Chapter 8
The bomb squad reached Lake Mercer before midnight.
Grace was ordered to remain six miles away.
Adrian ignored the same order.
He arrived at the command point in another vehicle with two security officers.
The moment he stepped out, Grace walked toward him.
“You were told to stay home.”
“So were you.”
“I came with federal agents.”
“I came with Marcus’s team.”
“That isn’t better.”
“No.”
For one second they simply stared at each other.
Then Adrian’s face broke.
“Is he still alive?”
Grace nodded.
“Thermal imaging still shows movement.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
His shoulders dropped.
Grace had never seen relief look so painful.
Ross approached.
“Mr. Harrington, I need you behind the perimeter.”
“Can you get my son out?”
“We’re working on it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means the front door appears wired. Windows may also be alarmed.”
Adrian looked toward the distant dark line of trees.
Beyond them sat the lake house.
And Leo.
“What about the main house?”
“Tactical team has visual on three suspects. We believe Howard is one of them.”
“And the fourth?”
“Possibly Nolan.”
“Where is Theodore?”
“Unknown.”
Grace frowned.
“Wait. Four adults were seen earlier.”
Ross nodded.
“Now only three.”
Everyone looked toward the lake.
Marcus arrived at a run.
“Boat.”
Ross turned.
“What?”
“One of Howard’s boats is missing.”
Adrian’s face hardened.
“Theodore.”
“Or another suspect.”
Ross spoke into his radio.
“Marine unit, expand search.”
Grace looked at the guesthouse feed.
A blurry thermal shape moved inside.
Tiny.
Leo.
He was awake.
She could not hear him.
That was almost worse.
“Why put him in a wired building?” Grace asked.
Marcus answered.
“Leverage.”
“Against what?”
Adrian looked at Claire’s evidence box.
“Against us exposing them.”
Ross’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
He placed it on speaker.
Howard’s voice filled the command vehicle.
“Good evening.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“You son of a—”
Ross raised one hand.
Howard laughed softly.
“I assume Claire’s letter was emotional.”
Adrian’s voice shook.
“If you hurt my son—”
“You still don’t understand your position.”
“I understand enough.”
“No. You think this is about Leo.”
Grace stared at the phone.
Howard continued.
“It’s about forty years of work.”
“Stealing?”
“Building.”
“From children’s hospitals.”
Howard sighed.
“Do you know how wealthy families preserve institutions? We move money where regulators cannot destroy it. We protect assets from incompetent heirs. We make unpleasant decisions.”
Grace could not stay silent.
“You pushed my mother’s treatment aside.”
A pause.
Then Howard said, “Grace.”
Her skin crawled.
“I wondered when you would speak.”
“You knew her.”
“I knew of her.”
“You helped Theodore hurt her.”
“She was given every treatment legally required.”
Grace’s hand tightened into a fist.
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It is the only answer that matters in court.”
Ross watched the trace screen.
Howard continued.
“Margaret should have left matters she did not understand alone.”
Grace’s eyes burned.
“She understood that you were thieves.”
Howard laughed.
“Your mother cleaned rooms.”
“And still had more integrity than every man in that photograph.”
Silence.
Adrian looked at her.
Howard’s voice changed.
“I can see why Claire liked your family.”
Grace froze.
“You knew Claire chose my mother.”
“Yes.”
“And you created fake trust drafts.”
“For contingency.”
“For theft.”
“For stability.”
Adrian stepped closer to the phone.
“What do you want?”
“At last.”
Howard became businesslike.
“The Weston voting shares will be transferred into a temporary management entity.”
“No.”
“Then the boy remains where he is.”
Adrian’s face turned white.
Howard continued.
“You will also sign a statement saying Vivian acted alone in today’s incident.”
Grace stared.
“You want her to take the fall.”
“Vivian became emotional.”
“You recruited her.”
“She accepted money.”
“She pushed a baby into a pool because of your plan.”
“And she will answer for that.”
Grace heard the cold calculation.
Howard would sacrifice Vivian.
Nolan.
Anyone.
“Where is Theodore?” Ross asked.
Howard laughed.
“Listening.”
Grace looked toward the lake.
He was nearby.
Howard said, “You have twenty minutes.”
The call ended.
Ross looked at the trace operator.
“Anything?”
“Signal bounced.”
Marcus slammed his palm against the table.
Adrian reached for the transfer documents Howard had emailed.
“I’ll sign.”
Ross looked at him.
“No.”
Adrian turned.
“My son is inside a wired building.”
“We don’t know that signing helps him.”
“I don’t care.”
Grace stepped toward him.
“Adrian.”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“I have spent all day listening after I should have listened sooner.”
His voice cracked.
“This time I choose Leo.”
Grace held his gaze.
“Then choose what actually saves him.”
He froze.
“If Howard gets what he wants, does he suddenly become trustworthy?”
Adrian said nothing.
“He already tried to frame me.”
Grace pointed toward the lake.
“He used Vivian. He used Nolan. He used your father. He helped Theodore steal for years.”
She moved closer.
“You can sign every paper in the world and he can still leave Leo in that building.”
Adrian’s eyes filled.
“So what am I supposed to do?”
Grace looked at the thermal image.
Then at the old clinic photographs.
Then at Marcus.
“Can Leo hear us?”
Marcus frowned.
“What?”
“Is there any way to contact the guesthouse?”
Ross shook his head.
“Phone line disconnected.”
“Smart speaker?”
“Property is old.”
“Security intercom?”
Marcus looked at the property plan.
“Possibly.”
An agent searched the system.
“Exterior speaker only.”
Grace thought.
“Can we turn it on?”
“Yes.”
“Do it.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What are you thinking?”
“Leo knows my voice.”
Grace’s pulse raced.
“If the bomb squad can tell us where not to move, maybe I can keep him away from the dangerous door.”
Ross hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Connect her.”
A microphone was placed in front of Grace.
The speaker near the guesthouse crackled.
Grace’s hands shook.
She pictured Leo’s face.
His blue cup.
His green cup.
His left foot when tired.
“Leo?”
The thermal shape stopped moving.
Grace covered her mouth.
Adrian stared at the screen.
Grace tried again.
“Leo, sweetheart. It’s Grace.”
The tiny shape shifted.
Then a faint cry came through an exterior microphone.
“Gace!”
Adrian turned away, breaking.
Grace forced herself to continue.
“I’m here.”
“Gace!”
“I know, baby.”
She swallowed tears.
“I need you to do something.”
Leo cried.
Grace kept her voice soft.
“Remember our sleepy game?”
Adrian looked at her.
Grace explained quickly.
“When he’s upset at bedtime, I tell him to find the moon on his blanket and sit on it.”
Ross stared at the thermal screen.
“Can he understand?”
“He can try.”
Grace spoke into the microphone.
“Find the moon, Leo.”
The small heat signature moved.
“Find your moon.”
It moved farther from the front door.
Grace held her breath.
Then stopped.
The bomb technician spoke through the radio.
“Good. He’s in the northwest corner.”
Grace closed her eyes.
“Sit on the moon, sweetheart.”
The shape lowered.
Leo sat.
Adrian started crying silently.
The bomb technician moved.
A robotic unit approached the front porch.
Camera footage showed a wire connected beneath the door.
The robot extended a tool.
Grace kept speaking.
“Good boy.”
Leo whimpered.
“You stay on the moon.”
A sound came through the intercom.
“Da?”
Adrian looked at Grace.
She handed him the microphone.
His hand shook.
“Leo.”
The child cried louder.
“Da!”
“I’m here, buddy.”
Adrian’s voice broke.
“Daddy’s here.”
The bomb technician cut the first wire.
Nothing happened.
“Stay on your moon,” Adrian whispered.
Another wire.
Cut.
Still nothing.
The technician checked the windows.
Then the rear wall.
“Device appears isolated to front entry.”
Ross spoke.
“Can we breach rear?”
“Negative. Possible secondary trigger.”
Grace’s hope fell.
Then an agent shouted.
“Movement main house!”
Gunfire erupted in the distance.
Adrian grabbed the table.
Ross listened.
“Tactical team engaging.”
Grace stared at the guesthouse screen.
Leo remained in the corner.
“Three suspects surrendering.”
Ross frowned.
“Howard?”
A voice answered.
“Howard Bell in custody.”
Adrian exhaled.
“Where’s Theodore?”
“Not here.”
Grace’s stomach tightened.
Howard was arrested.
Yet something felt wrong.
If Howard controlled the bomb, why surrender before Leo was rescued?
Grace turned toward the lake.
“The boat.”
Marcus understood.
“Theodore is on the water.”
Ross grabbed the radio.
“Marine units, converge.”
A bright flash suddenly appeared near the dock.
Everyone spun toward the lake.
An explosion.
Not the guesthouse.
A boat.
Flames rose over the black water.
Adrian stared.
“What happened?”
Radio traffic exploded.
“Vessel fire!”
“Possible collision!”
“Person in water!”
Grace looked back at Leo’s thermal feed.
Still there.
Safe for the moment.
Then the bomb technician’s voice changed.
“We found a timer.”
Ross froze.
“What?”
“The device is not controlled remotely.”
Adrian went pale.
“How long?”
The technician paused.
“Three minutes.”
Grace’s heart stopped.
Ross immediately shouted orders.
“Can you disable it?”
“Trying.”
“Rear breach?”
“Too risky.”
Adrian moved toward the door.
Ross blocked him.
“No.”
“That is my son.”
“You will not help him by becoming a second victim.”
Adrian shoved past.
Marcus grabbed him.
“Adrian!”
“Let me go!”
Grace looked at the feed.
Three minutes.
Leo sat on the blanket.
Waiting for a voice he trusted.
And then Grace noticed the crib.
A lightweight travel crib near the west wall.
The window beside it was narrow.
But not wired according to the technician’s scan.
“What about the west window?”
Ross looked.
“Too small for an adult.”
“Leo doesn’t need an adult to fit.”
Everyone turned.
Grace grabbed the microphone.
“Leo.”
The baby looked toward the speaker.
“Stand up.”
He wobbled to his feet.
Grace’s voice shook.
“Go to your bed.”
He moved toward the travel crib.
The technician understood.
“If we break the window, someone can reach through.”
Adrian stared.
“Do it.”
The timer hit two minutes.
A shielded officer moved beneath the window.
Glass shattered inward.
Leo screamed.
Grace almost lost control.
“Leo! It’s okay!”
The officer reached through.
Too far.
His arm could not reach the crib.
“Move the crib!” Grace shouted.
Leo cried.
He did not understand.
Grace searched her mind.
Then Adrian grabbed the microphone.
“Ball, Leo.”
Grace looked at him.
Adrian pointed.
A red ball rested beside the crib.
Leo always threw things when asked to play catch.
“Ball!”
Leo saw it.
He picked it up.
“Daddy catch.”
The officer extended his hand through the broken window.
“Throw!”
Leo threw the ball.
It landed near the officer.
The baby laughed through tears.
Adrian almost collapsed.
“Again!”
The officer rolled the ball back.
It stopped beneath the window.
Leo followed it.
Closer.
Closer.
The timer passed one minute.
Grace whispered, “Come on.”
Leo bent toward the ball.
The officer reached.
His fingers caught Leo’s pajama sleeve.
Leo screamed.
The officer grabbed firmly.
Pulled.
Leo disappeared through the window.
“Child secure!”
Adrian fell to his knees.
Grace covered her face.
Two officers ran with Leo away from the building.
“Thirty seconds!”
Everyone dropped behind vehicles.
Adrian tried to run toward Leo.
Marcus pulled him down.
The guesthouse exploded.
The sound tore through the night.
Glass.
Wood.
Fire.
A wall of heat rolled across the property.
Grace screamed Leo’s name.
Then the radio crackled.
“Child safe!”
Adrian broke free the second officers allowed it.
He ran.
Grace followed.
Across wet grass.
Past flashing lights.
Past armed agents.
A paramedic held Leo beneath a silver emergency blanket.
Adrian reached him first.
He pulled Leo against his chest.
“Daddy’s here.”
Leo sobbed.
“Da.”
Grace stopped a few feet away.
Her knees gave out.
She sat in the grass.
Alive.
He was alive.
Leo looked over Adrian’s shoulder.
Saw her.
Reached.
“Gace.”
Adrian turned.
Their eyes met.
Then he carried Leo toward her.
Grace stood.
Leo reached from his father’s arms.
Grace touched his cheek.
“You found your moon.”
The baby grabbed her finger.
Adrian looked at her.
No words were enough.
So he said only one.
“Thank you.”
Grace nodded.
Behind them, agents dragged Howard Bell from the main house.
His hands were cuffed.
His expensive shirt was dirty.
His face remained strangely calm.
Grace looked at him.
“Where is Theodore?”
Howard smiled.
“You think tonight was the end?”
Adrian tightened his hold on Leo.
Howard’s smile widened.
“Theodore doesn’t lose.”
Ross approached.
“Put him in the vehicle.”
Howard looked at Grace.
“Ask Camille what she signed three years ago.”
Grace froze.
Camille, standing nearby, went pale.
Adrian turned toward his sister.
“What is he talking about?”
Camille said nothing.
Howard laughed as agents pushed him away.
“Family secrets.”
Adrian stared at Camille.
“What did you sign?”
Her eyes filled.
“A settlement.”
“For what?”
She swallowed.
“For my shares in Harrington Global.”
Adrian frowned.
“You still own your shares.”
Camille shook her head.
“No.”
His face changed.
“What did you do?”
“I transferred them.”
“To whom?”
Camille looked toward the burning guesthouse.
Then at Adrian.
“To Theodore.”
Adrian stared at her.
May you like
Camille’s voice broke.
“He already controls part of your company.”
