Chapter 11 - The Safe House Wasn't Safe
Daniel drove while Morris called tactical units.
The safe house had been known to six people.
Daniel.
Morris.
Two officers.
Maya.
And Arthur Bell.
Arthur was still hospitalized.
That left an ugly possibility.
"Someone inside your department," Daniel said.
Morris's jaw tightened. "Maybe."
They arrived to find the front door open.
One officer was unconscious in the kitchen.
The second was missing.
Maya stood in the hallway holding Emma.
Blood ran down her cheek.
"The kids?"
"Noah and Lily hid in the crawl space."
Daniel nearly collapsed from relief.
They emerged minutes later.
Noah hugged him hard.
"He was looking for the bracelet."
Daniel looked down.
"Who?"
"Officer Reed."
Morris went still.
Reed was one of the two officers assigned to the house.
The missing one.
"What did he say?" she asked.
Lily answered.
"He said Julian needed the star."
Daniel touched Claire's bracelet in his pocket.
Why would Julian need it?
Maya stared at the blue glass charm.
"May I see it?"
Daniel handed it over.
She pressed the tiny star.
Nothing.
Then twisted it.
Click.
The blue glass face popped open.
Inside was a microSD card.
Noah whispered, "Mom hid another thing."
Daniel inserted the card into a laptop.
A folder appeared:
FATHER.
Inside was security footage from five years ago.
Daniel's father sat in his office with Julian Cross and Dr. Voss.
Julian slid papers across the desk.
"Sign the incapacity review."
Daniel's father refused.
Voss injected something into an IV line.
The old man slumped.
Julian leaned toward him.
"You should have retired when I asked."
Daniel's vision narrowed.
His father's stroke had not been natural.
Then another file opened automatically.
Claire's voice:
"If you found the card, check the final frame."
Daniel froze the video at the end.
In the hallway behind Julian stood Vanessa.
May you like
And beside her was someone Daniel never expected.
His own mother, Evelyn Carter.
