Part 2 of 3
Below me, Daniel laid the passports carefully on the hallway table.
The stranger lowered his voice.
“Federal agents moved faster than expected.”
My stomach twisted.
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“How close are they?”
“Close enough that your wife’s sister may already be involved.”
Vanessa.
I tightened my grip on my phone, silently begging for another message.
Daniel picked up my laptop.
“She never checks anything technical,” he said coldly. “Even if she saw the files, she wouldn’t know what they meant.”
The stranger chuckled softly.
“You picked the perfect woman.”
Daniel didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
“The child complicates things.”
Liam.
Our little boy.
The stranger nodded.
“My people are already moving him.”
I bit down on my fist so hard tears flooded my eyes instantly.
Liam was supposed to be asleep at Daniel’s parents’ house.
Unless…
My phone vibrated suddenly.
I nearly screamed.
A text from Vanessa appeared on the dark screen.
FBI and local police arriving in under 3 minutes. Stay hidden. Liam is safe. We intercepted the vehicle.
Relief hit so hard I almost collapsed.
Safe.
My son was safe.
Below me, Daniel’s phone rang.
He answered immediately.
“What?”
His face changed.
The stranger stepped closer.
“What happened?”
Daniel’s voice turned deadly quiet.
“They stopped the car. Liam’s gone.”
The stranger cursed under his breath.
Then Daniel slowly looked upward.
Not directly at me.
Toward the attic.
“Where’s Hannah?”
My pulse stopped.
He began checking rooms.
“Hannah?” he called softly. “Baby?”
I crawled behind a stack of storage bins, barely breathing.
The attic stairs creaked.
Once.
Twice.
Then suddenly sirens exploded outside the house.
Red and blue lights flashed through the tiny attic vent.