Chapter 8 - The Stolen Father
Within twenty minutes of uncovering the military documents, Detective Ramos used his direct federal law enforcement uplink to contact the Department of the Navy in Washington, D.C.
The emergency dispatch operator immediately patched the call through to the executive quarters of Commander David Hayes at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
When the phone connected, I heard a deep, familiar baritone that instantly brought back memories of my early twenties, before the darkness of my family had destroyed my life.
"This is Commander Hayes," the voice answered, sharp and authoritative.
"David..." I whispered, my voice breaking into uncontrollable sobs as fourteen years of suppressed grief washed over me.
"It’s Rachel."
The line went dead silent for five long seconds, the sound of David’s breath catching in his throat vibrating through the receiver.
"Rachel? My God... Rachel, is that really you?" David gasped, his voice trembling with profound emotion.
"Where are you? Are you and Chloe safe? I’ve been searching for you for six years through private investigators!"
"David, Chloe is in the Pediatric ICU at Dallas General," I cried, clutching the receiver with white knuckles.
"Beatrice... she lied to you, David.
She intercepted all your letters, she forged the annulment papers, and tonight she tried to murder our daughter for an insurance policy."
"What did you say?" David’s voice dropped into a terrifying, lethal register that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
"Is Chloe breathing? Is she alive?"
"We got her heart back, but she was in hypothermic arrest for over an hour," I answered, looking through my tears at Chloe’s small chest rising under the ventilator.
"She’s on life support, David."
"I am boarding a Navy VIP transport jet out of Andrews Air Force Base in twelve minutes," Commander Hayes stated with absolute, military resolve.
"I am bringing the Chief of Pediatric Pulmonology from Walter Reed and a detachment of Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents."
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"Do not let your mother or your sister within a thousand feet of that hospital room, Rachel."
"I will be on the ground in Dallas before sunrise."
