Chapter 7: Twenty Minutes
Daniel was already on his feet.
"He's been watching the house," he said.
"He knew you'd answer.
He wanted you to know he's close."
"How does he know my number?"
"Same way he found Sophie.
Someone talked." Daniel moved to the window and looked out without touching the curtain.
"He won't come alone."
Claire stood up.
"We're not letting him in."
"If we don't let him in, he goes to the police himself and claims Sophie is a missing child.
He has the resources to tie this up in court for months." I was already thinking through it.
"He doesn't want the recording going public.
That's his only vulnerability.
He wants to trade — Sophie's safety for the drive."
"We are not trading Sophie," Claire said.
"No," I said.
"We're not."
I looked at Daniel.
"You said Mara left a formal letter with a solicitor.
Can you reach them tonight?"
"It's past midnight."
"Emergency line.
Try."
Daniel pulled out his phone and stepped into the hallway.
I looked at Claire.
"I need you to take Sophie and Lily to the Hendersons' house.
Go through the back garden.
Don't use the car."
"Ryan—"
"He said don't involve the police.
That means the police are exactly what he's afraid of." I picked up the USB drive.
"I'm going to call them before he gets here.
But I need the girls out of this house first."
Claire looked at me for a long moment.
Something shifted in her face — not the complicated, guarded thing from earlier, but something more direct.
She nodded once and went down the hall.
I called the police.
The dispatcher was calm and clear.
I told her there was a man threatening to come to my home, that I had a child in my care who was in danger, and that I had evidence related to a serious crjme.
She told me to stay on the line.
I heard her relaying the address.
Daniel came back into the kitchen.
"I reached the solicitor's emergency service.
They're pulling the file.
They can have documentation sent to the police within the hour."
"Good."
"Ryan." He stopped.
"I should have told you sooner.
About all of it.
I was trying to protect Sophie, and I told myself that was enough of a reason, but—"
"Not now," I said.
"Later.
We'll have that conversation later."
He nodded.
Headlights swept across the kitchen window.
A car had parked at the end of the driveway.
It sat there with the engine running.
My phone buzzed again.
Same unknown number.
I didn't answer it this time.
Ninety seconds later, I heard the first siren, still distant but getting closer.
May you like
The headlights at the end of the driveway didn't move for a long moment.
Then they pulled away.
