Chapter 10: The Fourth Child
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
The photograph showed Noah standing beside a black SUV. His backpack was hanging from one shoulder. His face was turned toward whoever had taken the picture.
And Martin Langford's hand rested on his shoulder.
I called the marina immediately.
“Where is my son?””
The security manager answered.
“Mr. Carter, we're reviewing the cameras.””
“I don't want you reviewing anything. I want to know where he is!””
“Sir, the vehicle left approximately four minutes ago.””
“Which direction?””
“North exit.””
I turned toward Captain Whitmore, who was being helped onto a stretcher by paramedics.
“Martin has Noah.””
His face tightened.
“Call the police. Now.””
Emily grabbed my arm.
“Daniel, we need to think.””
I stared at her.
“Think? He's got my son!””
“I know. But Martin wants something. He wouldn't take Noah without a reason.””
Eleanor stepped forward.
“The ledger.””
I turned toward her.
“What?””
“Martin wants the original ledger. He believes it contains the location of the protected account.””
I held up the book.
“Then he's mistaken. He already knows we have it.””
Eleanor shook her head.
“He doesn't want the financial records anymore. He wants the final page.””
I opened the ledger.
The final page was covered by a thin sheet of transparent paper.
Underneath it was a handwritten sequence of numbers.
Emily leaned closer.
“That's not an account number.””
“What is it?””
Eleanor answered.
“It's a location.””
She pointed at the first four digits.
“Your father used this system to identify the original storage facilities.””
I looked at her.
“Where?””
“Boston.””
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Martin's voice came through immediately.
“Daniel. I assume you've received the photograph.””
“Put my son on the phone.””
“Eventually.””
“If you've hurt him—”
“Your threats are becoming repetitive.””
I gripped the phone.
“What do you want?””
“The ledger. And the original recording from Arthur Langford.””
“You already have the ledger.””
“I want the final page.””
“Why?””
“Because it leads to something your father buried.””
I glanced at Eleanor.
She looked terrified.
“What did my father bury?””
Martin chuckled.
“Your father's biggest mistake.””
“Tell me where Noah is.””
“Bring the ledger to the old shipyard. Midnight. No police, no captain, no surprises.””
“Let me hear my son.””
There was a rustling sound.
Then Noah's voice.
“Dad?””
My chest tightened.
“Noah! Are you okay?””
“Dad, I'm scared.””
“Listen to me, buddy. I'm coming.””
A man's voice interrupted.
“Tell your father what you found.””
Noah hesitated.
“There's a picture in the car.””
“What picture?””
“It's Grandpa. But he's holding a baby.””
I looked at Eleanor.
She closed her eyes.
Noah continued.
“There's writing on the back. It says Daniel, Emily, Grace... and someone named Samuel.””
The call went dead.
I stared at the screen.
“Samuel?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Your father's fourth child.””
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
“Who is Samuel?””
She looked at me.
“Your father's son.””
I shook my head.
“That's impossible.””
“Richard had a relationship before he married Margaret. The child was born in 1984.””
Emily looked stunned.
“Dad had another family?””
“No,” Eleanor replied.
“Not another family. Another son.””
“Then where is he?””
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
“He disappeared when he was six.””
I stared at her.
“Disappeared?””
“His mother died. Richard took him in. But within a year, the boy was gone.””
“Why?””
“Martin's father arranged it. Arthur believed the child could be used to control Richard.””
Emily covered her mouth.
I remembered the photograph Noah had described.
My father holding a baby.
The writing.
The names.
“Is Samuel alive?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Yes.””
“Where?””
She hesitated.
Then she said something that made my blood turn cold.
“He's the man who took Noah.””
I stepped toward her.
“Martin?””
“No. The driver.””
I remembered the photograph.
The black SUV.
The hand on Noah's shoulder.
I had assumed it belonged to Martin.
But the hand in the picture had a distinctive silver ring.
A ring I had seen before.
In my father's photograph.
The same ring worn by the young man standing behind Richard Carter.
“Samuel is working with Martin?””
Eleanor shook her head.
“Not exactly.””
“What does that mean?””
“Samuel believes Richard abandoned him. Martin has spent years feeding that hatred.””
I turned toward Emily.
“Can you trace the vehicle?””
She pulled out her phone.
“I can try.””
Eleanor suddenly grabbed my sleeve.
“Daniel, you need to understand something. Samuel isn't just angry. He's been told that your father stole his inheritance.””
“What inheritance?””
“The original Carter estate.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Apparently everyone in this family has an inheritance.””
Eleanor looked directly at me.
“Samuel believes the marina should have been his.””
I stared at the ledger.
Then I noticed something written beneath the location code.
A name.
*THE FOURTH HEIR — SAMUEL CARTER.*
My father had known.
He had included Samuel in the original succession documents.
And yet he had never told us.
Emily's phone suddenly chimed.
“I've got something.””
She showed me a map.
The SUV had passed a traffic camera near the northern industrial district.
Its last recorded location was an abandoned hotel.
The old Harbor Crown.
I looked at Eleanor.
“Is that where Martin is taking him?””
She nodded.
“It's where Arthur Langford kept Samuel when he was young.””
I grabbed my coat.
Emily stood.
“I'm coming.””
“No.””
“Daniel—”
“You're staying here.””
She looked furious.
“You don't get to decide that.””
“I'm not losing you too.””
She stepped closer.
“And I'm not letting you go alone.””
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Eleanor spoke.
“I know another way inside.””
We turned.
She reached into her handbag and removed an old brass key.
“Your father gave this to me before Margaret disappeared.””
I took it.
“Why?””
“Because he knew one day you'd need to find Samuel.””
I stared at the key.
A small number was engraved across its surface.
*614.*
The same room number from the hospital photograph.
I looked at Eleanor.
“What is room 614?””
May you like
Her voice broke.
“It's where your father kept the truth about all four of his children.””
