Chapter 8 - Elena's Voice
Noon was three hours away. I lay in a hospital bed with a monitor taped to my stomach, knowing people were making plans that might change a little girl's life before lunch.
Then Mara came into my room and asked me to meet someone by secure video call. A woman appeared on the screen in an ordinary kitchen with pale yellow walls. She had dark hair pulled back and eyes so tired they made her look older than her photograph.
"I'm Elena," she said. "I owe you an apology for dragging you into this."
I looked at her and thought of the cream cardigan in the suitcase. "You didn't make me drag anything. Vanessa did."
Elena's mouth tightened. "Four years ago, Richard threatened to take my unborn child if I contacted Vincent. I left, thinking I could find proof and come back. After Grace was born, Richard's people took her from the nurse who was helping me."
"How did you find her?"
"I searched almost three years. Last spring, Daniel was hired as a driver, discovered what they were doing, and refused to take Grace to a family Richard had chosen. He got her to Rosa's sister, Isabel."
"And Daniel died."
Elena nodded. "He saved my daughter. I wasn't with him that night. I didn't know who else he'd told. I've spent years gathering records and trying to protect Isabel. Richard's lawyers threatened her immigration status and her daughter. I couldn't expose Grace until I could protect the people keeping her safe."
"Why contact Vincent now?"
"Richard discovered the storage location. He intends to use a forged guardianship order to move Grace. When my old phone came online, I knew Vincent had found the suitcase. It was our chance."
"Richard showed me documents with Vincent's signature. Forged. I believed them for too long. By the time I learned the truth, Richard was watching every doorway. I'm not proud of waiting."
She leaned toward the camera. "Clara, there's another thing. Daniel found paperwork bearing your name before he died. It concerns your baby."
May you like
Mara looked up sharply.
Elena said, "Someone had already arranged for your daughter to leave the hospital without you."
