Chapter 17 - The Man Who Called Her Little Bird
Claire demanded to see Daniel again. This time, she didn't sit down.
"You took my brother," she said through the interview-room glass.
Daniel closed his eyes. "I moved him to a safer family."
"You told me he died."
"Celia wanted him because your mother had hidden the ledger. I thought if the boy disappeared, they'd stop looking."
"You let me mourn him for twenty-six years!"
He stared at the table. "I was a coward. I kept thinking I'd tell you when the danger passed. It never did."
I wanted to drag him across the room. Instead, I put my arm around Claire and let her speak.
"Where is Thomas?"
"His adoptive name is Luke Harrison. He's a paramedic in Denver. I checked on him from a distance. He's alive."
Claire laughed once, a broken sound. "You don't get credit for that."
Daniel nodded. "I know."
Reed entered with another revelation. A search of Daniel's former business accounts showed payments from Celia after his supposed death. He had helped maintain the false identities that hid the trafficking scheme, even while claiming he was protecting its victims.
"He can testify," Reed said, "but he doesn't get to walk away."
Daniel finally looked at Claire. "Your mother made me promise to keep you safe. I failed her."
"You failed me," Claire replied. "And then you made it my job to thank you."
Outside, we received confirmation that the safe had been opened. The combination was April 12, followed by the last two digits of Evelyn's employee ID. The ledger contained original birth records, bank transfers, and signatures tying Celia Voss and Martin Hale directly to the agency.
But Claire's name was in it too.
A note next to her childhood photograph read: WITNESS MUST BE SILENCED BEFORE SECOND CHILD IS BORN.
"Second child?" I asked.
May you like
Reed looked up, grim.
"Someone knew Claire was pregnant before she told her own doctor."
