Chapter 21: The Empty Cradle
Chapter 21: The Empty Cradle
The elevator doors behind Arthur didn't just slide open—they opened to reveal Sergeant Angela Reyes, her trench coat soaked with rain, her service weapon raised. But her eyes weren't on Julian. They were locked on Arthur.
"Arthur, lower the weapon," Reyes ordered, her voice cutting through the hum of the corporate office. "Now."
Julian’s smirk widened. "Ah, the cavalry. A bit late for the fair, Sergeant. But just in time to watch the Colonel make a choice."
Arthur didn't lower his gun. His thumb slid back the hammer of his Glock. "Angela, you don't understand what he just—"
"I know about the text, Arthur," Reyes interrupted, her voice tight. "Thomas called me. Sarah didn't just take the baby. She had help. The security footage from the basement floor showed a hospital utility vehicle pulling out of the loading dock two minutes after the power grid reset. The driver? Mrs. Hargrove."
Arthur’s mind raced. Penelope? The loyal housekeeper who had guarded James’s secrets for twenty years wasn't protecting Sarah from Julian. She was hiding Sarah from him.
Julian chuckled, tossing the remote into the air and catching it. "The plot thickens. The old maid knew the truth. She knew what happens when the blood of a Sterling mixes with the Vance fortune. It burns."
"Shut up, Julian," Arthur growled. He slowly lowered his weapon, his mind spinning a web of tactical calculations. He looked at Reyes. "If Sarah is running, she’s running to the one place James mentioned in the hidden section of the letter."
"And where is that?" Reyes asked.
Julian leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "The place where a billionaire’s son met a waitress. The old diner near the Ohio border. But you’re missing the bigger picture, Colonel. If she reaches the Sterling accounts... she doesn't just run. She buys her own army."
Arthur turned his back on Julian, walking straight toward the elevator. "Angela, keep a detail on him. If he touches that remote, take his head off."
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"Where are you going, Arthur?" Reyes called out.
Arthur didn't look back as the elevator doors began to close. "To find the girl I swore to protect. Even if she thinks I'm the monster."
