Chapter 8 - The Wooden Falcon|
Alexander didn't hesitate. He marched over to his mahogany desk, grabbed the heavy wooden falcon with both hands, and slammed it down against the edge of the marble coffee table.
CRASH.
The antique wood shattered into splintered pieces.
Rolling across the rug from the hollow core of the bird was a small, brass key attached to a faded blue ribbon.
Alexander’s hands shook as he picked up the key.
"She was in this office," Alexander whispered, a look of pure, unadulterated terror crossing his features. "She was in my office... she put the key inside my father's falcon..."
"Boss," Marcus warned, drawing his sidearm. "If Sarah is alive and in the city, the entire perimeter is compromised. We need to lockdown the building immediately."
"No," Alexander said, his voice cold and sharp. "Not until I see what's inside that pedestal."
He walked back to the open vault, knelt down, and inserted the tiny brass key into the pedestal beneath the silver swan.
He turned the key.
A hidden drawer beneath the pedestal popped open with a quiet mechanical click.
Inside lay a single, high-capacity black USB flash drive and a fresh, white envelope addressed to: THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
Beside the envelope sat an official medical document—a DNA maternity report dated three years ago.
Alexander picked up the DNA report. He unfolded it with trembling hands and read the top line:
MATERNAL MATCH: 99.9%
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MOTHER: SARAH CARTER
CHILD: SOFIE CARTER-MONROE
