Chapter 5: The Farm With No Address
The sheriff's deputy wanted everyone to remain at the diner.
Boone had other ideas.
He stood beside the back entrance while rain hammered the metal awning.
"We're going to Crossville.""
Deputy Harris shook his head.
"Absolutely not.""
"That little girl is a witness. Her uncle just fired through a restaurant window. You want me to leave her sitting here?""
"We have officers responding.""
"How many?""
"Two units.""
Boone laughed without humor.
"Ryan has already shown us what he thinks about two people standing between him and that child.""
Duke stepped beside him.
"We're not asking to take over your investigation. We're offering to help locate the property.""
Harris studied the men.
"You're bikers. Not deputies.""
"Never claimed to be.""
Daniel approached.
"Ryan knows the roads better than anyone. If he reaches that farm before you, he'll move Michael.""
Harris turned.
"Why didn't you tell us about Michael Reeves before?""
Daniel's silence answered the question.
Evelyn stood with Sophie beside her.
"Officer, my granddaughter's mother died six months ago. Someone has been threatening this child. And now you're telling me her father might still be alive.""
Harris lowered his voice.
"Mrs. Carter, I understand you're upset.""
"No, you don't.""
Evelyn pointed toward the broken window.
"My son has spent six months telling me that my granddaughter's mother was unstable. He told me her husband abandoned her. He told me everything was fine.""
Her voice cracked.
"And tonight, I watched him drag an eight-year-old girl across a restaurant.""
Daniel looked at the floor.
Harris finally nodded.
"One patrol car will escort you. Nobody makes contact with anyone at that property until we secure it.""
Boone agreed.
Within fifteen minutes, three motorcycles and two police vehicles were heading west.
Sophie rode in the back of a police SUV with Evelyn.
Boone followed on his motorcycle.
He kept checking the rearview mirror.
The child hadn't spoken since they left.
When they reached a small gas station outside Crossville, Harris stopped.
He approached Boone.
"There's something you should know.""
Boone removed his helmet.
"What?""
"We ran Ryan Carter's name. He has no criminal convictions, but he's been connected to several missing-person reports.""
"Children?""
Harris nodded.
"Three reports over four years. Different counties. Different families.""
Boone's jaw tightened.
"And nobody investigated?""
"Each case was closed for a different reason. One child supposedly ran away. Another was placed with relatives. The third was reported as a custody dispute.""
"Convenient.""
"Too convenient.""
Harris showed him a printed photograph.
It was Ryan standing outside a warehouse.
Beside him was another man.
Boone recognized the face.
"Who's that?""
"His business partner. A man named Victor Hale.""
Daniel, who had been standing nearby, suddenly spoke.
"Victor runs the company.""
Harris turned.
"What company?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Carterside Family Services.""
Duke frowned.
"What's that?""
"An adoption and family-placement agency.""
Boone looked at him.
"Your brother owns an adoption agency?""
Daniel nodded.
"He says he helps families.""
"And what does he actually do?""
Daniel stared at the photograph.
"He finds children nobody will come looking for.""
The silence that followed was heavy.
Evelyn stepped out of the SUV.
"What are you saying?""
Daniel's eyes filled.
"Ryan used his connections to move children between families. Some were legitimate placements. Others weren't.""
Harris stepped closer.
"How do you know?""
"Because I helped him.""
Evelyn slapped him.
The sound echoed across the gas station.
"Your wife's death wasn't enough? You helped him take children?""
Daniel didn't defend himself.
He simply stood there, crying.
Sophie watched from the open SUV door.
"Grandma?""
Evelyn turned immediately.
"Yes, baby?""
"Are we going to find Daddy?""
Evelyn crouched.
"Yes.""
"Promise?""
Evelyn kissed her forehead.
"I promise we won't stop looking.""
The convoy continued.
At 10:46 p.m., they reached a narrow road surrounded by thick woods.
There was no street sign.
No mailbox.
Just two stone pillars and a rusted iron gate.
Boone stopped his motorcycle.
A wooden sign hung crookedly between the pillars.
*CARTER FAMILY FARM.*
The gate stood open.
Harris raised his hand.
"Nobody moves.""
Two deputies approached the entrance.
One returned after a minute.
"There's a vehicle inside.""
"What kind?""
"Black pickup.""
Daniel went pale.
"Ryan.""
Boone looked toward the house.
It was an enormous farmhouse with dark windows and a detached barn.
The front door stood open.
A light flickered upstairs.
Then Sophie spoke from the SUV.
"That's not the house Mommy showed me.""
Everyone turned.
"What do you mean?"" Boone asked.
Sophie pointed toward the barn.
"Mommy said Daddy was in the red building.""
The barn was painted a faded red.
A single light glowed near its rear entrance.
Harris immediately radioed for additional units.
Then they heard something.
Three loud knocks.
From inside the barn.
Everyone froze.
Three more knocks.
Sophie pressed both hands against the window.
"That's him.""
Boone looked at her.
"How do you know?""
She began crying.
"Mommy taught me.""
She tapped three times against the SUV window.
Then she whispered:
"That's how Daddy answers.""
Boone stared at the barn.
He had heard gunshots, explosions, and men screaming for help.
But nothing had ever made his stomach tighten like those six knocks.
Harris signaled his deputies.
They approached the barn.
The door was locked from the outside.
One deputy cut through the chain.
Boone stood behind them.
"Police! If anyone is inside, identify yourself!""
A weak voice answered.
"Please...""
The deputy pulled the door open.
A man was sitting on the floor.
His beard was long. His face was bruised. His clothes hung loosely from his body.
But when the flashlight reached his face, Daniel dropped to his knees.
"Michael?""
The man slowly raised his head.
His eyes moved across the doorway.
Then they landed on Sophie.
He stared at her for several seconds.
His lips trembled.
"My baby?""
Sophie ran.
Evelyn barely managed to catch her before she reached the barn.
"Sweetheart, wait!""
Michael began crying.
"Sophie...""
The little girl stretched both arms toward him.
"Daddy!""
Boone felt something loosen inside his chest.
They had found him.
But then Michael grabbed the deputy's sleeve.
His voice became urgent.
"Get her away from here.""
Harris frowned.
"Sir, you're safe now.""
Michael shook his head.
"No. You don't understand.""
He looked past them toward the farmhouse.
"Ryan didn't come here for Sophie.""
Daniel stood slowly.
"Then why?""
Michael's eyes filled with terror.
"Because he knows Laura left something behind.""
He looked directly at Boone.
"Something that can put half the people in this county behind bars.""
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Then he whispered:
"And the man who ordered her death isn't Ryan.""
