Chapter 16 - Lily Was Taken
Nathan nearly dropped the phone.
"What do you mean, gone?"
"I was making lunch. The buzzer rang. A woman said she was from the police and you had been hurt. By the time I reached the lobby, Lily was gone."
Ruiz was already moving.
"Lock the building. Get camera footage."
Nathan's chest felt too tight to breathe.
"Noah?"
"He's here," Megan said. "He's safe."
That was when Noah's small voice came through the phone.
"Daddy? The lady had Mommy's blue scarf."
Nathan froze.
Emma's blue scarf had disappeared after the funeral.
Victoria had worn it once, saying Emma had given it to her years earlier.
"Did you see the car?"
"Gray. It had a bird sticker on the back."
Ruiz snapped her fingers at an officer. "Run Victoria's known vehicles, rentals, family registrations. Look for decals."
Grant, still in custody, heard what happened.
His face drained.
"She took Lily?"
Nathan grabbed the front of his shirt.
"Where would she go?"
Grant looked terrified now.
"There's an old camp property outside Mill Creek. The foundation used it for summer programs before the roof failed. Victoria kept a key because records were stored there."
Ruiz asked, "Address?"
Grant gave it.
A traffic camera found a gray crossover heading north on Route 16.
A faded blue bird sticker was visible on the rear window.
Nathan rode with Ruiz.
Nobody spoke for most of the drive.
Then his phone received a video call.
Victoria.
Ruiz signaled for him to answer.
Lily appeared on screen first.
She was crying, but she was alive.
"Daddy."
Nathan's voice cracked. "I'm coming, baby."
Victoria pulled the phone toward herself.
"Bring the memory card from Emma's notebook. Alone."
"You already know police copied it."
"I don't care about the copy. Emma hid something else on that card. Lily knows the password."
Nathan looked at Ruiz.
Victoria smiled faintly.
"Ask your daughter what her mother taught her to remember."
The call ended.
Ruiz whispered, "She's not after evidence we've seen."
May you like
Nathan stared at the dark screen.
"She's after evidence Emma never let us find."
