Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED
They moved me through a service corridor.
My mother pushed the wheelchair.
Daniel walked beside us.
Detective Morgan followed with two officers.
My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
“Where are we going?”
“Parking garage.”
“That's where he'll expect us.”
“We're not going to the main garage.”
We entered a hidden elevator.
The doors closed.
Then the lights went out.
Everyone froze.
“What happened?”
The elevator jolted.
My mother grabbed my hand.
Daniel reached for his flashlight.
Then we heard something.
A metallic scrape.
Someone was standing above us.
Detective Morgan drew her weapon.
“Everybody stay still.”
The elevator began moving again.
One floor.
Two.
Then stopped.
The doors opened.
A hospital employee stood outside.
“Come with me.”
Detective Morgan stared at him.
“Who are you?”
He froze.
Then ran.
The officers chased him.
I couldn't breathe.
This wasn't just Luke.
Someone inside the hospital was helping him.
Daniel looked at me.
“We have a leak.”
We continued down the corridor.
Finally, we reached an underground loading area.
A black SUV waited.
The driver was Barron.
I stared at him.
“You came.”
He nodded.
“I promised I'd help.”
We climbed inside.
As the vehicle pulled away, my mother looked back.
Police cars surrounded the hospital.
A man stood near the entrance.
Luke.
Even from a distance, I recognized him.
He was watching us leave.
His expression wasn't angry.
It was calm.
That scared me more.
We drove for nearly an hour.
Eventually, Barron pulled into a private property outside the city.
A small farmhouse.
No neighbors.
No obvious security.
“This is mine,” he said.
“Luke doesn't know about it.”
I looked out the window.
For the first time in days, I felt slightly safe.
But safety didn't last.
At midnight, Daniel received a call.
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“Clover.”
“What?”
“Police found Luke's car.”
“Where?”
“Near your sister's house.”
My blood froze.
I grabbed my phone.
“Call her.”
Daniel already was.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
My mother started crying.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered before anyone could stop me.
Silence.
Then Luke's voice.
“Hello, Clover.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Where is my sister?”
“She isn't hurt.”
“Where is she?”
“You sound worried.”
“Luke, if you touch her—”
He laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
“This was never about the money.”
I stared at the phone.
“Then what was it about?”
A pause.
Then:
“Your family.”
The call ended.
Daniel immediately called the police.
But I knew something.
Luke had just made a mistake.
He had admitted he knew my family.
He had admitted he was involved.
And I had recorded the call.
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Because Daniel had taught me one thing.
Never underestimate a man who thinks you're powerless.
