Chapter 13 - A Trap Built for a Child

I told Rose Ruby was protected. She didn't sound relieved.

"Protected by whom?" she asked. "Martin had someone inside the state team."

"Reed?"

"I don't know. But every safe address you've used was found within hours."

Vega overheard. She shut down the call and arranged for a different unit to take custody of us. Reed objected sharply, then accepted the order. I could tell he hated being treated as a suspect. I hated having to wonder.

The new safe house was a plain farmhouse outside Fredericksburg. We arrived after sunset with no escort lights and no announced route. Ruby slept in the back seat with Finn curled at her feet.

"Do you trust Rose?" Claire asked.

"I want to."

"That's not the same."

"I know."

Before bed, I checked every window. Claire watched me from the hallway. "You think locks can stop people who already know everything about us?"

"No. I think doing nothing would drive me crazy."

She came closer and laid my palm against her belly. Our baby kicked once, hard. We looked at each other, and for a second the fear loosened its grip.

"She's stubborn," Claire said.

"Takes after her mother."

"And her father."

We were still holding hands when a crash sounded from the kitchen. I ran in, pulse hammering, and found Finn growling at the back door. A brick lay on the tile. Tied to it was a plastic bag containing a photograph of Ruby's school.

A red circle surrounded her classroom window.

On the back: COME TO THE OLD CLINIC AT DAWN. BRING CLAIRE. NO POLICE.

I called Vega. She requested a tactical sweep and said we weren't going anywhere. But Claire had stopped listening.

She was staring at the photograph, her face wet with tears.

"There's something else," she said. "Something I should have told you nine years ago."

"Claire, not another lie."

"I wasn't supposed to have children, Evan. Not because of a medical problem. Because I signed a document when I was seventeen."

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She looked at her belly.

"I signed away rights to any child they could claim was connected to the old case."