Chapter 9 - A Third Blood Type
The lab result arrived before noon.
The fresh blood found in Daniel’s tunnel belonged to a man.
Alive, according to the amount and pattern.
Not Michael.
Not Daniel.
Not Anthony Ruiz.
Detective Nolan stood in the hospital conference room with a folder open in her hands.
“We ran it through CODIS.”
Lauren held her breath.
“No direct match. But we found a partial familial association to a missing-person case.”
Hannah stared.
“Aaron?”
Nolan nodded.
“The blood likely belongs to Aaron Blake or a close relative.”
Hannah covered her mouth.
“He’s alive?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Michael stood at the window.
“I saw someone in the tunnel.”
Everyone turned.
Lauren glared at him. “You forgot to mention that?”
“I thought it was Daniel.”
“What did you see?” Nolan asked.
“A man. Hooded jacket. He came at me with a crowbar. We fought.”
“That’s where the blood on your face came from?”
“Some of it. Emily’s blood was on my jacket. The blood on my hands came from the man.”
Nolan frowned. “Why didn’t he kill you?”
“He could have.”
Michael’s voice was quiet.
“But he stopped when he saw my face.”
“What did he say?”
Michael looked at Hannah.
“He said, ‘You’re the coward.’”
Hannah’s eyes widened.
Nolan noticed.
“You recognize that?”
Hannah nodded slowly.
“Aaron used to call Michael that.”
Lauren looked between them.
“How would Aaron know Michael?”
Hannah’s answer came reluctantly.
“Aaron contacted Michael before he tried to help me escape.”
Michael turned around sharply.
“No.”
Hannah stared at him.
“Yes.”
“I never met Aaron.”
“He told me he talked to you.”
Michael shook his head.
“He lied.”
“Why would he?”
“I don’t know.”
Nolan closed the folder.
“Then let’s find him.”
The search shifted fast.
Police checked hospitals, shelters, traffic cameras, abandoned properties near Mill Creek.
At 2:17 p.m., a deputy found a truck hidden behind an old feed warehouse.
Inside were bloody rags.
A crowbar.
And a photograph.
Nolan brought the photograph to Hannah.
It showed Hannah and Noah standing beside the burned cabin.
Taken recently.
Very recently.
On the back, someone had written five words.
I NEVER STOPPED WATCHING THEM.
Lauren felt her stomach drop.
“Who took this?”
Hannah looked terrified.
“I don’t know.”
Nolan’s phone buzzed.
She checked the message.
Then looked at Michael.
“We found the truck’s registration.”
“Who owns it?”
Nolan’s face hardened.
May you like
“Robert Carter.”
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