Chapter 15 - The Lowest Point
Claire called Rebecca.
No answer.
She called again.
Nothing.
Then she called the preschool.
Lily had already been picked up.
“By whom?”
Claire demanded.
The receptionist hesitated.
“Rebecca Lawson.”
Claire’s knees nearly gave out.
Daniel immediately contacted police.
Rebecca’s house was empty.
Her phone was turned off.
Her car was gone.
Claire felt terror stronger than anything she had experienced since Lily’s birth.
Ethan tried to hold her.
Claire pushed him away.
“Find my daughter.”
Police issued an alert.
Daniel searched Rebecca’s financial records.
Within twenty minutes, he found payments from a company connected to Victor.
Not recent payments.
Four years of them.
Claire stared at the screen.
Rebecca had been her friend since before Lily was born.
She had attended Claire’s baby shower.
She had held Lily in the hospital.
She had listened when Claire complained about Ethan and Margaret.
Every private detail Claire had shared might have been reported back to Victor.
Claire suddenly remembered dozens of conversations.
Rebecca encouraging her to let Margaret help more.
Rebecca telling her Ethan probably needed control of certain finances.
Rebecca repeatedly asking about the trust.
Claire whispered.
“She was watching me.”
Daniel nodded.
“For years.”
Ethan looked destroyed.
“I brought Victor into your life.”
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
“You brought him closer.”
“Your mother opened the first door.”
“But Victor had already found me.”
The distinction did not matter now.
Lily was missing.
Three hours passed.
No demand.
No message.
Then Claire’s phone rang.
Rebecca.
Claire answered immediately.
“Where is she?”
Rebecca was crying.
“Claire, I’m sorry.”
“Where is Lily?”
“She’s safe.”
“If you hurt her—”
“I didn’t know Victor was going to take her.”
Claire stopped.
“What?”
“He told me to pick her up.”
“He said he only wanted the tablet.”
“The birthday recording.”
“I thought I could bring Lily to him, give him the tablet, and leave.”
Claire’s blood turned cold.
“Where are you?”
Rebecca whispered an address.
An abandoned development site forty minutes outside the city.
Then a male voice shouted in the background.
Victor.
Rebecca screamed.
The call ended.
Police raced toward the location.
Claire and Ethan followed despite being ordered to remain behind.
When they arrived, the site was surrounded.
Rebecca staggered out first.
Her lip was bleeding.
“Where is Lily?”
Claire screamed.
Rebecca pointed toward an unfinished building.
“Third floor.”
Ethan ran before police could stop him.
Claire followed.
They climbed concrete stairs.
At the third floor, they heard Lily crying.
“Mommy!”
Claire sprinted toward the sound.
Victor stood near an unfinished balcony.
Lily was behind him.
He held the pink tablet in one hand.
The original partnership agreement in the other.
Police shouted from below.
Victor smiled.
“You brought everyone.”
Claire’s voice trembled.
“Give me my daughter.”
“Give me the ledger.”
Claire held up the red book.
Victor’s eyes fixed on it.
Ethan stepped forward.
“Take me instead.”
Victor laughed.
“You?”
“You were useful because you were stupid.”
Ethan flinched.
Victor looked toward Claire.
“Your father understood power.”
“He knew people would betray anyone for money.”
Claire took another step.
“And you proved him right.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
Claire threw the ledger across the floor.
It slid toward him.
Victor bent instinctively.
Ethan lunged.
Lily ran toward Claire.
Victor grabbed Ethan.
They crashed against temporary railing.
May you like
Wood snapped.
For one horrifying second, Ethan disappeared over the edge.
