Chapter 10 - EthanFor several seconds, Daniel couldn't breathe.
“Ethan?”
Sarah nodded through tears.
“I swear I didn't know.”
Daniel stared at her.
“How could you not know?”
“Because I was told the record was wrong.”
“By who?”
“My mother.”
“Your mother knew?”
“I think so.”
Daniel looked toward Maria.
“This is insane.”
Maria said quietly,
“Where is Ethan now?”
Daniel pulled out his phone.
He called again.
This time, Ethan answered.
Daniel's voice shook.
“Where is my son?”
A long pause.
Then Ethan said,
“Your son?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“You know what I mean.”
“No. I really don't.”
“Did you take Noah?”
Another pause.
“No.”
Daniel clenched his jaw.
“Then tell me where you are.”
“Not near the house.”
“Why?”
“Because someone is watching you.”
“Who?”
“Exactly the question I've been trying to answer.”
Daniel froze.
“You sent those messages.”
“Yes.”
“You were in the house.”
“Yes.”
“You watched my family.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“You hid in my walls.”
“I didn't build them.”
Daniel stopped.
“What?”
“Those tunnels were there before you were born.”
Daniel looked at Maria.
Ethan continued.
“Dad built them.”
“Why?”
“To hide people.”
Daniel felt his stomach tighten.
“Who?”
“The first was Grace.”
Maria whispered,
“Grace Miller.”
Ethan heard her.
“Yes.”
“She's alive?”
Silence.
“Ethan.”
“She was.”
Daniel felt the room spin.
“What does that mean?”
“She's missing again.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Then Ethan's voice became urgent.
“Listen carefully.”
Daniel waited.
“Someone inside your house has been feeding information to the people behind this.”
Daniel looked at Sarah.
Ethan continued.
“It's not Maria.”
Daniel swallowed.
“Who is it?”
Ethan hesitated.
“I can't prove it yet.”
“Then why tell me?”
“Because Noah isn't the target.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
“The person they really want is Sarah.”
Sarah went pale.
Ethan continued.
“Noah is leverage.”
“Why Sarah?”
“Because she knows where your father hid the original files.”
Daniel looked at Sarah.
“I thought we found them.”
“No.”
Ethan's voice dropped.
“The file in your basement is a copy.”
Daniel's blood ran cold.
“Then where is the original?”
Ethan answered:
“Somewhere only your wife can access.”
The call ended.
Daniel turned toward Sarah.
She was trembling.
“I don't know where it is.”
Maria looked at her.
“Yes, you do.”
Sarah stared at Maria.
“What?”
“You've been afraid of your own house.”
Maria pointed upstairs.
“Not because you thought someone would take Noah.”
She lowered her voice.
“Because you were afraid they'd find what you hid.”
Sarah began crying.
“I didn't hide it.”
“Then who did?”
Sarah looked toward the nursery.
And whispered:
“My mother.”
At that moment, headlights appeared outside.
A black vehicle stopped at the front gate.
Someone stepped out.
Maria recognized him immediately.
The man from the photograph.
May you like
The man wearing Daniel's father's watch.
And he was carrying Noah.
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