Chapter 5 - THE GIRL IN THE RED COAT
Renick did not shout.
That frightened Belle more than shouting would have.
He simply became still.
“Seal the city.”
Sully hesitated.
“Renick—”
“Every station.”
“Boss.”
“Every airport.”
“Renick.”
“Every bridge.”
Belle grabbed his arm.
“Think.”
His eyes snapped toward her.
“They have my daughter.”
“And losing control won’t bring her back.”
For one dangerous second, Belle thought he might explode.
Instead he breathed once.
Then nodded.
Security footage showed Marissa entering the safe house disguised as a paramedic.
She had used credentials belonging to a real emergency worker.
Brinley had gone willingly.
That hurt Renick most.
“She trusted her.”
Belle understood.
Children followed people they trusted.
Micah stood near the monitor.
“Play it again.”
Belle shook her head.
“Micah—”
“Please.”
Renick replayed the footage.
Marissa led Brinley toward a dark sedan.
Brinley wore her red coat.
Micah leaned closer.
“Stop.”
Renick paused.
Micah pointed.
“She dropped something.”
They enlarged the frame.
A tiny white object lay near the curb.
A feather.
Belle frowned.
“Why?”
Micah looked at her like the answer was obvious.
“She’s leaving a trail.”
Brinley loved birds.
She had feathers in her coat pockets.
They searched the route.
Another feather appeared near the end of the block.
Then another beside an intersection.
Renick looked at Micah.
“She knew we’d look.”
“No.”
Micah shook his head.
“She knew I would.”
The trail ended near an abandoned textile warehouse in Roxbury.
Renick wanted Micah nowhere near it.
Belle agreed.
This time Micah did too.
Renick entered with twelve men.
The warehouse was empty.
Except for Brinley’s red coat.
And a phone.
It rang.
Renick answered.
A man’s voice came through.
“Hello, little brother.”
Renick’s face drained.
“Declan.”
Belle watched from the command van.
So did Micah.
Declan laughed.
“Twelve years and that’s all I get?”
“Where is my daughter?”
“Safe.”
“If you touch her—”
“I’m not the monster in this family.”
“You tried to kill her.”
“No.”
Renick froze.
Declan continued.
“The balcony wasn’t supposed to kill Brinley.”
Belle looked at Micah.
“Then what was it supposed to do?”
Renick asked.
“Scare you.”
Declan’s voice hardened.
“Marissa was supposed to catch her.”
“But Micah got there first.”
“Yes.”
“Then why threaten him?”
Declan laughed softly.
“I didn’t.”
Belle felt cold.
Renick looked toward the van camera.
If Declan had not sent the photograph to Belle’s apartment, somebody else had.
A third player.
Declan continued.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Explain it.”
“Daniel Ashford wasn’t killed because he discovered Harrow.”
Belle stopped breathing.
“He was killed because he discovered who was protecting it.”
“Who?”
The call went silent.
Then Declan said, “Ask the man who gave you your first gun.”
Renick looked toward Sully.
Sully whispered, “No.”
Renick’s father.
Patrick Kavanaugh.
The legendary patriarch who had supposedly died eight years ago.
Renick whispered, “My father is dead.”
Declan laughed.
“That’s what he wanted both of us to believe.”
The call ended.
Then another phone rang.
This one belonged to Belle.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A distorted voice said:
“Tell Renick to stop searching.”
Belle’s blood froze.
“Who is this?”
“If he keeps looking, the next child won’t be rescued.”
The line disconnected.
Micah was staring at her.
Belle tried to hide her fear.
Too late.
May you like
Because Micah had heard every word.
And for the first time since this nightmare began, the brave little boy started to cry.
