Chapter 16 - The Empty Bassinet
Ethan dropped the phone and ran.
The hotel bedroom door was open.
Claire stood beside the bassinet, screaming.
Lily was gone.
The officer outside the suite lay unconscious near the stairwell, breathing but bleeding from the scalp. Security video showed a hotel employee pushing a laundry cart into the service elevator twelve minutes earlier.
The employee was Captain Voss wearing a maintenance jacket.
Claire grabbed Ethan's shirt.
"Get her back."
He had never heard that sound in her voice before.
Not fear.
Something beyond fear.
Brooks took command instantly. Road units moved toward the old church. Tactical officers surrounded the area. Ethan was fitted with another wire despite every instinct in him demanding he run there alone.
"She said alone," he told Brooks.
"And she has already tried to frame your wife, burn evidence, and use a dirty cop. We're done playing by her rules."
The old church had been closed for renovation. Ethan entered through the side door at 11:57.
Margaret stood near the altar holding Lily.
The baby was wrapped in her star quilt.
Voss stood twenty feet away with a handgun.
"Put the gun down," Ethan said.
Voss smiled. "Not how this works."
Margaret rocked Lily gently, almost lovingly.
That frightened Ethan more than if she had been screaming.
"Give me my daughter."
"Your daughter?" Margaret said. "You were ready to let Claire take her away from the entire family."
"You attacked Claire."
"I was trying to save you."
"By hurting my wife? By stealing my child?"
Margaret's face hardened.
"Claire poisoned you against me. Noah tried to do the same thing to your father."
Ethan took one slow step forward.
"Is that why you chased Noah?"
Voss snapped, "Don't answer that."
Margaret ignored him.
"Noah was reckless. He would have destroyed everything your father built."
"So you ran him off the road."
Her eyes flashed.
"I told him to stop. He wouldn't."
In Ethan's earpiece, Brooks whispered, "Keep her talking."
Then Lily began to cry.
Margaret looked down.
For half a second her grip loosened.
Ethan moved.
Voss raised the gun.
May you like
And Claire's voice suddenly thundered from the rear of the church.
"MARGARET!"
