Chapter 12: The Little Girl in the Yellow Shoes
The passport photograph showed a little girl with dark brown hair and a serious expression.
She was wearing yellow shoes.
Leo had described them perfectly.
I looked at the plane ticket.
“Where is Richard going?””
Officer Bennett checked the details.
“London. Departure in four hours.””
Adrian grabbed the document.
“Sophie is in danger.””
Officer Bennett immediately called airport authorities.
“Send an alert. Possible unlawful removal of a minor. We need the child's location confirmed.””
I looked toward the front entrance.
“I'm going with you.””
Officer Bennett shook his head.
“Not yet.””
“She's my son's sister.””
“I understand. But we need to locate her before anyone moves her.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“I know where Richard might have taken her.””
Everyone turned.
“Where?””
“Rebecca's old apartment.””
He pulled out his phone and searched through his contacts.
“Before she died, Rebecca lived in a building near Lincoln Park. Sophie spent most of her time there.””
“Would Richard know the address?””
Adrian nodded.
“Vanessa knew it. Peter knew it. And if Richard was helping them, he definitely knew.””
Officer Bennett contacted his team.
Within minutes, two officers were preparing to leave.
I turned toward Nia.
“Please stay with Leo.””
She nodded.
“He's asking for you.””
I went into the adjoining room.
Leo was sitting on the sofa, holding the small dinosaur toy I had bought him when he was three.
He looked up.
“Daddy?””
I sat beside him.
“I'm going to find Sophie.””
He nodded.
“Please bring her home.””
I brushed his hair away from his forehead.
“I will do everything I can.””
He looked at me.
“Is she my sister?””
I hesitated.
“We're still learning the truth.””
He considered that.
Then he whispered:
“If she is, can she sleep in my room?””
My throat tightened.
“Of course.””
He smiled faintly.
It was the first time I had seen him smile that evening.
I kissed his forehead and stood.
As I reached the door, he called after me.
“Daddy?””
I turned.
“Yeah, buddy?””
“Don't let Uncle Peter come back.””
I looked at him.
“I won't.””
Then I left.
The drive to Lincoln Park took twenty minutes.
Adrian sat beside me, staring out the window.
Officer Bennett followed in an unmarked vehicle.
“Tell me about Rebecca,” I said.
Adrian was quiet for a moment.
“She was kind. Funny. She loved children. When we discovered she couldn't conceive, she was devastated.””
“Did she know Vanessa?””
“Only through the clinic. Rebecca believed Vanessa was helping arrange a legitimate donor program.””
I looked at him.
“And Sophie?””
Adrian's eyes filled.
“I've only seen photographs.””
“Why didn't you fight for her?””
“I didn't know she existed.””
He turned toward me.
“Do you think I wanted to miss six years of her life?””
I said nothing.
He continued.
“Rebecca died from an infection after a routine operation. Her sister was supposed to become Sophie's guardian, but the paperwork disappeared. Vanessa claimed Rebecca had appointed her.””
I gripped the steering wheel.
“Did you believe her?””
“I had no reason not to. She showed me documents.””
“Forged?””
He nodded.
We arrived at the apartment building shortly before six.
It was an old brick building with narrow balconies and a small courtyard.
Adrian led us to the third floor.
Apartment 3B.
The door was slightly open.
He stopped.
“That's strange.””
Officer Bennett motioned for us to stay behind him.
He knocked.
“Police.””
No answer.
He pushed the door open.
The apartment was empty.
A small suitcase sat beside the sofa.
On the kitchen table was a half-eaten sandwich and a glass of milk.
Adrian walked toward the hallway.
“Sophie?””
Nothing.
I noticed a child's drawing taped to the refrigerator.
It showed three people holding hands.
A little girl.
A man.
And a woman wearing a yellow dress.
Underneath, in childish handwriting, were the words:
Me and Mommy and Daddy.
Adrian stared at it.
His eyes filled.
Then Officer Bennett called from the bedroom.
“Mr. Blake?””
We hurried inside.
He was holding a small pink backpack.
Inside were children's clothes, a stuffed rabbit, and a folded piece of paper.
I opened it.
The handwriting was Richard's.
The child has been moved. Do not contact the authorities. We will call when arrangements are complete.
Adrian swore under his breath.
I looked around the room.
“Where would they take her?””
Officer Bennett examined the paper.
“Any idea?””
Adrian shook his head.
Then he noticed something on the bedside table.
A photograph.
It showed Rebecca holding Sophie in a hospital room.
On the back was a handwritten address.
A small farmhouse outside Milwaukee.
Adrian stared.
“That's my father's old property.””
“Could Richard know about it?””
“Yes.””
“Is it occupied?””
“Not officially.””
Officer Bennett immediately contacted his team.
“We have a possible location. Requesting units near Milwaukee.””
I turned toward Adrian.
“Let's go.””
He nodded.
As we left the apartment, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Marcus?””
It was Richard.
“Where is Sophie?””
He laughed.
“You're making this very difficult.””
“Where is she?””
“She's safe.””
“Put her on the phone.””
“No.””
I looked at Officer Bennett.
He signaled for me to keep him talking.
“What do you want?””
Richard sighed.
“A guarantee.””
“Of what?””
“That you won't interfere with Vanessa's legal position.””
I almost laughed.
“She's being investigated for fraud and child endangerment.””
“Then perhaps you'd better think about the consequences of escalating this.””
“What consequences?””
Richard lowered his voice.
“There's a document in Peter's possession that could destroy your company.””
I looked at Adrian.
“I'm listening.””
“Your father transferred certain assets through an offshore trust. The paperwork isn't entirely legitimate.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“What are you saying?””
“I'm saying that if you want to keep your business, you'll stop asking questions about Sophie.””
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The final threat.
Money in exchange for silence.
I had spent years believing my family business was built on solid foundations.
Now I was discovering that my father, uncle, wife, and lawyer might all have been hiding something.
“Richard, listen carefully.””
“Yes?””
“I don't care about the company.””
He went quiet.
“I don't care about the inheritance. I don't care about the property. I want the little girl returned safely.””
Richard laughed.
“You sound like Emily.””
My blood ran cold.
“What did you say?””
“She made the same mistake. She thought doing the right thing would protect everyone.””
I felt my grip tighten around the phone.
“Did you know what happened to her?””
Silence.
Then Richard said:
“Goodbye, Marcus.””
The call ended.
I turned toward Officer Bennett.
“Can you trace that?””
“We're working on it.””
Adrian was already walking toward the car.
“We need to move.””
As we drove toward Milwaukee, I received another message.
This one contained a video.
I opened it.
Sophie was sitting on a wooden chair in a dimly lit room.
Her yellow shoes were visible beneath the chair.
She was holding a stuffed rabbit.
A man's voice came from behind the camera.
“Tell Marcus what happens if he doesn't cooperate.””
Sophie shook her head.
Then she looked directly into the camera.
“Please don't be mad at me.””
My heart broke.
She continued in a tiny voice.
“Uncle Richard said I have to forget Daddy's name.””
Adrian covered his mouth.
Then the little girl whispered:
“But I remember him.””
The video ended.
A second message arrived.
You have one hour.
I stared at the screen.
Then I noticed something in the background of the video.
A wooden wall.
A brass clock.
And a framed photograph of a lake.
I zoomed in.
I recognized the room.
It was the farmhouse.
Adrian's father's old property.
“She's there,” I said.
Officer Bennett accelerated.
“Are you sure?””
I showed him the video.
He nodded.
“Then we're going.””
As we approached the property, Adrian suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Marcus, wait.””
I turned.
“What?””
He pointed toward the driveway.
A second vehicle was parked outside the farmhouse.
A black SUV.
Its headlights were off.
And beside it stood a woman I recognized immediately.
Vanessa.
She was supposed to be in police custody.
I stared in disbelief.
“How did she get out?””
Adrian opened his door.
But before we could move, the farmhouse lights switched on.
A small figure appeared behind the upstairs window.
Sophie.
She pressed both hands against the glass.
Then a second figure stepped behind her.
An older woman.
She looked directly toward our car.
And I recognized her.
It was my mother.
I turned toward Adrian.
“Why is Eleanor here?””
He shook his head.
Then he said something that made my stomach drop.
“Because I don't think she ever intended to help us find Sophie.””
My phone vibrated again.
A message appeared from my mother.
Marcus, don't come inside. There's something about Leo you still don't know.
I looked up at the farmhouse.
May you like
The upstairs curtain moved.
And Sophie disappeared from the window.
