Chapter 6: The Woman in the Locked Room
Frank read the message again.
Then he looked at Detective Mitchell.
“Where's Lily?””
“She's in protected accommodation. Two officers are assigned to her.””
“Then why does Dean have a photograph of her?””
Mitchell picked up her phone.
“I'm contacting the protection team.””
She dialed.
No answer.
She tried again.
Still nothing.
Ray stepped closer.
“Something's wrong.””
Mitchell called the emergency dispatch number.
A woman's voice answered.
“This is dispatch.””
“This is Detective Mitchell. I need an immediate welfare check at the temporary accommodation assigned to Lily Carter.””
“Stand by.””
The silence lasted only a few seconds.
But to Frank, it felt like an hour.
Finally, the dispatcher returned.
“Detective, officers are on scene.””
“And?””
“The front door is unlocked.””
Mitchell looked at Frank.
“Are the officers inside?””
“Negative. They're waiting for backup.””
Frank grabbed his jacket.
Mitchell blocked the doorway.
“Do not move.””
“My niece is in there.””
“And if you rush in without knowing who's inside, you could make this worse.””
Frank stared at her.
“Then tell me what you're going to do.””
Mitchell picked up her radio.
“I'm sending a tactical team.””
Ray was already calling the other Steel Ravens.
Within minutes, the clubhouse parking lot filled with motorcycles.
Nobody needed a full explanation.
They had seen the photograph of Ethan.
They had heard about Emily.
And now they knew Dean had threatened Lily.
Marcus approached Frank.
“What's the plan?””
“Stay with the police. Nobody goes anywhere alone.””
Marcus nodded.
“Understood.””
Frank turned toward Ray.
“Where's the nearest hospital?””
“Five minutes away.””
“Get a car ready. If Lily's hurt, we're not wasting time.””
The officers entered the accommodation at 3:06 a.m.
The living room was empty.
A blanket lay on the floor.
A cup of hot chocolate sat on the table.
Lily's backpack was still beside the sofa.
But Lily was gone.
One of the officers found a rear window open.
Another discovered a broken security camera near the back entrance.
There was no sign of forced entry at the front door.
Mitchell stood in the doorway.
“Check every room.””
An officer called from the kitchen.
“Detective!””
He held up a small piece of paper.
It had been placed beneath a glass.
Mitchell unfolded it.
There were six words.
*SHE'S SAFE IF YOU STOP ASKING.*
Frank stared at the note.
“Where is she?””
Mitchell turned toward the officers.
“Check the surrounding streets. Pull every available camera recording.””
Ray looked at Frank.
“Dean took her.””
Frank shook his head.
“Not necessarily.””
“What do you mean?””
“Look at the note.””
Ray examined it.
Frank pointed to the handwriting.
“That's not Dean's writing. I've seen the documents he signed.””
“Then who wrote it?””
Frank looked toward the open window.
“Someone who wants us to believe Dean has her.””
His phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
He answered immediately.
“Where is my niece?””
A woman's voice came through.
“Frank?””
He froze.
He knew that voice.
He had heard it only once before.
Twenty years ago.
“Sarah?””
The line went silent.
Then the woman spoke again.
“Don't say that name.””
Frank stepped away from the others.
“Who is this?””
“You know who I am.””
“Where's Lily?””
“She's with me.””
“Put her on the phone.””
“Not yet.””
Frank gripped the device.
“Listen carefully. If you've hurt her—”
“I haven't.””
“Then prove it.””
A faint rustling sound came through.
Then Lily's voice.
“Frank?””
He closed his eyes.
“Sweetheart. Are you okay?””
“I'm scared.””
“Where are you?””
“I don't know. It's dark.””
Frank forced his voice to remain calm.
“Listen to me. Are you hurt?””
“No.””
“Is Ethan there?””
A pause.
Then Lily whispered:
“No.””
The woman returned to the phone.
“Frank, you need to understand something. I didn't take Lily to hurt her. I took her because Dean was going to find her first.””
Frank's jaw tightened.
“Who are you?””
A long silence followed.
Then the answer came.
“I'm Sarah Whitmore.””
Frank looked at Ray.
His face had gone pale.
Sarah continued.
“Your brother is alive, Frank. But you don't know what he did to keep those children safe.””
“Then tell me.””
“I can't explain everything over the phone.””
“Where's Daniel?””
“He's trying to get Ethan out.””
Frank looked toward Mitchell.
The detective had heard enough to understand.
She silently signaled for the call to be traced.
Frank continued.
“Why should I trust you?””
“Because Emily is alive.””
His heart began pounding.
“Where?””
“She's in the warehouse.””
“Then we'll get her.””
“No. You can't go in there.””
“Why?””
“Because Dean has people watching the building.””
Frank looked at Mitchell.
Sarah's voice dropped.
“And because the warehouse isn't the real facility.””
Frank frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
“The building you searched was only a storage location. The actual clinic is underground.””
Frank went cold.
“Underground?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Sarah hesitated.
Then she gave him an address.
An old industrial property outside town.
Frank recognized it immediately.
It belonged to a company that had been shut down after a chemical spill in 2010.
“What's inside?””
“People.””
“Which people?””
“People who were supposed to disappear years ago.””
Frank closed his eyes.
Sarah continued.
“Emily found the records. She discovered that Dean was using the insurance policies of missing patients to finance the operation.””
“Why did she disappear?””
“Because she found me.””
Frank stared at the floor.
“You're alive.””
“Barely.””
“What happened to Daniel?””
Sarah's voice broke.
“He came back to save us.””
Frank swallowed.
“Why didn't he come home?””
“Because he believed you had betrayed him.””
Frank felt the words like a punch.
“What?””
Sarah continued.
“He saw the document you signed in 2006. The one authorizing my transfer.””
Frank looked at Mitchell.
The detective was watching him carefully.
“I never signed that.””
“I know.””
“What?””
“Daniel knew too. But someone had forged your signature. They wanted him to believe his own brother had helped them.””
Frank's knees weakened.
For twenty years, he had believed Daniel had abandoned him.
Daniel had believed Frank had betrayed him.
And someone had deliberately kept them apart.
“Sarah,” Frank said, “listen to me. I need to speak to Daniel.””
“You will.””
“When?””
“Tomorrow. November second.””
Frank glanced at the silver key in his pocket.
“What's happening tomorrow?””
“The anniversary of the night we were supposed to disappear.””
A sudden crash sounded in the background.
Sarah gasped.
“What's happening?”” Frank shouted.
A man's voice echoed through the phone.
“Who are you talking to?””
Sarah whispered:
“Frank, listen to me. Don't let Dean get the key.””
Then the call ended.
Frank stared at his phone.
Mitchell immediately signaled the technical team.
“Trace that call. Now.””
Ray approached.
“What key?””
Frank slowly pulled the silver key from his pocket.
The engraving caught the light.
D.C. — 11/02.
Mitchell examined it.
“Do you know what it opens?””
Frank shook his head.
“Not yet.””
A young officer rushed into the room.
“Detective! We found something.””
Mitchell turned.
“What?””
“The accommodation's security camera captured the person who took Lily.””
He handed over a tablet.
The recording showed a figure entering through the rear window.
The person wore a dark coat and a cap.
But when the figure turned toward the camera, the face was briefly visible.
Frank leaned closer.
His breath caught.
Ray whispered.
“No way.””
The person wasn't Dean.
It wasn't one of Dean's men.
It was a woman.
A woman Frank recognized from the photographs in Emily's box.
The same woman who had stood outside Willow Creek three months earlier.
The same woman who had supposedly died seven years ago.
Sarah Whitmore.
Mitchell replayed the recording.
Then she noticed something in Sarah's hand.
A small photograph.
She zoomed in.
It showed Daniel standing beside a motorcycle.
On the back, written in black ink, were the words:
If Frank has the key, the truth is already out.
Frank slowly turned the silver key between his fingers.
Then his phone vibrated again.
This time, there was a video attachment.
He pressed play.
The screen showed a narrow underground hallway.
At the far end stood Daniel.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakably alive.
He looked straight into the camera.
“Frank,” he said.
His voice cracked.
“If you're watching this, then Sarah has finally brought you into the truth.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“I need you to listen carefully. Don't trust the police. Don't trust the insurance company. And whatever happens tomorrow, do not open the door marked Room 17.””
He paused.
Then he said something that made Frank's blood turn to ice.
“Because the person we've been searching for isn't Emily.””
Daniel looked over his shoulder.
A door opened somewhere behind him.
He turned back toward the camera.
“It's our mother.””
The video ended.
Frank stood motionless.
Their mother had been dead for twenty-two years.
He had buried her himself.
But Daniel was saying she was inside that underground facility.
May you like
And the next message appeared beneath the video.
*ROOM 17 OPENS AT MIDNIGHT. BRING THE KEY. COME ALONE.*
