Chapter 16
"Four-four-two-eight," Miller muttered, pacing the length of my kitchen that evening. Sarah had come over to make dinner, sensing the mounting tension, and we were all gathered around the island, staring at the numbers Sam had drawn.
"It could be a street address," Lucy suggested, pulling up a digital map of the greater Denver area on her laptop. "If we cross-reference addresses starting with 4428 that feature large, brick structures, we might narrow down the search grid."
"The drawing shows a massive chimney," Lily pointed out, leaning over the laptop. "Like an old factory or a warehouse, not a regular residential house. Clara used abandoned properties on the outskirts of the city to avoid nosy neighbors."
"She's right," I said, feeling a surge of pride mixed with anxiety at Lily's sharp observational skills. "Miller, can you filter the property records for industrial zoning with that address number?"
Miller pulled out his phone and made a quick call to the precinct. We waited in agonizing silence while his team ran the database query. Ten minutes later, his phone buzzed.
"We have a hit," Miller said, his eyes darkening. "4428 Miller Road. It's an abandoned textile mill about thirty miles north of the city. The property was officially condemned five years ago due to structural instability. It's entirely off the grid. No registered utilities, no active water lines."
"Which makes it the perfect place to hide people without leaving a digital footprint," Lucy said, her voice shaking slightly.
"I'm going there tonight," Miller stated, grabbing his jacket. "I'll assemble a tactical team and do a perimeter sweep."
"I'm coming with you," I said immediately.
May you like
"Ethan, no," Sarah interjected, grabbing my arm. "You're a doctor, not a cop. You don't need to put yourself in the line of fire."
"Sarah, if there are children in that mill, they are going to be terrified," I replied gently, covering her hand with mine. "When the police breach those doors, it's going to be loud and violent. They need someone there who knows how to treat acute trauma on the spot. I have to go."
