Chapter 19 - THE STAIRCASE
The nursery window stood open.
Cold air moved the curtains.
A rope ladder hung outside.
Adrian looked down.
No one.
Clara ran to the adjoining dressing room.
Empty.
Then Olivia shouted from the hallway.
“He didn’t take her outside!”
She pointed toward the old service stairs.
A door stood open.
Adrian ran down two flights.
At the bottom, Mason waited with Emma in one arm and a pistol in the other.
The baby cried against his shoulder.
“Back up,” Mason said.
Adrian stopped.
Clara came down behind him.
“Give me Emma.”
Mason laughed. “Everybody keeps saying that.”
“What do you want?” Adrian asked.
“A car. Cash. Ten minutes before police follow.”
“You won’t make it.”
“I don’t need to make it far.”
His eyes looked feverish.
“I need enough time to trade the girl to someone who still thinks the Vale name is worth money.”
Adrian’s blood turned cold.
Behind Mason was the main staircase.
The same staircase where Vanessa had pushed the stroller.
The same place where Adrian had chosen anger before truth.
Mason stepped backward.
Emma screamed.
Clara raised both hands.
“She’s scared because you’re squeezing her.”
“Shut up.”
“You’re hurting her.”
“I said shut up.”
Adrian felt rage rise.
Fast.
Hot.
Easy.
Then he heard Natalie’s words.
Don’t become the angriest man in the room.
He lowered his hands.
“Mason.”
“What?”
“You’re not leaving with her.”
“I have the gun.”
“Yes.”
“And you have nothing.”
Adrian looked toward Emma.
“I have time.”
Mason frowned.
Clara understood first.
Police had entered through the service tunnel behind him.
One officer appeared in the reflection of the foyer mirror.
Mason saw Adrian’s eyes move.
He spun.
Clara lunged.
She seized Emma as Mason’s arm jerked sideways.
A shot exploded into the ceiling.
Adrian tackled Mason against the banister.
They hit the floor hard.
The gun slid across the marble.
Police rushed in.
Within seconds, Mason was pinned and cuffed.
Adrian did not follow him.
He crawled toward Clara.
She sat against the wall with Emma locked against her chest.
The baby was crying.
Alive.
Unhurt.
Adrian stopped several feet away.
He did not reach for Emma.
He waited.
Clara noticed.
After a moment, she held the baby toward him.
“Take your daughter.”
Adrian gathered Emma carefully.
Olivia ran down the stairs and wrapped both arms around him.
For the first time since the nightmare began, all three were together.
Then a detective approached with a phone in his hand.
“Mr. Vale, Graham Holt just offered a full statement.”
Adrian looked up.
The detective’s expression was grim.
“He says there’s one final account Natalie never found.”
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“And?”
“It’s in your name.”
