Chapter 16 - TWO LITTLE GIRLS
Ryan ran toward the road.
A black SUV disappeared beyond the estate gates.
Father Ben lay beside his car, conscious but bleeding from the forehead.
"Victor," he whispered. "He took them."
Caroline collapsed to her knees.
"No. No, no, no."
Ryan grabbed her shoulders. "Where would he go?"
"I don't know."
"Think!"
"Ryan, I don't—"
"You worked for him for eight years. THINK."
Owen stepped between them. "Screaming won't bring them back."
Ruiz issued an Amber Alert and road blocks within minutes.
Then Emma's stuffed rabbit began playing music.
Everyone stared.
Owen tore open the zipper.
The flash drive had shifted against a tiny plastic tag.
A locator.
"Emma's mother put trackers in her things," Owen said. "After someone followed them once."
Ruiz plugged the tag into a reader.
A signal blinked on the map.
North Shore Marina.
Caroline went rigid.
"Victor has a boat there."
They drove with sirens off.
At the marina, fog covered the docks. Victor's boat was gone, but the tracker signal remained onshore.
Ryan followed it to an abandoned boathouse.
Inside, Lily and Emma sat tied together on a bench.
Ryan rushed forward.
"Daddy!"
He cut Lily free.
"Where's Grandpa Victor?"
Lily pointed upward.
Ryan looked at the rafters.
A speaker crackled.
Victor's voice filled the building.
"You always did run exactly where I wanted you to."
Steel shutters slammed over the windows.
May you like
The doors locked automatically.
Gasoline began pouring across the floor from a pipe near the wall.
