Chapter 9 - THE GALA
The Pierce Foundation gala glittered like nothing evil had ever happened beneath its roof.
Crystal chandeliers.
Champagne.
White roses.
A string quartet.
Photographers lined the entrance as billionaires, politicians, surgeons, and celebrities stepped onto a gold carpet.
Above them hung a banner:
EVERY CHILD DESERVES A SAFE HOME.
Nora stared at it from inside an unmarked federal vehicle.
The irony nearly made her sick.
Claire sat beside her.
“Federal teams are positioned at every exit.”
“What about Captain Lane?”
“Under surveillance.”
“Pike?”
“No confirmed visual.”
“Evelyn?”
“Inside.”
Nora adjusted the hidden microphone beneath her dress.
Claire looked at her.
“You do not improvise.”
“I understand.”
“You do not confront Pike if you see him.”
“I understand.”
“You do not leave the ballroom.”
“I understand.”
Claire narrowed her eyes.
“You’re going to ignore at least one of those.”
“Probably.”
Claire almost smiled.
Nora entered alone.
Evelyn Pierce stood beneath the main chandelier.
Seventy years old.
Silver hair.
Elegant navy gown.
Warm smile.
She looked like someone’s beloved grandmother.
That somehow made her worse.
When Evelyn saw Nora, the smile remained.
“Nora Bennett.”
Nora stopped.
“You know me.”
“Your story has been all over the news today.”
It had.
Police could no longer contain Amelia’s recovery.
A “missing child discovered after six years” had become national news.
Authorities had not released details about the adoption conspiracy.
Yet.
Evelyn took Nora’s hands.
“You must be overwhelmed.”
Nora fought the urge to pull away.
“My daughter was stolen.”
Evelyn’s eyes displayed practiced sympathy.
“A terrible tragedy.”
“Do you know Margaret Hale?”
A tiny pause.
“I meet many people.”
“Jonathan Vale?”
“He served on several boards.”
“Harold Pike?”
“An excellent physician before his death.”
Nora watched her closely.
“He’s alive.”
Evelyn’s smile finally changed.
Barely.
“Is he?”
“You know he is.”
Evelyn released Nora’s hands.
“My dear, grief can make us desperate for villains.”
“My daughter was declared dead while she was alive.”
“Then whoever did that should answer for it.”
“They will.”
Nora leaned closer.
“Every one of them.”
Evelyn smiled.
“I hope you get what you need.”
Then she walked away.
Nora whispered into her microphone.
“She knows.”
Claire responded through the earpiece.
“Stay with her.”
Evelyn moved toward the stage.
Nora scanned the ballroom.
David was outside with agents.
Margaret remained in custody.
Marcus had been reinstated after Captain Lane’s interference became federal evidence.
Somewhere at Nora’s home, protected by three officers, Ellie was watching cartoons with a child psychologist.
Safe.
For now.
A waiter passed.
Nora noticed his right leg drag slightly.
Her pulse exploded.
Gray hair.
Scar near the eyebrow.
Pike.
He saw her.
Their eyes met.
Then he ran.
Nora immediately followed.
“Do not pursue,” Claire ordered.
Nora ignored her.
Pike disappeared through a service door.
Nora pushed through.
Kitchen.
Chefs shouted as she ran past.
Pike entered a stairwell.
“Stop!”
He looked back.
For one second, she saw the man who had stolen Amelia from a hospital.
Not a monster.
Just an aging physician.
Ordinary.
That made her hatred sharper.
He climbed.
Nora followed.
Third floor.
Fourth.
He entered a locked administrative hallway.
Federal agents were minutes behind.
Pike pushed through an office door.
Nora reached it before it closed.
Inside sat Sarah.
The eight-year-old girl from the photograph.
She was tied to a chair.
Nora stopped.
Pike grabbed Sarah and held a small blade near her throat.
“Back.”
Nora raised her hands.
“Okay.”
Sarah was crying.
“Are you Nora?”
Nora’s heart broke.
“Yes.”
“Your little girl said you would find me.”
Nora stared.
“When did you see Ellie?”
Pike tightened his grip.
“Quiet.”
Sarah cried harder.
Nora looked at him.
“She’s a child.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“Then let her go.”
Pike laughed bitterly.
“You have no idea what Evelyn will do if I do.”
“She’s going to prison.”
“You still think law matters to people like her?”
Nora moved slightly closer.
“Why did you take Amelia?”
Pike’s eyes flickered.
“Money.”
“That’s all?”
“At first.”
“At first?”
“Then Katherine Bennett discovered our accounts.”
Nora’s throat tightened.
“My mother.”
“She threatened Evelyn.”
“And you poisoned her?”
Pike shook his head.
“I didn’t.”
“Who did?”
“Evelyn arranged it.”
Nora swallowed hard.
“Then why take my daughter?”
“Insurance.”
“Against me?”
“Against Katherine’s files.”
“My mother was already dead.”
“She left instructions.”
Nora froze.
“What instructions?”
“If anything happened to her, evidence would eventually go to her daughter.”
Nora stared.
“I never received anything.”
“Evelyn didn’t know that.”
“So she took Amelia to control me?”
“Yes.”
“But I didn’t even know.”
“That was the problem.”
Pike looked almost exhausted.
“Evelyn expected you to receive Katherine’s evidence. When you didn’t, Amelia became unnecessary.”
Nora’s blood turned cold.
“Unnecessary.”
“Margaret intervened.”
Nora understood now.
Margaret had not simply participated in stealing Amelia.
She had also prevented Evelyn from eliminating the child afterward.
Sirens sounded below.
Pike panicked.
Nora stepped closer.
“Harold.”
“Stay back.”
“If Evelyn wanted you safe, federal agents wouldn’t be downstairs.”
He hesitated.
“She’s using you.”
“I know.”
“Then put the blade down.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
Sarah whispered, “Please.”
Pike’s hand shook.
Then the building alarm began screaming.
Not a fire alarm.
Evacuation.
Claire shouted in Nora’s earpiece.
“Bomb threat! Get out!”
Pike laughed.
“There.”
“What?”
“Evelyn’s goodbye.”
Nora stared.
“She’s going to destroy the building?”
“Not the whole building.”
“Then what?”
“The archive beneath it.”
Claire’s team reached the hallway.
Pike shoved Sarah toward Nora and ran through another door.
Agents pursued.
Nora untied Sarah.
“Can you walk?”
“Yes.”
“Then come with me.”
They raced downstairs.
Guests flooded exits.
Security screamed.
Police moved people away.
Nora reached the lawn.
Sarah clung to her.
Then a deep explosion shook the building.
Windows burst outward from the basement.
Flames rolled through one side.
Nora shielded Sarah.
Across the crowd, Evelyn Pierce stood beside a black sedan.
Not panicked.
Not confused.
Leaving.
Nora pointed.
“There!”
Agents ran.
Evelyn entered the car.
It sped toward the gate.
Marcus’s vehicle blocked it.
The sedan swerved.
Hit a stone fountain.
Stopped.
Agents surrounded it.
Evelyn emerged slowly.
She looked at Nora across the lawn.
Then smiled.
Even handcuffed, she appeared calm.
Nora walked toward her.
“You lost.”
Evelyn tilted her head.
“Did I?”
“We found Amelia.”
“Yes.”
“Sarah is safe.”
“Yes.”
“Vale is in custody.”
“For now.”
“Pike will be caught.”
Evelyn smiled again.
“You still think this story is about one doctor and an adoption agency.”
Nora felt cold.
“What is it about?”
Evelyn leaned closer as agents held her arms.
“Ask how St. Catherine’s financed its new pediatric tower.”
Nora frowned.
“What?”
“Ask how many hospitals accepted donations.”
Claire moved toward them.
Evelyn kept speaking.
“Ask how many lawyers created new birth certificates.”
“Stop talking,” Claire ordered.
“How many judges sealed records,” Evelyn continued.
Nora stared.
This was bigger.
Much bigger.
Then Evelyn said the one thing Nora did not expect.
“And ask your precious Detective Reed why his name appears in my files.”
Nora turned toward Marcus.
He had gone completely still.
“Marcus?”
Evelyn laughed.
“You trusted him?”
Marcus’s face drained.
Nora stepped backward.
“Tell me she’s lying.”
He said nothing.
“Marcus.”
Still nothing.
Claire reached for him.
Marcus slowly removed his badge and placed it on the hood of a police car.
Nora’s heart sank.
Then he looked at her.
“My sister had a baby at St. Catherine’s nine years ago.”
Nora stopped.
“What happened?”
May you like
Marcus swallowed.
“They told her he died.”
