Chapter 9 - THE WAREHOUSE
The warehouse smelled of rust, dust, and rain.
Police surrounded the building.
I wasn't supposed to be there.
Detective Reed had told me to stay at the hospital.
I followed him anyway.
When you're a grandmother and someone takes your grandson, rules become very small things.
We entered through a broken side door.
“Mason!” I screamed.
No answer.
Then—
a cry.
A baby's cry.
I ran.
Detective Reed caught my arm.
“Wait.”
But I heard Mason again.
I pushed past him.
We found the room at the back.
Mason was lying inside a portable crib.
Alive.
Breathing.
Unhurt.
I fell to my knees.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
I lifted him into my arms.
He cried against my chest.
I kissed his forehead again and again.
For the first time in twenty-four hours, I could breathe.
Then I noticed the table beside the crib.
Medical equipment.
Blood collection tubes.
Documents.
And a photograph.
My husband.
Alive.
I stared at it.
The photograph looked recent.
He was standing beside a woman.
Vanessa.
My hands began trembling.
“He's alive.”
Detective Reed took the photograph.
“When was this taken?”
He turned it over.
There was a date.
Three weeks earlier.
My husband had been alive three weeks earlier.
The man I had buried twelve years ago…
might never have been the man who died.
I looked at Thomas.
He couldn't speak.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
“You finally found the truth.”
We turned.
A woman stepped forward.
Blonde hair.
Expensive coat.
Silver bracelet.
Dr. Vanessa Hale.
Detective Reed raised his weapon.
“Hands where I can see them.”
She smiled.
“I didn't hurt the child.”
“Then who did?”
“I protected him.”
“You abducted him.”
“I moved him before they could.”
“Who is they?”
She looked at Thomas.
“Your son knows.”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
Vanessa laughed softly.
“You still lie when you're afraid.”
She looked at me.
“Mrs. Russell, I'm sorry.”
“For what?”
“For what happened to your family.”
“Where is my husband?”
She became silent.
Then said:
“Dead.”
I stared at her.
“But the photograph—”
“Was taken before he died.”
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“That's impossible.”
Vanessa looked at me.
“Not if the man you buried wasn't your husband.”
My entire body went cold.
“What are you saying?”
She stepped closer.
“Your husband disappeared twelve years ago.”
“No.”
“You were told he died.”
“I saw his body.”
“You saw a body.”
I couldn't speak.
Thomas whispered:
“Mom…”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Your father discovered what they were doing.”
“What were they doing?”
“Testing genetic treatments on families without their consent.”
She pointed toward Mason.
“Your family was one of their earliest subjects.”
My eyes filled with tears.
“Who are they?”
Vanessa looked toward the ceiling.
“People with enough money to make doctors disappear.”
Detective Reed asked:
“Names.”
Vanessa smiled sadly.
“You think this ends with me?”
“No.”
“They've already begun cleaning up.”
“What does that mean?”
She looked at me.
“It means the person who sent you those messages is standing much closer than you think.”
Everyone froze.
Then the lights went out.
A gunshot echoed through the warehouse.
May you like
Mason screamed.
And Vanessa fell to the floor.
