Chapter 9 - the guard at the station
Daniel slowly lowered the case.
Michael’s hands rose.
Sloan stepped into the vault and closed the door behind him.
The thick metal walls silenced the station outside.
“Where is the girl?” Sloan asked.
Daniel kept his voice steady.
“Somewhere you’ll never reach.”
Sloan pointed the pistol toward Michael.
“Your brother is less valuable than you think.”
Michael gave a humorless smile.
“That has been the family opinion for years.”
Sloan ignored him.
“The key.”
Daniel removed the silver key from his pocket.
Sloan extended his hand.
Daniel did not move.
“You followed us from the estate,” Daniel said.
“No.”
“You entered the lake property through the boathouse.”
“No.”
“You knew where Amelia would take us.”
Sloan’s expression remained unreadable.
“Judge Grant trusts too easily.”
“She has known you for twelve years.”
“She knows the identity I gave her.”
Daniel looked at the stuffed rabbit beneath his arm.
Lily had insisted he carry it.
The rabbit contained a small voice recorder Claire had sewn into its chest. Daniel had discovered it while waiting for the train attendant.
A red light beneath the fabric showed that it was recording.
He needed Sloan to keep speaking.
“Were you the woman in red shoes?”
Sloan almost smiled.
“Bethany hired an actress to frighten the child. She wanted Lily to believe her mother’s secrets would destroy Daniel.”
Michael stared at him. “Who was the actress?”
“She was never told the full plan.”
“Did she take the key?”
“No. She was supposed to search the rabbit, but the girl never let go of it.”
Daniel glanced at the stuffed toy.
“Then who placed the key beneath the boathouse?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“To make you believe the woman followed you.”
“You wanted us to open Claire’s letters.”
“I needed you to find this vault.”
Michael looked at the encrypted drives.
“You didn’t know where it was.”
“Claire was more careful than we expected.”
Daniel focused on Sloan’s wording.
“We.”
Sloan realized the mistake but did not react.
“Who do you work for?”
“The person protecting Lily’s future.”
“You emptied her trust.”
“That was Richard’s decision.”
“You allowed him.”
“Richard was useful. His greed forced Claire’s contingency plans into motion.”
Daniel felt the truth taking shape.
The theft, the custody scheme, and the birthday confrontation had not been the final operation.
They had been bait.
Someone wanted Daniel to follow Claire’s clues.
Someone needed the Silver Room but could not find it without him.
“Richard doesn’t know who you are,” Daniel said.
“No.”
“Victor Hale?”
“A manager who believed he was an architect.”
“Bethany?”
“A frightened woman desperate to maintain her life.”
“My mother?”
“Loyal to your father until loyalty became inconvenient.”
“Michael?”
Sloan looked at him.
“The weak son occasionally has practical value.”
Michael’s jaw tightened.
Daniel held out the key.
Sloan stepped closer.
The moment his attention shifted, Michael kicked the metal case across the floor.
It struck Sloan’s ankle.
The gun discharged into the vault ceiling.
Daniel pushed Lily’s stuffed rabbit into the weapon and drove Sloan’s arm aside.
Michael grabbed the man’s wrist.
The struggle lasted only seconds.
A shot was not fired again.
The vault door opened.
Two transit police officers entered, followed by the retired attendant.
Sloan was forced to the floor and disarmed.
Daniel retrieved the rabbit.
A small tear had opened along its side, but the recorder remained intact.
Sloan looked up as officers handcuffed him.
“You think catching me protects her?”
Daniel stood over him.
“No. But hearing your voice will help me find who sent you.”
Sloan laughed.
“My voice is already in the Silver Room.”
“Where is it?”
Sloan’s smile disappeared.
“You still don’t understand. The room is not a place.”
Transit officers led him away.
Michael picked up the encrypted drives.
Daniel’s phone vibrated.
Amelia was calling.
He answered.
Her voice was strained.
“Daniel, the lake house has been compromised.”
His chest tightened.
“Where is Lily?”
“She’s safe. But someone delivered a package.”
“What package?”
“A red shoebox.”
May you like
Inside it was a photograph of Lily asleep in the yellow bedroom.
The photograph had been taken less than five minutes earlier.
