Chapter 5 - THE EMPTY ROOM
Gabriel reached the mansion in six minutes.
The security team had already sealed the property.
Every gate was locked.
Every vehicle searched.
No one had entered.
No one had left.
Yet Eli was gone.
Gabriel ran upstairs.
The safe room door stood open.
Hannah was inside.
She was crying.
“He was here.”
Gabriel looked at the floor.
Eli's wheelchair remained beside the wall.
His blanket lay on the ground.
The wooden sailboat was missing.
Gabriel looked at the cameras.
“Show me.”
Mason brought up the footage.
The safe room camera showed Eli sitting alone.
Then the screen flickered.
Sixteen seconds disappeared.
When the image returned, Eli was gone.
Gabriel stared.
Again.
Again.
Sixteen seconds.
The same attack.
The same signature.
Someone had access to the system.
Hannah suddenly pointed.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“Look at Eli.”
Gabriel rewound.
Before the blackout, Eli was staring toward the corner.
Not the door.
The ceiling.
He was smiling.
Gabriel froze.
“Why is he smiling?”
Hannah whispered:
“He knew someone was coming.”
Gabriel felt a cold wave move through him.
“Who?”
They searched the house again.
Then a guard found a small trail of muddy fingerprints near the rear staircase.
Tiny.
Child-sized.
But Eli couldn't walk.
Gabriel followed them.
They ended at the old conservatory.
The door was locked.
He opened it.
Inside, Eli sat on the floor.
The wooden boat rested in his lap.
Beside him was an old man.
Gabriel raised his weapon.
The man lifted both hands.
“Don't.”
Gabriel recognized him.
Samuel Price.
Claire's former attorney.
A man Gabriel believed had died three months after Claire.
“You're alive.”
Samuel nodded.
“Barely.”
Gabriel stared at Eli.
“Did you take my son?”
“No.”
“Then why is he here?”
Samuel looked at Eli.
“He came to me.”
Gabriel's face tightened.
“My son cannot walk.”
“He can crawl.”
The words struck Gabriel.
Samuel continued.
“He crawled through the service corridor.”
Gabriel looked at Eli.
“Why?”
Eli held up the boat.
“Mom said the secret was underneath.”
Gabriel's heart stopped.
He took the boat.
The bottom panel was loose.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
Gabriel looked at Samuel.
“What is this?”
“The reason Claire died.”
Gabriel inserted the card.
A video appeared.
Claire.
But this time she wasn't alone.
She sat across from Victor.
Victor looked angry.
Claire placed documents on the table.
“You can't keep doing this.”
Victor replied:
“Gabriel will destroy you.”
“He'll destroy you first.”
Victor laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He leaned forward.
“Gabriel is not the target.”
Claire froze.
“Then who?”
Victor looked toward the camera.
“His son.”
The video ended.
Gabriel looked at Eli.
The boy's face was white.
“I remember.”
Gabriel knelt.
“What?”
“The man.”
“Victor?”
Eli shook his head.
“No.”
“Who?”
Eli pointed at Samuel.
“The other man.”
Samuel's face collapsed.
Gabriel slowly turned.
“Who?”
Eli whispered:
“The man who looked like you.”
Gabriel felt the world tilt.
Samuel closed his eyes.
“Your brother.”
Gabriel stared.
“My brother is dead.”
Samuel opened his eyes.
“No.”
May you like
He whispered:
“Your brother is alive.”
