Chapter 8 - THE SAFE HOUSE WASN'T SAFE
Harper called the Brookline house before the SUV had fully stopped.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
"Call Morrison," Gabriel ordered.
One of his guards did.
His face changed.
"Straight to voicemail."
"Drive."
"Harper-"
"DRIVE!"
The front door was open.
"Noah!"
Harper ran through the house.
Kitchen. Bedroom. Bathroom.
Empty.
Beside it was his green dinosaur.
"No. No, no, no."
Gabriel's security chief checked the cameras.
"System went dark at 11:43. Internal override."
Gabriel looked at him. "Who has that code?"
The man hesitated.
"Me. You. Vincent."
Harper turned.
Gabriel's face became stone.
A sound came from the pantry.
Mrs. Morrison stumbled out, blood on her temple.
"They took him."
Harper caught her.
"Who?"
"Vincent. He said Gabriel ordered a transfer. I knew something was wrong when Noah started screaming. I tried to stop them."
"Them?"
"Vincent and a Boston officer. I didn't see his face."
Harper's phone rang.
Derek.
She answered on speaker.
"Where is he?"
Derek sighed. "You always make everything harder than it has to be."
"If you touch him-"
"I don't want Noah. I want the locker evidence, the memory card, and every copy."
Gabriel shook his head at Harper.
Derek continued, "Midnight. Old Franklin police training annex in Roxbury. Come alone."
"I want to hear Noah."
Silence.
Then a small voice.
"Harper?"
She nearly broke.
"I'm here, baby. Are you hurt?"
"No. Derek says you're bad now. I told him he's stupid."
Harper closed her eyes.
"Good boy. Listen to me. I'm coming."
Derek returned to the phone.
"Alone, Harper. If I see Ashford, Noah pays for it."
The call ended.
Gabriel said, "You're not going alone."
Harper looked at him.
"He spent three years teaching me what happens when I obey him."
May you like
She wiped her face.
"Tonight he learns what happens when I don't."
