Chapter 6 - THE EMPTY CRIBThe police arrived within minutes.
The Blackwood mansion became a crime scene.
Officers searched every room.
Dogs searched the garden.
Detectives questioned Grace and Adrian separately.
Grace sat in the living room.
She could barely speak.
Leo was gone.
Her mind replayed every moment.
Had she locked the window?
Had she heard something?
Could she have stopped it?
Adrian entered.
Grace immediately stood.
“Did they find him?”
He shook his head.
Grace covered her mouth.
Adrian grabbed her shoulders.
“Listen to me.”
She looked at him.
“This is not your fault.”
Her tears fell.
“I was supposed to protect him.”
“And you have.”
“No.”
“Grace.”
“He’s gone.”
Adrian pulled her into his arms.
For a moment, she resisted.
Then she collapsed against him.
He held her tightly.
Neither noticed Vivian standing outside the window of the police car.
She had been brought temporarily to the mansion.
Her lawyer had arranged a visit with detectives.
She watched Adrian holding Grace.
Her face filled with hatred.
But then something strange happened.
Vivian saw the open nursery window.
And her expression changed.
“No.”
A detective noticed.
“What?”
Vivian looked at him.
“That wasn’t Marcus.”
“How do you know?”
Vivian swallowed.
“Marcus wouldn’t take the baby.”
The detective stared.
“You seem very confident.”
Vivian whispered, “Marcus wants Adrian to suffer.”
She looked toward the house.
“But Richard Vale wants them dead.”
The detective immediately turned.
“Who is Richard Vale?”
Vivian closed her eyes.
She had said too much.
Meanwhile, Adrian’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Leo?”
A distorted voice responded.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
Adrian’s body went still.
“Where is my son?”
“Safe.”
“Put him on the phone.”
A man laughed.
“He’s a baby.”
Adrian’s voice shook with rage.
“If you hurt him—”
“You’ll do what?”
Grace watched Adrian.
He turned away.
“What do you want?”
“Your father’s confession.”
Adrian froze.
“What confession?”
“You know.”
“I don’t.”
“You will.”
The call ended.
Seconds later, Adrian received a photograph.
Leo.
Alive.
Wrapped in a blanket.
Grace cried with relief.
Then Adrian saw something behind the baby.
A wooden wall.
A red metal door.
He enlarged the image.
Grace looked over his shoulder.
“I know that place.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
Grace stared at the photograph.
“That door.”
“Where?”
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Grace.”
“I’ve seen it.”
Her breathing quickened.
Smoke.
Fire.
Suddenly, memories returned.
A warehouse.
Her father screaming.
Her mother holding her.
A red door.
Grace collapsed.
Adrian caught her.
“Grace!”
“My father.”
“What?”
“He took me there.”
“Where?”
“I remember.”
She looked up.
“The old Blackwood warehouse.”
Adrian stared.
It had been abandoned for years.
Police surrounded the building twenty minutes later.
Adrian refused to stay behind.
Grace came too.
The warehouse stood empty beside the river.
Rust covered the metal walls.
A red door stood near the back.
Grace stopped.
“That’s it.”
Adrian looked at officers.
They entered.
The building smelled of dust and oil.
Then—
A baby cried.
Grace screamed.
“Leo!”
Adrian ran.
They found him in a small office.
Alone.
Wrapped safely in blankets.
Grace grabbed him.
Leo cried against her.
Adrian fell to his knees beside them.
For one moment, everything disappeared.
Then Adrian saw a camera.
On the desk.
Recording.
An officer pressed play.
Richard Vale appeared.
Older.
Gray-haired.
But alive.
He looked directly into the camera.
“Hello, Adrian.”
Adrian stared.
Richard smiled.
“Your father left you a very expensive inheritance.”
The video continued.
“And secrets are always more expensive than money.”
Grace held Leo tightly.
Richard’s face changed.
“Ask Marcus what happened the night Grace’s family died.”
The screen went black.
Adrian stood slowly.
“Find Marcus.”
But Grace suddenly whispered, “No.”
Adrian looked at her.
She was staring at something on the wall.
A name.
Scratched into the wood.
MARCUS.
And beneath it:
May you like
HE DIDN’T SAVE ME.
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