Chapter 7: The Grandfather in the Black Sedan
“Say that again,” Colonel Marcus Hale ordered.
Lieutenant Daniel Reeves stood beside the security office door, his phone pressed against his ear.
“Peter Lawson claims Arthur Carter is alive, sir. He says Carter personally instructed him to collect the children.””
Marcus grabbed his coat.
“Has Lawson provided evidence?””
“He says he will only speak to you.””
“Then tell him I'm coming.””
Daniel hesitated.
“Sir, airport police have the vehicle surrounded. Dr. Bennett is inside, and neither man has attempted to leave.””
“Good. Nobody questions them separately until the detectives arrive.””
Marcus headed toward the terminal exit.
His mind raced through the contradictions.
Arthur Carter had supposedly died six months ago. His daughter had identified his body. A funeral had taken place. An estate had been distributed.
Yet someone resembling the dead man had appeared in a recent photograph, and two men connected to the disputed birth certificate were now sitting in the same vehicle.
There was only one way to determine whether the photograph showed the truth.
Find Arthur Carter.
Or find the person who had impersonated him.
Outside, the afternoon sun reflected off the black sedan's windshield. Two airport officers stood beside the driver's door, while another watched the rear passenger window.
Peter Lawson sat behind the steering wheel.
Dr. Stephen Bennett occupied the passenger seat, his hands visible on his knees.
Marcus approached.
“Peter Lawson?””
The driver nodded.
“Colonel.””
“Where is Arthur Carter?””
Lawson looked at the officers.
“I don't know where he is now.””
Marcus's expression hardened.
“You told my lieutenant that Carter ordered you to collect two five-year-old children.””
“He did.””
“Then you know where he is.””
“Not anymore.””
Marcus leaned toward the open window.
“Start explaining.””
Lawson swallowed.
“Mr. Carter contacted me three weeks ago. He told me he needed help resolving a family matter. He said his grandchildren were in danger of being taken away from the family.””
“By whom?””
“Evelyn.””
Marcus stared at him.
“Evelyn is their mother.””
“That's what I thought, too.””
Dr. Bennett suddenly turned toward Lawson.
“Stop talking.””
Lawson flinched.
Marcus noticed.
“Doctor, do you know why this driver believes Arthur Carter is alive?””
Bennett looked straight ahead.
“I have no knowledge of Mr. Carter's whereabouts.””
“Then why are you here?””
“My wife received a threatening letter. I was trying to determine who sent it.””
“What did the letter say?””
Bennett's jaw tightened.
“It said that if I didn't correct the children's birth records, my wife would be exposed as a fraud.””
Marcus felt the pieces shifting.
“Who wanted you to correct the records?””
Bennett looked at Lawson.
Lawson stared at his hands.
Finally, Bennett whispered, “Arthur Carter.””
Marcus stepped back.
“Get them both out of the vehicle. Separate interviews. No contact with each other.””
The officers opened the doors.
As Bennett stepped onto the pavement, something fell from his jacket pocket.
A photograph.
Marcus picked it up.
It showed two newborn babies in hospital bassinets.
The same photograph found in Vanessa's suitcase.
But this copy had writing on the back.
If Noah is ever tested, everything will come out.
Marcus turned it over again.
“Doctor, what does this mean?””
Bennett's face went gray.
“Where did you get that?””
“Your pocket.””
Bennett reached for it, but Marcus held it away.
“Answer the question.””
The doctor looked around at the officers.
Then he whispered, “You don't understand what you're dealing with.””
“Then help me understand.””
Bennett shook his head.
“Not here.””
“Then you'll explain it at the police station.””
For the first time, Bennett appeared genuinely frightened.
“Colonel, if you take me in, the children won't be safe.””
Marcus's expression became cold.
“They weren't safe when someone left them alone at Gate 14.””
Bennett lowered his eyes.
“And they won't be safe if you uncover the wrong secret.””
Evelyn was standing when Marcus returned to the family-assistance room.
“Have you found Vanessa?””
“She is still being questioned.””
“What about my father?””
Marcus closed the door.
“We have two men in custody for questioning. One claims your father is alive and personally arranged for the children to be collected.””
Evelyn's face went blank.
“No.””
“He says Arthur Carter contacted him three weeks ago.””
“No.””
“Evelyn, I need you to listen carefully.””
She shook her head.
“My father is dead. I saw him in the hospital. I saw him at the funeral. I watched them lower his coffin.””
Marcus kept his voice steady.
“I'm not asking you to believe the driver. I'm telling you what he claims. We're verifying it.””
Evelyn sank into a chair.
Maya climbed onto her lap.
“Mommy, why are you sad again?””
Evelyn wrapped her arms around her daughter.
“I'm just tired, baby.””
Noah stood beside them, holding his dinosaur.
“Is Grandpa coming to get us?””
Evelyn looked at Marcus.
He answered carefully.
“We don't know where your grandfather is, Noah.””
Noah frowned.
“But he promised he'd come to my birthday.””
“When was that?”” Marcus asked.
“Before he went to sleep forever.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Noah continued.
“He said he had one more surprise for me. He told me not to tell Aunt Vanessa.””
Marcus crouched beside him.
“What surprise?””
Noah shook his head.
“He said it was a secret.””
“Did he give you anything?””
Noah looked down at his dinosaur.
Then he touched a small, loose seam beneath its green belly.
“Grandpa put something inside here.””
Evelyn stared at the toy.
“What?””
Noah turned it over.
“He said I should keep it safe.””
Marcus exchanged a glance with Daniel, who had just entered the room.
“Would you mind showing us?”” Marcus asked.
Noah shook his head.
“It's mine.””
“Of course it is. Nobody will take it away from you.””
Evelyn gently examined the seam. The stitching was unusually thick, and one corner had been repaired with a different shade of green thread.
She carefully loosened it.
Something small slipped into her palm.
A brass key.
And a folded piece of paper.
Evelyn unfolded the paper with trembling fingers.
It contained a short message in her father's handwriting.
*Evelyn, if you are reading this, someone has started asking questions about Noah. Take the children to the place where we celebrated your tenth birthday. Do not trust Vanessa.
Do not trust Arthur Bennett. And whatever happens, never let them open the blue box.*
Evelyn stopped breathing.
Marcus took the paper and read it twice.
“Where did you celebrate your tenth birthday?””
Evelyn stared into the distance.
“My father's old lake house.””
“Does it still belong to the family?””
“Yes. It's been locked since his funeral.””
“What's inside the blue box?””
“I don't know.””
Marcus looked at the brass key.
A number had been stamped into its handle.
*317.*
Daniel leaned closer.
“Sir, that could be a storage locker.””
Marcus nodded.
“Or a safe deposit box.””
Evelyn clutched the dinosaur to her chest.
“My father knew this would happen.””
Before Marcus could answer, his phone rang.
Sergeant Collins.
“Colonel, we have a positive identification on the driver.””
“Go ahead.””
“Peter Lawson's phone contains a message from a number associated with Arthur Carter's old business account. The message was sent three weeks ago.””
“What does it say?””
Collins paused.
“'Bring the boy to the lake house. The girl can stay with her mother.''”
Evelyn's face went white.
Maya looked up.
“Why does he only want Noah?””
Nobody answered.
Then another message arrived on Collins's phone.
He read it aloud.
“'If Evelyn has the key, change the plan immediately.''”
Marcus looked at the brass key in Evelyn's hand.
Somewhere beyond the airport windows, a plane began moving toward the runway.
May you like
And for the first time, Marcus understood that Gate 14 might not have been the destination.
It might have been the distraction.
