Chapter 1 - THE QUESTION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

The boy’s cracked lips moved as I held him against my chest.

“Did Cole see you take Grace?”

For a moment, I thought the heat had confused him.

Then his trembling fingers tightened around my wrist.

“Please,” he whispered.

“Don’t let him find my baby sister.”

The newborn stirred beneath the purple knitted blanket.

Her tiny face remained calm, but the boy’s skin felt terrifyingly hot.

My name is Rachel Moore.

I had worked as a pediatric emergency nurse for fourteen years.

I knew the signs of severe dehydration, heat exhaustion, and approaching organ failure.

The boy did not have much time.

I lowered him carefully onto the pavement and shouted for someone to call 911.

Several shoppers had gathered around the dark blue minivan.

Some were filming.

Others stood frozen beneath the brutal Arizona sun.

I pulled off my light jacket, folded it beneath the boy’s head, and checked his pulse.

It was fast and weak.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Eli.”

“How old are you, Eli?”

“Twelve.”

“And the baby?”

“Grace.”

He turned his head toward the broken window.

Fear instantly replaced exhaustion in his eyes.

“He said nobody would hear us.”

“Who said that?”

Eli tried to answer, but his eyelids began to close.

I tapped his cheek gently.

“Stay with me.”

His breathing became shallow.

“Cole locked the doors,” he whispered.

“He took Mom.”

A siren wailed in the distance.

Relief rushed through me, but Eli suddenly grabbed the front of my shirt.

“He’ll come back when the timer ends.”

“What timer?”

“The one under the seat.”

I looked toward the minivan.

Through the shattered window, I saw a small black device attached beneath the driver’s seat.

A red light blinked steadily.

Several wires disappeared beneath the carpet.

I shouted for everyone to move away.

A police officer reached the parking lot at the same moment.

He followed my stare and immediately ordered the crowd back.

The paramedics placed Eli and Grace onto separate stretchers.

As they rushed the children toward the ambulance, the officer approached the vehicle cautiously.

The black device emitted a soft electronic beep.

Then the sliding door suddenly slammed shut by itself.

The officer stepped backward.

Inside the minivan, every lock clicked into place.

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Someone was controlling the vehicle remotely.

And somewhere nearby, that person was watching us.