Chapter 12 - HAWTHORNE
The plan should not have worked.
That was probably why it did.
Evan still had valid department credentials.
Arthur knew an unused county vehicle depot.
Within forty minutes, they were traveling west in an unmarked police SUV.
Maya sat in front with a laptop.
Rebecca watched every passing mile marker.
Sarah sat beside Lucy.
Thomas kept his hand near hers.
Hawthorne appeared just before sunset.
Brick buildings.
Broken windows.
A rusted chain-link fence.
The property looked abandoned.
But Maya detected active cellular signals inside.
“Six devices.”
Thomas checked his weapon.
“Maybe guards.”
“Maybe hostages.”
Sarah looked at him.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Thomas.”
“You have Lucy.”
“Exactly.”
“If there are records inside about her, I need to know.”
Arthur spoke gently.
“Sarah, the safest place for Lucy is away from that building.”
Sarah knew he was right.
She hated it anyway.
She stayed in the SUV with Maya while Thomas, Evan, Arthur, and Rebecca entered through a service door.
Minutes passed.
Then ten.
Then fifteen.
Maya monitored radio traffic.
Suddenly she stiffened.
“Someone activated an emergency frequency.”
Thomas’s voice crackled.
“We found Emily.”
Rebecca’s crying could be heard behind him.
Sarah exhaled.
Then Thomas continued.
“We found something else.”
“What?”
“A nursery.”
Sarah’s stomach dropped.
Inside Hawthorne were twelve empty bassinets.
Recent formula.
Diapers.
Medical supplies.
This wasn’t an old facility.
Someone had still been using it.
Maya pulled building records.
“Power bills were paid by a nonprofit.”
“Which one?”
Maya stared at the screen.
“Children First America.”
Sarah knew the organization.
Everyone in the state did.
It ran adoption programs.
Foster-care grants.
Crisis pregnancy centers.
Its founder appeared on television constantly.
Senator Nathaniel Crane.
Thomas came over the radio.
“Maya.”
“Go.”
“There’s a wall of photographs.”
“Whose?”
“Babies.”
He paused.
“Hundreds of them.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
Veil House had not been a single location.
It had been a pipeline.
Then gunfire echoed over the radio.
Sarah sat upright.
“Thomas?”
Static.
“Thomas!”
Maya grabbed her sidearm.
“Lock the doors.”
“You’re not leaving me here.”
“I have to help them.”
Before Sarah could argue, headlights appeared behind the SUV.
A sedan stopped.
A young woman climbed out.
Sarah recognized her from television.
Senator Crane’s daughter.
Assistant District Attorney Olivia Crane.
She raised both hands.
“I’m not armed.”
Sarah lowered the window slightly.
“What do you want?”
Olivia looked toward Hawthorne.
“My father sent men here.”
Maya pointed her weapon through the windshield.
“Why should we trust you?”
“You shouldn’t.”
Olivia swallowed.
“But if Thomas Hale is inside, you have less than four minutes.”
“Until what?”
May you like
“My father ordered the building destroyed.”
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