Chapter 5 - The Hallway Beneath the Stairs
Nora ran before anyone could stop her.
“Ivy!”
The service corridor smelled of bleach and hot bread. A catering cart rolled against the wall, its wheels still turning. Whoever had taken the girl had less than thirty seconds' head start.
Mateo raced past Nora and pressed a radio to his mouth. “Lock the gates. Nobody leaves with a child.”
Malcolm appeared behind them. “You're overreacting. She probably wandered off.”
“Then you won't mind staying where I can see you,” Mateo said.
Gideon entered the corridor without his jacket. The sound of running shoes echoed downstairs. He pointed toward it. Mateo drew his phone to call the police.
“Not my wife's private security company,” Gideon said. “The actual police.”
They reached the basement landing. Two doors stood open. At the third, Nora heard a small, deliberate tapping.
Tap. Tap-tap. Tap.
“Ivy?” Nora crouched by the locked door. “Sweetheart, answer me.”
“I'm here,” came a frightened voice. “A man said you fell down. He wanted me to go to the car.”
“Are you alone?”
“I locked myself in. He has a key.”
Mateo shouldered the door twice before its old latch broke. Ivy rushed into Nora's arms, shaking so hard her teeth clicked.
“I remembered what you taught me,” she whispered. “Never get in a car without you.”
“That's my girl.” Nora held on too tightly, then loosened her grip when Ivy winced.
A broad man in a gray suit came up the stairs carrying a key ring. He stopped when he saw Gideon.
“Who hired you?” Gideon demanded.
The man turned to run. Mateo caught him at the landing and pinned his wrist to the wall. A phone slid from the man's pocket, lighting up with a message.
KEEP HER AWAY FROM THE OLD MAN. NO MISTAKES THIS TIME.
There was no contact name, only a number.
Mateo photographed the screen and called the police again. The man kept silent, but Ivy looked at him with sudden recognition.
“He was outside our school yesterday,” she said.
Gideon felt cold spread through his chest. This wasn't a stranger taking a chance at a crowded party. Somebody had been watching the girl.
Mateo's own phone rang. It was his deputy in the control room.
“Boss,” the deputy whispered, “someone erased the footage from the blackout. But they missed the backup.”
“Who shows up?”
May you like
There was a pause.
“Your employer's wife. And she's not alone.”
