Chapter 3 - The Photograph Taken Three Weeks Ago
The photograph showed Daniel Hayes standing outside a small grocery store.
And in his arms was a baby wrapped in a blue blanket.
My blue blanket.
Sam's blanket.
I stared at Ethan's phone until my vision blurred.
"That's not Sam."
My voice sounded strange.
Too high.
Too frightened.
Ethan studied the photograph.
"Norah—"
"It can't be."
I grabbed my son from his arms.
"Sam has never been away from me except when he's with Mrs. Higgins."
Ethan enlarged the image.
"Look at the baby's face."
I forced myself to look.
The round cheeks.
The dark hair.
The tiny dimple near his mouth.
My knees weakened.
It was Sam.
I knew my son.
"Where did Gregory get that photograph?"
Ethan looked toward Marco, who had just entered the apartment.
"We're tracing it."
I turned toward the window.
Mrs. Higgins.
The woman who had watched Sam while I worked.
The woman who constantly complained about my schedule.
The woman who had threatened to call child services.
My stomach twisted.
"Mrs. Higgins took him somewhere."
Ethan's expression hardened.
"Are you certain?"
"She must have. I never took Sam to that grocery store."
Marco stepped forward.
"Boss, I can check the security footage."
Ethan nodded.
"Do it."
I sat on the couch, holding Sam so tightly he squirmed.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
I kissed his forehead.
"Mommy's sorry."
Ethan crouched in front of me.
"Norah, look at me."
I shook my head.
"She had my baby. She took him somewhere without telling me."
"We'll find out what happened."
"How?"
"By following the evidence."
I looked at him.
For the first time, I noticed how controlled he was.
Every movement.
Every word.
He was frightened too.
But he didn't let fear decide what happened next.
"Why would Daniel meet Mrs. Higgins?" I whispered.
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"Maybe he was trying to see his son."
"Then why not come home?"
He didn't answer.
That silence frightened me.
An hour later, Marco returned.
He carried a tablet.
"We found surveillance footage from the grocery store."
Ethan stood.
"Show me."
The screen displayed a parking lot.
A gray sedan pulled into a space near the entrance.
Mrs. Higgins stepped out.
She opened the back door.
And lifted Sam from his car seat.
My stomach dropped.
Then a man approached.
Daniel.
Alive.
He looked thinner than I remembered.
His hair was longer.
There was a scar near his jaw.
But it was him.
My Daniel.
He reached for Sam.
Mrs. Higgins hesitated.
Then handed him over.
I covered my mouth.
Daniel held our son.
Kissed his forehead.
And began crying.
My heart broke.
"Why didn't he come home?" I whispered.
Then another man appeared in the footage.
Gregory Davis.
My former boss.
He stood beside Daniel.
They argued.
Daniel suddenly turned toward the camera.
His face was terrified.
Then Gregory took Sam from his arms and returned him to Mrs. Higgins.
The footage ended.
I stared.
"Gregory knew Daniel?"
Ethan looked furious.
"Apparently."
Marco checked another message.
"Boss, there's more."
He showed Ethan a bank transfer.
Three thousand dollars.
Sent to Mrs. Higgins two days after the grocery store meeting.
The sender was Gregory Davis.
My entire body went cold.
"She was being paid?"
Marco nodded.
I looked at Ethan.
"Why?"
Before he could answer, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
Stop asking questions about Daniel.
Another message appeared.
Your son is alive because Gregory allows it.
I began trembling.
Then came a photograph.
It showed Sam sleeping in his crib.
Taken from inside my apartment.
That morning.
May you like
And beneath it were six words.
We can reach him whenever we want.
