Chapter 14 - THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
At four o’clock, the house looked almost normal.
That was the disturbing part.
Balloons moved gently beneath the ceiling fan.
The replacement cake sat in the center of the table.
Pink frosting.
Seven candles.
A paper crown beside Noah’s empty chair.
Plainclothes officers occupied neighboring houses and parked vehicles.
Detective Alvarez remained in an upstairs room monitoring communications.
Daniel stood near the front door.
Rachel sat on the couch.
Police had not arrested her.
Not yet.
The evidence showed abuse.
It showed financial secrecy.
It showed contact with Steven and Michael.
But they had no proof she participated in Noah’s abduction.
Rachel insisted Steven had used her.
Daniel barely looked at her.
Emily stood beside the birthday table with her crutch.
Her body hurt.
Her mind felt numb.
The external drive was inside her handbag.
The brass key from Susan’s camera case was taped beneath Emily’s dress.
At 4:17 p.m., the doorbell rang.
Everyone froze.
Daniel opened the door.
A delivery driver held a gift box.
“For Noah Carter.”
Alvarez spoke through Daniel’s earpiece.
“Let him deliver.”
Daniel accepted it.
The driver left.
Police followed discreetly.
Emily opened the box.
Inside was a stuffed bear.
And a phone.
It rang.
Emily answered.
“Hello?”
The distorted voice returned.
“Happy birthday.”
“Where is he?”
“Drive.”
“I have it.”
“Put it inside the cake.”
Emily stared.
“What?”
“Cut the bottom. Put it inside.”
Daniel shook his head.
Emily followed the instruction.
The voice continued.
“At five, someone will collect it.”
“And Noah?”
“When we verify the contents.”
Emily’s anger exploded.
“No. I give you the drive, you give me Noah.”
The voice laughed.
“You’re negotiating from a weak position.”
Emily looked at Daniel.
Then said, “I have Susan’s key.”
Silence.
Daniel’s eyes widened.
Rachel looked confused.
The caller didn’t speak.
Emily continued.
“And I know the ledger wasn’t in the camera case.”
The line remained silent.
“Do you want the drive, or do you want the key?”
Finally the voice returned.
“Who told you about the key?”
Emily smiled slightly.
“So it matters.”
The caller hung up.
Daniel whispered, “What the hell are you doing?”
“Making them uncertain.”
“You don’t know what the key opens.”
“Neither do they.”
At 4:41, another message arrived.
PUT THE KEY WITH THE DRIVE.
Emily showed Alvarez.
The detective nodded.
“Good. They’re responding emotionally.”
Rachel suddenly stood.
“I need the bathroom.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Sit down.”
“Daniel.”
“Sit.”
Rachel started crying again.
“I’m not your prisoner.”
“No. You’re the woman who terrorized our son.”
Robert looked away.
At 4:53, the kitchen window shattered.
Everyone ducked.
A small object rolled across the floor.
Police shouted.
Daniel pulled Emily behind the counter.
The object stopped.
Not an explosive.
A child’s sneaker.
Noah’s other sneaker.
Attached was a note.
BACK YARD. TWO MINUTES.
Daniel ran toward the door.
Alvarez shouted through his earpiece.
“Wait!”
He didn’t.
Emily followed as fast as she could.
The backyard was empty.
Then the gate opened.
Steven stepped inside.
His hands were raised.
Blood covered one side of his shirt.
Daniel stopped.
“Where’s my son?”
Steven stumbled.
“They took him.”
Daniel lunged.
Steven raised his hands.
“I tried to get him back!”
“From who?”
Steven looked at Emily.
“Michael.”
Emily stared.
“Where?”
Steven coughed.
“He moved him after the cops came.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel grabbed his jacket.
“You know something.”
Steven gasped.
“He wants the ledger.”
“So does everyone.”
“No.”
Steven looked terrified.
“You don’t understand.”
He pointed toward Robert through the window.
“The ledger isn’t about Hale.”
Emily froze.
“What?”
“It’s about your father.”
Robert stepped into the yard.
His face had gone white.
Steven laughed weakly.
“Tell them.”
Robert didn’t move.
Steven shouted.
“Tell them who created the accounts!”
Daniel turned.
“Dad?”
Robert whispered, “Steven.”
“Tell them!”
Steven pulled a folded paper from his coat.
Robert moved suddenly.
Too suddenly.
He grabbed for it.
Steven stumbled backward.
Daniel caught Robert’s arm.
Emily took the paper.
It was an old bank authorization.
Robert Carter.
Authorized trustee.
Carter Family Holdings.
Emily looked at her father.
“What is this?”
Robert said nothing.
Steven started laughing.
“Your mother discovered Robert was moving money.”
Robert shouted, “Shut up!”
Daniel stared at him.
“Dad?”
Steven continued.
“She thought she married an honest man.”
Robert punched Steven.
Police rushed into the yard.
Daniel grabbed Robert.
Emily stumbled backward.
Everything broke at once.
Rachel screamed from inside.
Officers shouted.
Steven collapsed.
Robert cursed.
Then Noah’s voice came through the phone in the birthday cake.
The stuffed-bear phone had automatically answered.
“Aunt Emily?”
Everyone froze.
Emily ran inside.
“Noah!”
His voice was faint.
“I got away.”
Emily’s knees almost gave out.
“Where are you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Look around.”
“I’m in a car.”
Daniel grabbed the phone.
“Noah! Buddy, it’s Daddy.”
“Daddy?”
Daniel started crying.
“I’m here.”
Noah whispered, “The man left me in the car.”
“What man?”
“The one from Mommy’s office.”
Michael Hale.
Daniel looked at Alvarez.
She was already tracing the call.
Noah continued.
“He said he had to go get Grandpa.”
Everyone looked at Robert.
Robert stopped struggling.
Emily felt cold.
“Noah, is the car moving?”
“No.”
“Can you see anything?”
“A big building.”
“What color?”
“Red.”
“Anything else?”
“Trains.”
Alvarez shouted, “Rail district.”
Daniel was already moving.
Then Noah whispered one final thing.
“Aunt Emily?”
“Yes?”
“I found Grandma’s box.”
Emily froze.
“What box?”
“It was under the seat.”
“What’s inside?”
A pause.
“Pictures.”
“What pictures?”
Noah started crying.
“One is you.”
Emily stopped breathing.
“What do you mean?”
Noah whispered:
May you like
“You’re a baby.”
Then the connection died.
