Chapter 7 - The Child Behind the Barrier
Rachel's security camera showed exactly what happened.
At five fourteen that morning, Charles Benton arrived at her house.
Rachel knew him.
He said Mark had sent him because police believed Rachel's neighborhood was unsafe.
He showed a message on his phone.
It appeared to come from Mark.
Rachel woke Lily.
Charles drove away with her.
Twenty minutes later, Rachel called Mark to confirm.
Too late.
Police tracked Charles's vehicle.
He changed cars twice.
Then vanished.
At seven eleven, Mark received a message.
Come home alone.
No police.
Mark ignored the second instruction.
He gave detectives the message.
They surrounded the mansion discreetly.
Mark entered through the front door alone.
The hallway was silent.
"Victoria?"
No answer.
He moved toward the west wing.
A sound came from behind him.
Tiny fists striking glass.
Mark turned.
Lily stood behind the transparent security barrier separating the restored conservatory corridor from the main hallway.
"Daddy!"
He ran toward her.
The barrier had been coated with an emergency cooling compound normally used in the mansion's climate storage system.
A thick frozen layer had sealed the door mechanism.
Lily pounded both hands against it.
"Daddy! Get me out of here!"
Victoria stepped from behind a white doorway.
Mark's entire body changed.
"Open it."
Victoria shook her head.
"We need to talk."
"Open it."
"Claire stole something from me."
"Where is she?"
"She has something that belongs to this family."
"Where is my wife?"
"Tell Claire to return the recording."
Mark stared.
"So you do have her."
Victoria laughed softly.
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
Mark moved toward the emergency release.
Victoria blocked him.
"Listen."
He shoved her aside.
She struck the bookcase.
Wood cracked.
Victoria fell.
A red line appeared at her temple.
She looked up, stunned.
Mark reached the barrier.
The frozen mechanism would not open.
He searched the side table.
Maintenance tools had been left beside the climate-control panel.
Among them was a small handheld blowtorch used for pipe repairs.
Mark lit it.
Victoria stood.
"Now get the hell out."
Mark did not even look at her.
He melted the ice around the emergency latch.
Lily cried behind the glass.
"Mommy's downstairs."
Mark froze.
"What?"
"I saw her."
Victoria lunged toward Lily.
Mark knocked her hand away.
The barrier opened enough for Lily to squeeze through.
Mark pulled her into his arms.
She clung to him.
Victoria backed away.
Mark saw a hammer among the tools.
He grabbed it.
Rage, fear, exhaustion, and three days of helplessness exploded through him.
He charged toward Victoria.
She screamed.
The hammer rose.
Then Lily cried, "Daddy!"
Mark stopped.
Everything returned.
The hallway.
His daughter.
The police outside.
Claire somewhere nearby.
Mark lowered the hammer.
Victoria stared at him.
"You don't have it in you."
Mark dropped the hammer.
"No."
He looked toward the west staircase.
"But I don't need to."
Lily whispered, "Behind the red door."
Victoria ran.
Mark caught her at the door.
The brass key hung beneath her necklace.
"Open it."
She resisted.
Three faint knocks came from below.
Then Claire's voice.
"Mark?"
Victoria's face drained of color.
The police entered seconds later.
Detectives pulled Victoria away.
Mark ran down the hidden staircase.
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At the bottom, behind a second locked door, he found Claire.
She was alive.
