Chapter 2 - The Son Who Was Stolen
Daniel called 911 with one hand and held Margaret's wrist with the other because he was suddenly afraid she might run.
Police arrived in six minutes.
Detective Lena Ortiz took over the nursery, pushing everyone out while crime-scene techs photographed the crib, the blood, the ring, and a muddy partial shoe print near the back staircase.
"Whose blood?" Daniel asked.
"We don't know yet," Ortiz said. "The amount looks alarming, but it may be less than it seems. We'll test it."
"My daughter is three months old. I don't care how it looks. Find her."
Ortiz held his stare. "That's exactly what we're doing."
Rachel's phone went straight to voicemail. Her car was missing. Neighbors had seen nothing useful. A camera across the street showed a black SUV arriving at 7:18 p.m. and leaving at 7:31.
Thirteen minutes.
That was all it took to destroy a life.
In the dining room, Margaret sat with both hands wrapped around a glass of water she wasn't drinking.
Daniel shut the door.
"Start talking."
"Not without a lawyer."
He laughed once, without humor. "My child is missing and you're worried about a lawyer?"
"I'm worried about saying something that gets Emma killed."
That stopped him.
"Then tell me what keeps her alive."
Margaret stared at the table.
"Twenty-nine years ago, your father and I couldn't have children. We had tried for years. Surgeries. Treatments. Nothing worked."
"So you stole me?"
"I did not walk into a hospital and take you."
"That is not an answer."
Her jaw tightened. "Thomas brought you to us."
Daniel felt sick.
"Brought me from where?"
"A house outside Milwaukee."
"Who lived there?"
Margaret's voice dropped. "A young woman named Evelyn Vale. Thomas's sister."
"My mother?"
Margaret closed her eyes.
That was answer enough.
Daniel stood so quickly the chair scraped backward.
"You knew her name my entire life."
"I was told she was dead."
"By Thomas?"
"Yes."
"And you believed a man who handed you somebody else's baby?"
"I wanted to believe him."
The words landed harder than any excuse.
A knock sounded. Ortiz entered holding a clear evidence bag.
Inside was Daniel's wedding ring.
"Mr. Cross, we found something on the inside of the band."
"What?"
"An engraving. Very faint. Looks old."
Daniel leaned closer.
Not their wedding date.
Two initials.
E.V.
Below them, a date.
October 14, 1997.
Daniel's birthday.
Margaret went white.
Ortiz looked from the ring to her.
"Mrs. Cross," she said, "I think you need to come with me."
Margaret stood slowly.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
Rachel.
He answered so fast he nearly dropped it.
"Rachel? Where are you? Where is Emma?"
For two seconds, he heard only breathing.
Then Rachel whispered, "Daniel, don't trust your mother."
A man's voice spoke in the background.
"Tell him where to come."
May you like
Rachel began to cry.
"Come alone," she said. "Or they take Emma somewhere we'll never find her."
