Chapter 7 - The Other Ear

Maria carefully opened the stitching on Teddy's left ear.

Inside was a strip of paper wrapped in plastic.

One phone number.

One sentence.

IF DADDY DOESN'T BELIEVE YOU, CALL AUNT RACHEL.

Adrian closed his eyes.

Claire had planned for his failure.

Sophie touched his hand.

"Daddy?"

"I'm okay."

He wasn't.

Daniel dialed the number.

It rang once.

Twice.

Then a woman answered.

"Who is this?"

Adrian took the phone.

"Rachel."

Silence.

Then a sharp breath.

"Adrian?"

His throat tightened.

"I found Claire's box."

Another silence.

"Where is Sophie?"

"With me."

"Is Vanessa there?"

"Not anymore."

"Good. Listen to me. Do not tell Vanessa where you are going."

"Going where?"

"I need you to bring Sophie to a public place."

"Why?"

"Because Vanessa knows the trust amendment cannot be reversed while Sophie is alive."

The room went dead silent.

Adrian looked at his daughter.

Rachel continued.

"Claire discovered Graham and Vanessa moving money. She changed the trust to stop them. After Claire died, I started getting followed."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I tried."

"You disappeared."

"I was threatened."

"By who?"

"Graham."

Adrian gripped the phone.

Rachel's voice broke.

"He sent me photographs of my son at school."

Adrian sat down.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Protect Sophie."

"Where are you?"

"Northbridge Station. Coffee shop across from platform six. Forty-five minutes."

Daniel shook his head.

"Could be a trap."

Rachel heard him.

"Daniel, check the phrase Claire put in the amendment."

Daniel froze.

"What phrase?"

"Page nine, bottom line."

He opened his laptop, searched the scanned file, and read aloud:

"Blue birds come home before the storm."

Rachel whispered the next line:

"And mothers always leave a light on."

Daniel looked at Adrian.

"It's her."

They left through the service garage.

Ten minutes later, Adrian's phone rang from an unknown number.

He answered.

A distorted male voice said:

"If you meet Rachel, you'll lose more than eighteen million."

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Then Sophie screamed from the back seat.

A black SUV had just slammed into their car.