
My father stepped forward.
“Is he talking?”
“He asked for an attorney.”
“Of course.”
“There’s more.”
She looked at me.
“The Caldwell vehicle he was driving contained twenty thousand dollars in cash.”
“And?”
“And a Bennett Capital security badge.”
My father frowned.
“Whose?”
Ortiz hesitated.
“Daniel Jr.”
My stomach dropped.
“No.”
My father’s face became stone.
“He said his credentials were stolen.”
“The badge may support that.”
“May?”
“We need evidence, Mr. Bennett.”
I asked, “Does my brother know?”
“Not yet.”
“I’ll tell him.”
Ortiz shook her head.
“No. Let us.”
“That’s my brother.”
“And this is an investigation.”
I hated that she was right.
My phone vibrated.
This time it was Daniel.
I stared at his name.
Then I answered.
“Emily.”
He sounded breathless.
“Where are you?”
“Why?”
“I just got a call from building security.”
My father moved closer.
Daniel continued.
“Victor ordered my office sealed.”
“What?”
“He says I’m suspended pending investigation into unauthorized access of Caldwell files.”
My father swore.
Daniel’s voice broke.
“Em, they think I stole company records.”
“No.”
“Somebody planted something, didn’t they?”
I looked at Ortiz.
She gave nothing away.
“Daniel, don’t talk to anyone without Margaret.”
“You know I didn’t do this.”
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.”
It was the first answer I gave without hesitation.
“Yes, I know.”
He exhaled shakily.
Then he whispered, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What?”
“I met Richard Caldwell last month.”
My eyes opened.
My father heard.
His face changed.
“Why?”
Daniel went silent.
May you like
Then he said the words I least wanted to hear.
“Because Victor asked me to.”
