Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN THEY TOOK BECAUSE OF ME
Aunt Ellen disappeared before we could reach her.
Her front door stood open.
Her phone lay smashed on the kitchen floor.
And there was blood beside the stairs.
Not much.
But enough.
I stared at it until Adrian physically turned me away.
“Don't.”
“This happened because of me.”
“No.”
“They want something connected to my family.”
“That doesn't make this your fault.”
I wanted to argue.
Instead, the baby kicked hard enough to steal my breath.
Adrian caught my elbow.
“You okay?”
“He's fine.”
Adrian's hand hovered near my stomach, but he didn't touch me.
Not since the photograph.
Not since we'd spent six horrible hours wondering whether we might share a father.
The test had proven we didn't.
Still, something between us had changed.
Or maybe clarified.
I missed his touch.
That realization terrified me.
Luca entered the room.
“We found Ellen's car.”
“Where?” Adrian asked.
“Near Calumet Harbor.”
“Any cameras?”
“Traffic camera caught a black van leaving twenty minutes later.”
Nathan's company owned three black vans registered for construction work.
One had passed through the same intersection.
Adrian looked at me.
“We'll find her.”
I believed him.
That might have been the most dangerous thing of all.
By evening, Nathan contacted me.
Video call.
Aunt Ellen sat behind him, wrists bound.
She had a bruise on her cheek.
“Claire, don't—”
Nathan muted her.
My anger burned hotter than fear.
“If you hurt her—”
“I don't want to hurt anyone.”
“You kidnapped a sixty-two-year-old woman.”
“I didn't kidnap her.”
“She's tied to a chair, Nathan.”
He looked exhausted.
Not triumphant.
“Listen carefully. I'm running out of time.”
“Then let her go.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because they're watching me too.”
Adrian stood just outside camera range.
Nathan continued.
“You need to find the Black Harbor ledger before they do.”
“I don't know where it is.”
“Your aunt does.”
“Then ask her.”
“She refuses to tell me.”
“Good.”
Nathan almost smiled.
“That stubbornness runs in your family.”
“Let her go.”
“I will. But you need to understand something first.”
“What?”
“The man giving the orders knows Adrian better than you think.”
I glanced toward Adrian.
“Who?”
Nathan looked off camera.
Fear crossed his face.
“I can't say his name.”
“Why?”
“Because he's standing ten feet away.”
The video suddenly shook.
Aunt Ellen screamed.
Someone grabbed Nathan.
Then a man stepped briefly into frame.
Only his hand was visible.
A distinctive silver ring shaped like a lion.
The call ended.
Adrian stared at the frozen screen.
His face went empty.
“What?” I asked.
Luca looked equally stunned.
I pointed at the ring.
“Whose is that?”
Adrian's voice was barely audible.
“My father's.”
“But your father is dead.”
“Yes.”
Luca shook his head.
“No. That ring was buried with him.”
Adrian looked toward the screen.
May you like
Then he said something that made the room feel suddenly colder.
“We never saw his body.”
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