Chapter 12 - Every Mother's Nightmare

“What do you mean, gone?” Maya asked.

Her mother was sobbing so hard the words tangled. Police had moved them to a roadside motel after the threat. Nico had asked for a soda. Grandma walked with him to the vending machines, but a van pulled up beside the stairwell. A man grabbed Nico. A woman behind the wheel told Grandma not to scream.

“He was wearing his blue hoodie,” her mother said. “He kept calling for you.”

Maya gripped the phone until her knuckles whitened. “Listen to me. You did nothing wrong. Stay with the officers. I'm coming.”

She turned toward Ortiz, who had arrived during the call. “Bring him back.”

“We're putting out an alert for the van.”

“Don't tell me about alerts. He's ten.”

Ortiz absorbed the blow. “I know.”

Ethan moved toward Maya, then stopped. He had never looked as rich as he did in that moment, standing in a hospital corridor with every resource on earth and no idea what to offer.

“I'll pay whatever they want,” he said.

Maya faced him. “They don't want your money.”

Her phone chimed. A video showed Nico sitting in a dim room with duct tape around one wrist. His eyes were red, but he was alive.

“Mom,” he whispered, “I'm trying to be brave.”

An unseen hand pulled the phone away. Sloane appeared on the screen, the burgundy gown replaced by a beige jacket. Her blonde hair was tied back.

“Bring the camera card to the abandoned Cedar Point office,” she said. “Five tomorrow. No police. One copy, one boy.”

Maya's voice dropped. “Touch him again, and I swear—”

Sloane smiled without warmth. “That's exactly what you're bad at, Maya. You care about people.”

The video ended.

Ortiz said, “We have time to plan.”

“No,” Maya said. “We have time to find the card.”

She turned to Ethan. “Your security codes. Your keys. Every last one. I'm going back to that pump shed.”

Ethan took a ring from his pocket and placed it in her hand.

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