Chapter 8 - The Exchange
Daniel wanted the capsule destroyed.
Henry refused.
“At least until Grace is safe.”
Daniel slammed his palm against the table.
“That sample is why she isn’t safe.”
“It may also be the only thing Malcolm will trade for.”
Sheriff Briggs agreed.
They created a plan.
The capsule would be replaced with a decoy.
Henry would wear a tracking device.
Tactical teams would surround the private airfield.
Daniel insisted on going.
No one bothered arguing for long.
At 11:47 p.m., Daniel’s SUV approached an abandoned hangar.
Henry sat beside him.
Emma was supposed to remain with Sophie and Lily.
She did not.
Daniel discovered her hiding in the rear seat two miles from the airfield.
He pulled over.
“Absolutely not.”
Emma stared at him.
“Rachel trusted me.”
“You were kidnapped yesterday.”
“And your babies were kidnapped today.”
“That is exactly why you’re staying out of this.”
“You need someone Grace recognizes.”
Daniel opened his mouth.
Stopped.
Grace calmed when Emma sang.
If they got close enough…
Daniel hated the logic.
“You stay in the vehicle.”
Emma nodded.
Daniel knew she was lying.
Inside the hangar, Malcolm waited.
Rachel stood ten feet away holding Grace.
A bruise darkened her cheek.
Daniel’s entire world narrowed to his daughter.
“Grace.”
The baby turned toward his voice.
Her tiny arms moved.
Daniel’s throat tightened.
Malcolm smiled.
“Touching.”
He wore a long black coat.
No weapon was visible.
Daniel assumed several existed.
“Henry.”
Malcolm looked at his former mentor.
“You brought it?”
Henry held up the capsule.
“Let the baby go.”
“You first.”
“No.”
Malcolm sighed.
“You were always dramatic when frightened.”
Henry stepped forward.
“You murdered Claire.”
Malcolm smiled faintly.
“Victor murdered Claire.”
“You helped.”
“I advised.”
Daniel’s fists tightened.
Malcolm looked at him.
“Your wife was exceptionally persistent.”
Daniel moved.
Henry grabbed his arm.
“Not yet.”
Malcolm continued.
“She could have lived a very comfortable life if she had stopped asking questions.”
Daniel’s voice was quiet.
“You don’t understand people like Claire.”
“I understand everyone once I identify the correct incentive.”
“You never identified hers.”
Malcolm’s smile faded.
Rachel shifted Grace against her shoulder.
Malcolm noticed.
“Stay still.”
Rachel froze.
Daniel looked at her.
She gave the smallest nod toward the hangar doors.
Police were positioned.
But Malcolm had placed motion sensors around the building.
Any sudden breach could trigger explosives.
Briggs had warned Daniel.
They needed Malcolm away from the detonator.
Henry held out the capsule.
“Take it.”
Malcolm stepped forward.
Rachel whispered, “Now?”
Malcolm turned.
“What?”
She threw Grace toward Daniel.
Everything happened at once.
Daniel caught his daughter.
Emma ran from the SUV.
Rachel tackled Malcolm.
A gun appeared in Malcolm’s hand.
Henry shouted.
The shot fired.
Rachel fell.
Daniel covered Grace with his body.
Emma reached them.
“Give her to me!”
Daniel handed Grace over.
“Run!”
Emma ran toward the side exit carrying the baby.
Malcolm shoved Rachel away and aimed.
Henry struck his arm.
A second shot hit the ceiling.
Police stormed the hangar.
Malcolm grabbed Henry around the neck.
“Back!”
He pressed the gun to Henry’s head.
Everyone froze.
Sheriff Briggs shouted.
“Drop it!”
Malcolm laughed.
“You think I’m going to prison?”
Henry’s face remained strangely calm.
“You should.”
“You ruined my life.”
“No.”
Henry looked almost sad.
“I gave you permission to ruin your own.”
Malcolm pulled the trigger.
Click.
Empty chamber.
His face changed.
Henry smiled.
“Rachel removed the magazine.”
Malcolm looked down.
Too late.
Briggs tackled him.
Officers swarmed.
Daniel ran to Emma.
Grace was crying but unharmed.
He took his daughter.
Then heard someone shout.
“Medic!”
Rachel lay on the concrete.
Blood spread beneath her shoulder.
Emma rushed over.
Rachel looked at her.
“Babies?”
“Safe.”
“All three?”
“Yes.”
Rachel smiled.
“Good.”
Daniel crouched beside her.
“You saved Grace.”
Rachel’s eyes filled.
“I owed Claire.”
“No.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You saved her because you chose to.”
Paramedics lifted Rachel.
She survived.
The bullet missed major arteries.
Malcolm Reed was arrested.
Victor remained in county custody.
Henry surrendered the original sample.
For the first time in twenty-four hours, Daniel believed the worst might be over.
He was wrong.
Three days later, prosecutors discovered Victor’s cell empty.
A guard had been found unconscious.
Security footage showed Victor leaving through a service corridor wearing a deputy’s uniform.
Sheriff Briggs called Daniel personally.
“Lock down the ranch.”
Daniel stood in Claire’s study.
Emma was beside him holding Sophie.
“Victor escaped?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Inside help.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
“Daniel, listen. We found something in his cell.”
“What?”
“A photograph.”
“Of who?”
“You.”
Daniel frowned.
Briggs continued.
“Taken yesterday.”
Daniel went still.
Victor had been locked up yesterday.
The photograph showed Daniel standing outside the hospital holding Grace.
Someone else had taken it.
Victor still had people watching.
Then Briggs said something worse.
“There was writing on the back.”
Daniel already knew he wasn’t going to like it.
“What did it say?”
“Claire made me lose everything.”
A pause.
“Now you will too.”
Daniel looked toward the nursery.
“Send officers.”
“Already coming.”
Emma watched him.
“What?”
Daniel told her.
She immediately walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To get the babies downstairs.”
“Emma—”
“The nursery has too many windows.”
She was right.
They moved the triplets into a reinforced safe room near Daniel’s office.
Mark doubled the guards.
Every vehicle entering the ranch was searched.
At 1:10 a.m., nothing had happened.
At 2:30, still nothing.
At 3:07—
exactly twenty-four hours after Daniel first found Emma in the barn—
the ranch alarm activated.
Not the house.
The barn.
Daniel looked at Emma.
She whispered, “He wants you to go there.”
Daniel took a handgun from Mark.
Mark shook his head.
“I’m coming.”
All three approached the barn.
The door stood open.
A single light burned inside.
No Victor.
Only a chair.
And on the chair sat Claire’s ruby pendant.
The real one.
Daniel stepped closer.
A recording began playing from a speaker.
Victor’s voice.
“You always trusted buildings more than people, Daniel.”
Mark looked around.
“Trap.”
Victor continued.
“You built walls. Gates. Cameras. Safe rooms.”
Emma’s eyes widened.
“Daniel.”
The recording continued.
“And you still haven’t learned.”
Daniel understood.
The barn alarm was a distraction.
He turned and ran.
The safe room.
When they reached the house, one guard lay unconscious.
The reinforced door was open.
Inside, Lily and Sophie were crying.
Grace was gone.
On the floor lay a note.
THIS TIME, THE WAITRESS WON’T SAVE HER.
Emma stared at the empty crib.
Then she noticed something on the carpet.
A muddy boot print.
She crouched.
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
Emma touched the edge.
“Victor didn’t take Grace.”
“How can you know?”
“Because this print is too small.”
Mark leaned closer.
Emma pointed toward the hallway.
“And whoever came in was wearing hospital shoe covers.”
Daniel’s blood went cold.
Malcolm was in federal custody.
Rachel was hospitalized.
Henry was under guard.
Which meant another person from the medical conspiracy had been inside the ranch all along.
Then one of the triplets’ nurses began walking toward the back door.
Emma looked up.
“Megan?”
The woman stopped.
Slowly.
May you like
She turned.
And in her hand was Grace’s pink hospital bracelet.
