Chapter 9: The Mother Before Laura
The basement door shook.
Once.
Twice.
Then Ryan stopped trying to open it.
Boone stood between Sophie and the staircase.
Duke searched the room for another exit.
"Tell me there's a second way out.""
Michael pointed toward the back wall.
"There's a service tunnel. It leads to the old storage shed.""
Duke looked at him.
"Why didn't you mention that earlier?""
"Because I was locked in here for six months. I never had a reason to use it.""
Boone found the narrow opening behind a stack of boxes.
It was barely wide enough for a grown man.
"Everyone through. Now.""
Evelyn helped Sophie enter first.
Daniel followed.
Michael insisted on walking without assistance.
He nearly collapsed after three steps.
Boone caught him.
"Easy.""
Michael shook his head.
"Leave me. Get Sophie out.""
"Not happening.""
The footsteps above them grew louder.
Ryan called again.
"Boone! I know you're down there.""
Boone stopped.
Ryan laughed.
"You really think you're helping that child? You don't know anything about her.""
Boone continued toward the tunnel.
Ryan's voice followed them.
"Ask Michael about the first woman who carried Sophie.""
Michael froze.
Boone looked at him.
"What is he talking about?""
Michael said nothing.
Sophie looked up.
"Is there another mommy?""
Evelyn squeezed her hand.
"Let's keep moving, sweetheart.""
They reached the storage shed through a narrow underground passage.
Duke pushed the door open.
Cold night air rushed inside.
They emerged behind the barn, where two police vehicles were parked.
A deputy spotted them.
"Over here!""
Harris approached.
"Where's Collins?""
"Still in custody," the deputy answered.
"But Ryan's escaped.""
Boone looked toward the farmhouse.
"He's inside?""
"We believe so.""
Michael suddenly grabbed Boone's arm.
"Don't let him get away.""
"He's not going anywhere.""
"There's something you need to know.""
Boone turned.
"Then tell me.""
Michael looked toward Sophie.
"Laura wasn't Sophie's biological mother.""
Evelyn went completely still.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Sophie frowned.
"But Mommy was my mommy.""
Michael knelt with difficulty.
"She was, sweetheart. She loved you more than anything.""
"Then why are you saying that?""
Michael struggled to find the words.
"Because when you were born, another woman gave birth to you.""
Sophie looked at Evelyn.
"Who?""
Michael stared into the darkness.
"I don't know her name.""
Boone's expression hardened.
"Explain.""
Michael nodded toward the farmhouse.
"Six years ago, Ryan told Daniel that he had a way to help couples who couldn't have children.""
Daniel looked sick.
"He said it was legal.""
Michael shook his head.
"He was already involved in illegal placements. He arranged for a newborn baby to be given to Daniel and Laura.""
Evelyn whispered:
"Without the mother's permission?""
"Yes.""
Daniel began crying.
"I thought the woman had agreed.""
Michael turned toward him.
"You never asked.""
"I was told everything was handled!""
"You wanted a child badly enough that you never asked where she came from.""
Daniel looked at Sophie.
She had moved closer to Evelyn.
"Was I stolen?""
Nobody answered immediately.
Michael closed his eyes.
Then he nodded.
"Yes, sweetheart. But you were never unwanted.""
Sophie began crying.
"Did my first mommy look for me?""
Michael looked toward the farmhouse.
"Yes.""
"How do you know?""
"Because Laura found her.""
Boone's expression changed.
"When?""
"Three months before Laura died.""
Daniel looked up.
"That's impossible.""
Michael shook his head.
"Laura showed me the records. The biological mother had filed missing-child reports. She had been told her baby died during delivery.""
Evelyn pressed a hand against her chest.
"Who told her that?""
"Ryan's people.""
Boone looked toward the farmhouse.
"Where is she now?""
Michael swallowed.
"That's what Laura was trying to find out.""
A siren sounded in the distance.
More vehicles approached the property.
Deputy Harris hurried toward them.
"We have state investigators coming in. Nobody leaves until we secure the scene.""
Boone nodded.
"Good. We need to find Ryan.""
Harris shook his head.
"We found something else.""
He held up a plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a driver's license.
The name was unfamiliar.
But the photograph was unmistakable.
It showed a woman in her early thirties with dark hair and tired eyes.
Michael stared at it.
"Where did you find that?""
"In the farmhouse office. Hidden behind the computer.""
Boone examined the name.
*CLAIRE BENNETT.*
Michael's hands began shaking.
"That's her.""
"Her who?"" Harris asked.
"The woman who gave birth to Sophie.""
Evelyn stared at the photograph.
"Is she alive?""
Michael nodded slowly.
"She was when Laura found her.""
Harris turned the license over.
There was a handwritten address on the back.
And beneath it, someone had written:
DO NOT CONTACT. SUBJECT UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
Boone looked at Daniel.
"Who was watching her?""
Daniel stared at the photograph.
"Ryan.""
Then he looked toward the sheriff's SUV.
"Maybe Collins too.""
Harris checked his radio.
"Dispatch, run Claire Bennett. I need an immediate welfare check at the address on the license.""
Static.
Then a voice answered.
"Deputy, we have a problem.""
Harris frowned.
"What problem?""
"That address is no longer occupied.""
"When was it vacated?""
"According to the property records, six years ago.""
Michael shook his head.
"That's impossible.""
The dispatcher continued.
"There's something else.""
Harris looked at the radio.
"What?""
"The property was purchased three days ago.""
"By whom?""
A long silence followed.
Then the dispatcher read the name.
"Robert Collins.""
Harris turned toward the sheriff's vehicle.
Collins was sitting in the back seat, handcuffed.
But the vehicle was empty.
The rear door hung open.
A deputy shouted from beside the SUV.
"He's gone!""
Boone immediately moved toward the road.
But Michael grabbed his arm.
"Wait.""
"What?""
Michael stared at the photograph of Claire Bennett.
Then he looked at Sophie.
"Robert didn't escape to protect Ryan.""
Boone frowned.
"Then why?""
Michael's voice broke.
"Because Claire isn't just Sophie's mother.""
Sophie looked up.
"Who is she?""
Michael closed his eyes.
"She's the only person who knows where the other children were taken.""
At that exact moment, Evelyn's phone rang.
An unknown number.
She answered cautiously.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through.
It was shaking.
"Is Sophie there?""
Evelyn looked at her granddaughter.
"Who is this?""
The woman began crying.
"My name is Claire Bennett.""
Sophie stepped closer.
"Grandma?""
Claire spoke again.
"Please don't let Robert find her.""
Evelyn's grip tightened around the phone.
"Where are you?""
A pause.
Then Claire whispered:
"I'm in the hospital.""
Boone stepped closer.
"What hospital?""
Claire took a trembling breath.
"The one where Laura died.""
And before anyone could ask another question, she said:
"Because Laura didn't die in that car accident.""
The call disconnected.
*Then Boone noticed the date on Claire's hospital bracelet in the photograph.*
May you like
It was dated six months earlier.
The same night Laura supposedly died.
