Chapter 19: The Last Bargain
I stared at the photograph until the edges of the room seemed to disappear.
Claire was sitting on a hospital bed, her wrists secured to the metal frame. Her face was bruised, and a strip of tape covered her mouth.
Beneath the picture was a message.
Bring me Anna, or Claire dies.
I called the number immediately.
It rang once.
Then David answered.
“Hello, Michael.””
“Where is she?””
“That's not how this works.””
“If you've touched her—”
“I haven't hurt her. Yet.””
I gripped the phone so tightly my fingers ached.
“You're asking me to hand over a seventeen-year-old girl?””
“I'm asking you to bring me what belongs to me.””
“Anna belongs to nobody.””
David chuckled.
“Still pretending you're the hero. That's always been your problem.””
Harris was already signaling to the officers. One of them was tracing the number while another contacted the hospital.
I kept David talking.
“You have the recording. You know the police have evidence against you. What do you think taking Claire will accomplish?””
“Time.””
“For what?””
“To leave the country.””
“You won't get out.””
“Then I suppose Claire's life is in your hands.””
I closed my eyes.
“Tell me where she is.””
“Old St. Mary's. Room 306.””
The words struck me.
Room 306.
Sarah's note.
Ask Dr. Eleanor Hayes about Room 306.
I looked at Eleanor.
She had heard the address.
Her face drained of color.
“Michael,” she whispered.
“That's where they kept the children.””
David continued.
“Bring Anna. No police. No Detective Harris. You have thirty minutes.””
The call ended.
Harris stepped toward me.
“We're not giving him Anna.””
“I know.””
“We'll secure the hospital and evacuate the surrounding area.””
I looked at Eleanor.
“What's Room 306?””
She took a shaky breath.
“It's the old maternity ward. Helen used it as a private holding room when she was arranging the transfers.””
“For what?””
“For the babies. The records. The women who asked too many questions.””
I stared at her.
“And Sarah?””
Eleanor nodded.
“She went there the night she died.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why?””
“To meet me. She believed I could help her recover the original birth records.””
“Did you?””
“No.””
“Why not?””
Eleanor looked away.
“Because David was waiting for her.””
We reached the old hospital with four police vehicles.
The building had been closed for years, but the rear entrance remained accessible through a service corridor.
Harris ordered his team to surround the property.
I refused to leave Anna behind.
She sat in the back of the police vehicle with Rebecca, watching me through the window.
“That's where my mother went?”” she asked.
I nodded.
“I'm going to bring Claire out.””
“Is David there?””
“We don't know.””
Anna reached for my hand.
“Please don't let him take me.””
I crouched beside her.
“He won't.””
She looked at me with Sarah's eyes.
“You promised I could meet Lily.””
“You will.””
“Then come back.””
I kissed her forehead.
“I will.””
Harris approached.
“Michael, stay behind me.””
We entered through the service corridor.
The smell of dust and disinfectant filled the air.
Old medical equipment sat beneath plastic covers. The walls were stained, and several ceiling lights flickered.
At the end of the hallway, a door stood open.
A sign above it read:
*ROOM 306*
Harris raised his weapon.
“Police! Come out with your hands visible!””
No answer.
We entered.
The room was empty except for a chair, a metal cabinet, and a small television.
On the screen was a live image of Claire.
She was still tied to the hospital bed.
A second camera showed another room.
Inside stood David.
He was holding a gun.
And beside him was Deputy Chief Lawson.
I felt my blood turn cold.
Harris stared at the screen.
“Lawson.””
A speaker crackled.
“Detective Harris. I was hoping you'd come.””
Harris stepped closer.
“Where is Claire?””
“Safe, for now.””
“Release her.””
Lawson laughed.
“You really believe you have authority here?””
“I have enough officers outside to bring this building down.””
“Then perhaps you should listen before you make a mistake.””
The screen changed.
A video appeared.
Sarah was sitting in Room 306, visibly frightened.
The date in the corner was the night she died.
Lawson stood behind her.
David was beside the door.
And Dr. Hayes was holding a folder.
Sarah looked directly into the camera.
“If anything happens to me, Michael needs to know that Lily and Anna are both innocent.””
I felt my throat tighten.
Then Sarah turned toward Lawson.
“You told me Claire was dead. You told me my daughter was dead. You told me there was no way to fix what you'd done.””
Lawson replied:
“There is no fixing it.””
Sarah shook her head.
“Then I'll expose you.””
David stepped forward.
“You're making this worse.””
Sarah looked at him.
“You were my husband's best friend.””
David said nothing.
“You held my daughter after I died. You watched Michael cry at my funeral. How could you?””
For a moment, David looked ashamed.
Then Lawson struck the table.
“Enough.””
The video ended.
I stared at the screen.
“What do you want?”” Harris demanded.
Lawson's voice came through the speaker.
“The original ledger. The memory card. And Anna.””
“You'll never get them,” I said.
Lawson laughed.
“Then Claire dies.””
A loud bang echoed somewhere in the building.
We heard Claire scream through the speaker.
I stepped toward the screen.
“Stop!””
Lawson appeared on the monitor.
“Bring the girl to Room 306.””
I looked at Harris.
He shook his head.
Then a second screen flickered.
It showed the corridor behind us.
An armed man was approaching.
Harris spun around.
“Down!””
Gunfire shattered the silence.
We dropped behind the metal cabinet.
An officer shouted over the radio.
“Shots fired! Shots fired!””
Harris returned fire.
The armed man fell back.
Then the television screen went black.
I heard footsteps in the corridor.
A door slammed.
Harris looked at me.
“Stay here.””
But I saw something on the floor beneath the cabinet.
A small white envelope.
It had my name written across it in Sarah's handwriting.
I opened it with shaking fingers.
Inside was a single sentence:
Michael, if Lawson is still alive, then the person who ordered my death is still hiding behind him.
Beneath it was another name.
*Helen Whitmore.*
I looked at Harris.
“Helen is behind all of this.””
He nodded.
“And I think I know where she is.””
Before I could ask, a voice came from the hallway.
“Michael?””
It was Claire.
I rushed toward the doorway.
She stood at the far end of the corridor, supported by an officer.
Her wrists were free.
But she was crying.
“Where's David?”” I asked.
Claire shook her head.
“He left.””
“And Lawson?””
“Gone too.””
I looked around.
“How did you get out?””
Claire swallowed.
“Someone unlocked the door.””
“Who?””
She looked toward the stairwell.
Then she whispered:
“Your wife.””
I froze.
“What?””
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
“Sarah's mother. Eleanor. She was here before you arrived.””
I turned toward the entrance.
Eleanor was gone.
And so was Anna.
My phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
Bring the ledger to the cemetery where Sarah is buried.
Then another.
Come alone. I have Anna.
The final message contained a photograph.
Eleanor stood beside Anna.
May you like
And behind them, beneath the cemetery's iron gate, stood Helen Whitmore.
The woman everyone believed was already in prison.
