Chapter 10 - THEY CAME FOR LUCAS

Arthur called the police and Lucas's school before the SUV reached the corner.

"No one releases my son except me or Maria," he told the principal. "No exceptions."

The principal hesitated. "Mr. Vance, Mrs. Vance updated the authorized pickup list this morning."

Arthur was already moving. "What do you mean updated?"

"She added herself and her brother."

Arthur ran for the car.

Maria was beside him before he reached the garage. "I'm coming."

Ben drove.

They reached the school in eleven minutes.

Too late.

Lucas's classroom was empty.

The principal looked sick. "Mrs. Vance arrived with a court document. It said she had temporary physical custody."

Daniel examined the emailed order on the principal's computer.

"Fake," he said. "The judge never signed this."

Arthur gripped the desk until his knuckles whitened. "When did they leave?"

"Seven minutes ago."

Maria pulled out her phone. "Lucas's watch."

Arthur stared at her.

"I enabled location sharing after Elena started questioning him."

A blue dot moved east on the highway.

Ben checked the route. "They're heading toward Hawthorne Airfield."

Arthur's heart slammed against his ribs.

Victor owned a private jet.

They raced after them while Daniel called police and the county sheriff.

The dot stopped at a hangar.

Then it disappeared.

"Battery?" Arthur asked.

Maria shook her head. "No. Someone turned the watch off."

Arthur's phone rang.

Unknown number.

He answered.

Lucas whispered, "Dad?"

Arthur nearly stopped breathing.

"Buddy, where are you?"

A man's voice cut in.

May you like

A Millionaire Humiliated a 6-Year-Old Boy in Front of an Entire Ballroom...

A wealthy woman humiliated a six-year-old boy in front of an entire ballroom. But when he whispered six words to his aunt, her dar...

My Son Sat There While His Wife Slapped My 4-Year-Old Granddaughter Hold...

MY SON WATCHED HIS WIFE HIT MY FOUR-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER—BUT WHAT LILY WHISPERED NEXT MADE MY BLOOD RUN COLD.My four-year-old gr...

**My Wife Secretly Unplugged the Nursery Camera, Then Approached My 6-Mo...

My Wife Secretly Unplugged the Nursery Camera—Then I Saw Her Standing Over My 6-Month-Old Son With a Red-Hot Iron. But What She Sa...

Victor.

"Bring Claire's flash drive to Hangar Six," he said. "Come alone, or your son leaves the country without you."