Chapter 9: The Third Baby
I stared at the birth certificate.
Daniel Samuel Whitmore.
Born on the same day as my daughters.
I looked at Isabella.
"Whose child is he?""
She sat down slowly.
"Samuel Whitmore's son.""
I turned toward my father.
"How is that possible?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Samuel had a daughter before he married Eleanor. Her name was Catherine. She gave birth to Daniel shortly before she died.""
"Why wasn't the child with his father?""
"Because Samuel was already involved in the trust investigation. Eleanor claimed she could protect the baby.""
I looked at the certificate.
"And she took him?""
My father nodded.
"She arranged a false adoption.""
I felt sick.
"How many children did she take?""
"Four," Isabella said.
"Where are they?""
"We don't know.""
I looked at the photograph of Maisie.
"Then why does my mother have her?""
Isabella reached into her bag.
She removed a folded document.
"Because Maisie was never supposed to be taken.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"Your mother planned to use the twins to activate the second trust. But when she discovered that the original beneficiaries were protected by a clause in your father's estate, she needed a way to gain control.""
"By removing one child?""
"Yes. If one child was declared missing or legally unavailable, the trust could be temporarily frozen.""
"And Eleanor would control it?""
"Only if the court accepted her as guardian.""
I stared at the document.
"Then why did they take Maisie?""
"Because they needed leverage.""
My father stepped closer.
"Victoria knows the ledger is the only document that can prove the original trust was never dissolved.""
I looked at him.
"Why didn't you tell me all this before?""
He sighed.
"Because I was ashamed.""
"Of what?""
"Of what I allowed your mother to become.""
I shook my head.
"She was your wife.""
"That's exactly why I should have stopped her.""
He sat beside Isabella.
"Six years ago, I discovered the first transfers. I confronted Victoria. She told me she had been moving money to protect the family business.""
"And you believed her?""
"At first.""
He looked at the floor.
"Then I discovered she had been working with Samuel Whitmore and Richard Voss. They had created false identities for several children connected to the trust.""
"Why?""
"To redirect their inheritance.""
I looked at the seven names in the ledger.
"And you faked your death?""
My father nodded.
"Victoria had already arranged an accident. I knew she was planning something, so I used it to disappear.""
I stared at him.
"Whose body did I bury?""
"My wife's brother.""
I closed my eyes.
"Your brother-in-law.""
"Yes.""
"Your wife helped bury her own brother under your name?""
He looked away.
"Victoria believed it was necessary.""
I felt a wave of disgust.
"And you let me attend that funeral.""
"I had no choice.""
"There's always a choice.""
My father said nothing.
Isabella took my hand.
"Dominic, we need to focus on the girls.""
I looked at her.
"Where is Maisie?""
She walked toward the altar and picked up a small envelope.
"Your mother sent a message.""
Inside was a photograph.
Maisie was sitting in a baby carrier.
She was awake, looking directly at the camera.
Beside her was a handwritten note.
**Bring the original ledger to the old Caruso estate by midnight. Come alone. No police.
No copies. If you refuse, the child goes to Eleanor.**
I looked at Isabella.
"Where did this come from?""
"Your father intercepted it.""
I turned toward him.
"How?""
He hesitated.
Then he reached into his coat and removed a small phone.
"Victoria has been communicating with me.""
I stared.
"You've been speaking to her?""
"She doesn't know it's me.""
I took the phone.
The last message was from an unknown number.
*The boy is ready. The girl is ready. We finish tonight.*
I looked at the screen.
"The boy?""
My father nodded.
"Daniel.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Where is he?""
"At the old estate.""
I turned toward James.
"Call the police.""
He nodded.
My father shook his head.
"Not yet.""
I stared at him.
"What do you mean?""
"Victoria has armed guards. If she sees police arriving, she'll move the children.""
"Then we don't wait.""
"Dominic, she has been planning this for years.""
"And I have been waiting four months to get my wife back.""
Isabella stepped between us.
"Listen to me.""
I stopped.
"Victoria wants the ledger because it contains the names of the children. She believes if she destroys it, nobody can prove what she did.""
"Then we give it to her.""
My father looked at me.
"That's dangerous.""
"Not if we control the meeting.""
James nodded slowly.
"We can install a location tracker in the case and have officers positioned nearby.""
Isabella looked at me.
"There's one more thing.""
"What?""
She took a small key from her necklace.
"Your father gave me this the night I escaped.""
My father looked surprised.
"I thought you lost that.""
"I kept it.""
She placed the key in my palm.
"What does it open?""
"The vault beneath the old estate.""
I looked at my father.
He nodded.
"Your grandfather built it. The original trust documents are inside.""
I closed my hand around the key.
"Why didn't you retrieve them?""
"Because the vault requires two separate keys.""
He removed another key from his pocket.
"And Victoria has the second one.""
I looked at Isabella.
"Then why is she asking for the ledger?""
"Because she doesn't know I have the first key.""
I looked at the clock.
7:16 p.m.
We had less than five hours.
I turned toward James.
"Prepare the meeting.""
He nodded.
Then my father said something that made me stop.
"Dominic, there's another reason Victoria wants the children tonight.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He opened the final page of the blue ledger.
A handwritten clause was highlighted in red.
*Upon the disappearance of all surviving beneficiaries, the remaining estate shall transfer to the founding trustee's appointed successor.*
I read the sentence twice.
"Who is the successor?""
My father looked toward the chapel door.
Then he whispered:
"Victoria.""
I felt the room spin.
She wasn't trying to steal the money.
She was trying to eliminate every person who could inherit it.
And if all three babies disappeared, the entire fortune would legally become hers.
I looked at the photograph of Maisie.
Then at Isabella.
"Not tonight.""
May you like
I kissed her forehead.
"Tonight, we bring our daughters home.""
