Chapter 9 - Lucas DisappearedThere are moments when panic becomes so complete that the body stops feeling human.
I couldn't hear properly.
Couldn't breathe properly.
Couldn't understand the words coming out of Detective Ortiz's mouth.
“How did he leave?”
“We're checking cameras.”
“He was right there.”
“I know.”
“I checked on him twenty minutes ago.”
“Rachel—”
“He was RIGHT THERE.”
My voice broke.
Ortiz grabbed my shoulders.
“Look at me. We are going to find him.”
I hated promises.
Christopher had made hundreds.
I wanted facts.
“How did Olivia contact him?”
“Likely through the gaming account on his tablet.”
We had checked phones.
Emails.
Messages.
Nobody had thought about the chat function inside an online game Lucas played with his friends.
Olivia had.
She had created an account pretending to be someone Lucas knew.
The messages were recovered quickly.
I know where your dad is.
Lucas:
Who is this?
Someone trying to keep him alive.
Then:
Police are moving him tonight. Olivia's father has people inside the jail. If you want to save him, come alone. Don't tell your mom.
I stared at the screen.
My son had been manipulated through the one weakness Olivia knew he still had.
Christopher.
Despite everything, Lucas didn't want him dead.
Olivia had counted on that.
Police traced the route.
A camera caught Lucas leaving through a rear stairwell.
Another captured him walking toward a convenience store.
Olivia met him there.
She wasn't dragging him.
She didn't need to.
Lucas willingly got into her car because he believed he was saving Christopher.
“Where did she take him?”
“We're working on traffic cameras.”
I called Christopher.
This time, I demanded the jail wake him.
“Lucas is gone.”
Christopher's silence lasted one second.
Then he lost control.
“What?”
“Olivia took him.”
“No.”
“She lied and told him someone inside the jail was going to kill you.”
“Oh God.”
“Where would she go?”
“I don't know.”
“THINK.”
“Rachel—”
“THINK!”
He breathed heavily.
“She's going to use him.”
“For what?”
“To make you bring her the recordings.”
“Police already have them.”
“She doesn't know what copies exist.”
“I'll give her anything.”
“Don't.”
“That's my son.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
The silence hurt him.
Good.
Then Christopher said:
“There might be one place.”
“Where?”
“An unfinished property Victor owns.”
“Which one?”
“He owns dozens.”
“Near Lake Norman. Private road. It was supposed to become a resort.”
Ortiz heard everything.
Agents moved.
The property was empty.
Another dead end.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
Ortiz started recording.
I answered.
“Hello?”
“Mom?”
Lucas.
My knees weakened.
“Baby.”
“I'm okay.”
“Where are you?”
Olivia came on.
“Rachel.”
I closed my eyes.
“What do you want?”
“You know.”
“The recordings?”
“All of them.”
“Fine.”
“And Christopher's backup drive.”
“I don't know what that is.”
“He does.”
“Then ask him.”
“He won't tell me.”
“Olivia, listen to me. Lucas has nothing to do with any of this.”
“Neither did I.”
“You had an affair with my husband and helped people threaten him over gambling debts.”
“You think that's the whole story?”
“I don't care what the story is.”
“You should.”
“Put Lucas back on.”
“No.”
My hands shook.
“Let me hear him.”
A pause.
Then Lucas:
“Mom?”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did she hurt you?”
“No.”
Olivia returned.
“He's fine. Keep him that way by doing exactly what I say.”
“What backup drive?”
“Ask Christopher.”
The call ended.
Christopher denied knowing.
At first.
Then Ortiz told him Lucas would remain in danger until he stopped lying.
He finally admitted there was another backup.
I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle him.
“Where?”
“At my office.”
“That was searched.”
“It's inside the conference table.”
A hidden compartment.
Inside: another drive.
Bank records.
Audio.
Photographs.
And, critically, a list of every private loan Victor Shaw's organization had issued.
Enough to implicate dozens of people.
Now Olivia's desperation made sense.
That drive wasn't about romance.
It could help destroy her father.
We prepared a copy.
Police wanted to control the exchange.
Olivia sent instructions.
I was to bring the drive alone to an abandoned warehouse district.
No police.
Everyone knew that would never happen literally.
But I would appear alone.
Ortiz fitted me with a transmitter.
“You do exactly what we discussed.”
“I know.”
“You do not improvise.”
“I won't.”
“If Lucas appears, you don't run toward him until you have a clear opportunity.”
That promise was harder.
The warehouse smelled like rust and rain.
I entered carrying the drive in a plastic case.
“Olivia?”
My voice echoed.
She appeared from behind a row of crates.
She looked nothing like the polished executive assistant I knew.
Hair unwashed.
Dark circles beneath her eyes.
Coat too large.
A woman unraveling.
“Where's Lucas?”
“Safe.”
“Show me.”
She gestured.
Lucas stepped into view.
Hands free.
No visible injuries.
“Mom.”
Every cell in my body screamed to run to him.
I didn't.
“Let him walk to me.”
“The drive.”
I held it up.
“Lucas first.”
Olivia laughed.
“Christopher taught you negotiating?”
“No. Being married to him taught me never to trust someone who wants everything before giving anything.”
Her face tightened.
“Give it to me.”
“Let him cross halfway.”
Olivia looked at Lucas.
“Go.”
He walked.
Ten feet.
Twenty.
Then she shouted, “Stop.”
He stopped.
I held out the drive.
Olivia approached.
I knew agents were positioned outside.
Waiting for the safest opening.
She reached for the case.
I pulled it back.
“Now Lucas.”
“Drive.”
“Lucas.”
Her eyes went cold.
Then Lucas did something neither of us expected.
He ran.
“Mom!”
Olivia grabbed for him.
Missed.
I dropped the drive and sprinted.
Police shouted.
Doors crashed open.
Olivia turned.
Lucas reached me.
I threw myself around him and dragged him behind a concrete column.
Agents swarmed the warehouse.
For several seconds, chaos.
Then silence.
I heard Ortiz shout:
“Olivia! Hands where we can see them!”
A long pause.
Then another voice.
Olivia.
Crying.
“You ruined everything!”
I held Lucas tighter.
No.
She had ruined herself.
When officers brought her past us in handcuffs, she stared at me.
Not Christopher.
Not police.
Me.
“You think you won?”
I didn't answer.
She laughed bitterly.
“He'll destroy you too.”
I looked at Lucas.
Then back at her.
“He already tried.”
Olivia was taken away.
For the first time in weeks, the immediate danger was over.
But the legal battle was only beginning.
May you like
And Christopher had one final secret left.
A secret that would force me to make the hardest decision of my life.
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