Chapter 18 - THE REAL MASTER OF THE GAME
The next morning, Detective Shaw moved Lily and me to a secure location, but whoever had been watching us seemed to know every step before we took it. Our phones were replaced. The vehicles were changed. The route was kept secret. Yet ten minutes after we arrived, Shaw received a message containing a photograph of Lily sleeping in my arms. Beneath the photograph was one sentence.
“Tomorrow, the trust opens.”
There was no demand.
No threat.
No explanation.
That was what frightened me most.
Because the person behind the message didn't need to threaten me anymore.
He believed he had already won.
That evening, Richard requested to speak with me from prison. I almost refused, but something inside me told me this was the final piece we were missing. When the screen came on, Richard looked exhausted for the first time. He had spent his entire life believing he was the smartest man in every room. Now he looked like a man who had finally discovered that he had never been in control.
“Diane, listen carefully.”
“I have nothing left to hear from you.”
“You're wrong.”
He leaned toward the camera.
“Everything I did was because I was afraid of him.”
I stared at him.
“Adrian Cross?”
Richard's eyes widened.
“How do you know that name?”
“Because we found your payments.”
He closed his eyes.
Then he whispered something that made my entire body go cold.
“I never met Adrian until after Scott was born.”
I frowned.
“But the photograph shows you together fifteen years ago.”
Richard shook his head.
“That photograph was staged.”
“Why?”
“Because Adrian wanted your father to believe I was working with him.”
I stared at the screen.
“Were you?”
Richard's voice broke.
“No.”
For the first time, I believed him.
Richard had been a criminal.
He had manipulated Scott.
He had tried to steal Lily's trust.
But even he had been manipulated.
Then Richard said the words I would remember for the rest of my life.
“Diane, Adrian isn't after the company.”
I leaned closer.
“Then what does he want?”
Richard looked directly into the camera.
“He wants Lily.”
The call suddenly disconnected.
A second later, every security alarm in the building started screaming.
Detective Shaw ran into the room.
“Where is the child?”
I looked down.
May you like
My arms were empty.
Lily was gone.
