Chapter 11 - PLATFORM 6)
Bellmere Central was packed with evening commuters.
Elena walked beside Arthur.
No visible police.
Price’s people were present, but scattered throughout the station in ordinary clothes.
The real red card was inside Elena’s coat.
Arthur wore a tracking device beneath his shirt.
The countdown on Elena’s phone reached six minutes.
Platform 6 served the northern line.
A train waited.
Doors open.
Passengers boarding.
Elena searched every face.
No Leo.
No Adrian.
At three minutes, her phone vibrated.
BOARD THE TRAIN.
Arthur looked at her screen.
They entered.
Another message.
CAR 4.
They moved forward.
Car 4 was nearly empty.
A woman read beside the window.
A businessman typed on his laptop.
An elderly couple spoke quietly.
No Leo.
The doors closed.
Elena’s phone buzzed.
LEAVE THE CARD UNDER SEAT 17.
Arthur whispered:
“Seventeen again.”
Elena looked beneath the indicated seat.
A small envelope waited.
She placed the red card beneath it and removed the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Leo.
Alive.
Sitting in a room.
Today’s newspaper beside him.
Elena nearly collapsed with relief.
On the back:
ARTHUR GETS OFF AT RIVERSIDE.
ELENA CONTINUES NORTH.
NO DEVIATION.
Arthur said:
“They’re separating us.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“You’re not.”
He smiled faintly.
“You’re getting Leo.”
The train approached Riverside.
Arthur stood.
Elena hugged him.
“If they take you…”
“They already did years ago.”
The doors opened.
Arthur stepped onto the platform.
A man in a brown jacket approached.
Police moved subtly.
Then the man handed Arthur an umbrella and walked away.
Arthur opened it.
A message was taped inside.
WALK EAST.
Arthur followed.
Elena’s train moved again.
She watched him disappear.
Her phone buzzed.
GOOD.
NEXT STOP. EXIT.
Elena obeyed.
She got off at North Bellmere.
The platform was almost empty.
A black car waited beyond the taxi lane.
Rear door open.
Elena approached.
The driver wore a cap.
“Get in.”
“Where’s my son?”
“Get in.”
She entered.
The car drove north.
No police visible.
But Elena knew Price had placed a tracker in her shoe.
Twenty minutes later, the car entered an industrial district.
Warehouse.
Loading docks.
Dark river.
Elena was taken inside a converted office.
Leo sat on a sofa.
“Mom!”
He ran to her.
Elena held him so tightly he complained he could not breathe.
She kissed his hair.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did anyone touch you?”
“No.”
“Where’s Adrian?”
Leo pointed toward another room.
A door opened.
Adrian emerged.
His lip was split.
Hands tied.
Elena stared.
“You didn’t take him.”
Adrian almost laughed.
“I was beginning to think everyone would assume I did.”
The man who had collected Elena entered behind him.
He removed his cap.
Elena did not recognize him.
“You have the card?”
“I left it on the train.”
“As instructed.”
“Then why are we here?”
“To confirm authenticity.”
“You have Leo. Let him go.”
“When Arthur arrives.”
Elena’s pulse quickened.
“You took him too?”
The man ignored her.
Adrian spoke.
“They’re not Cresswell.”
The man struck him.
Elena moved toward him.
“Touch him again and you get nothing.”
The man smiled.
“You sound like Michael.”
“Did you know him?”
The smile disappeared.
“That depends which Michael you mean.”
Elena froze.
Before she could ask, a phone rang.
The man answered.
Listened.
His expression changed.
“What do you mean Arthur disappeared?”
Elena felt hope.
The man shouted:
“Find him.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
Arthur had done something.
Police?
Escape?
The building lights suddenly died.
Leo grabbed Elena.
Adrian moved.
In darkness, he kicked the man backward.
Elena pulled Leo behind a desk.
A gunshot exploded.
Glass broke.
Another sound.
Door crashing.
Voices.
“State police!”
Elena covered Leo.
More shouting.
Then Detective Price entered with officers.
“Clear!”
Elena nearly fell from relief.
Adrian was freed.
The kidnappers were arrested.
But Arthur was not there.
Price approached Elena.
“We lost his tracker at Riverside.”
“Did they take him?”
“We don’t know.”
Leo pulled something from his pocket.
“Grandpa gave me this.”
Elena looked.
A folded piece of paper.
“When?”
“Before we left the hospital. He said I should only give it to you if he disappeared.”
Elena opened it.
One sentence.
IF I GO MISSING, DO NOT LOOK FOR ME.
May you like
Below it:
FINISH WHAT MICHAEL STARTED.
