CHAPTER 26 — THE EMPTY CARRIER
Emily ran through the underground corridor.
Grant and two officers followed.
The man wearing Nathan’s face had taken her biological daughter.
Security cameras showed him entering the eastern elevator.
By the time Grant reached the ground floor, the elevator was empty.
Only the infant carrier remained.
Emily opened it.
A wooden bird charm rested inside.
Vanessa reached the lobby seconds later.
“That charm belonged to Laura Shaw.”
“Lydia’s sister?”
Vanessa nodded.
“She gave one to every child born under the Trinity program.”
Emily looked at Lydia.
“You said your sister disappeared.”
“She did.”
“She was present during the births?”
“I did not know.”
Preston and Silas emerged from the stairwell.
Silas appeared disoriented.
Preston kept one hand on his brother’s shoulder.
Charles followed with Claire.
Helena was nowhere among them.
Grant checked the building exits.
“Helena left before the lockdown.”
“She caused the smoke,” Preston said.
Emily looked at Silas.
“Can you remember where the duplicate would go?”
Silas pressed his fingers against his temple.
“Memories come in pieces.”
“Try.”
“A house near water.”
“The lighthouse?”
“No. A white house with blue doors.”
Lydia went still.
“My sister rented a house like that.”
“Where?”
“North of the harbor.”
They drove through the night.
At the white house, the front door stood open.
The rooms were empty.
Upstairs they found a nursery containing four cribs.
Three were recently used.
The fourth had not held a child for months.
Photographs covered the wall.
Emily saw Vanessa pregnant.
Lydia pregnant.
Emily unconscious during an early medical procedure.
And Laura Shaw holding a newborn.
The photograph was dated thirteen months earlier.
Trinity-D.
Emily removed the picture.
Laura looked exhausted but happy.
A man stood beside her, but someone had cut his face from the image.
On the back were three handwritten words:
She belongs to Emily.
Emily turned toward Vanessa.
“Trinity-D is mine?”
“I don’t know.”
“You recognized the handwriting.”
Vanessa looked away.
“It belongs to Claire.”
Everyone turned.
Claire stood at the nursery entrance.
Her face had lost all color.
Emily held up the photograph.
“Why did you write this?”
Claire closed the door behind her.
“Because Trinity-D was created from the last viable material taken during your surgery.”
“My egg?”
Claire nodded.
“Then who was the father?”
“I never saw his name.”
“You signed the transfer.”
“Helena covered the paternal record.”
Emily stepped closer.
“Where is Laura?”
Claire began to cry.
“She died protecting the child.”
Lydia grabbed the edge of the crib.
“You told me you did not know what happened to my sister.”
“I was afraid.”
“You let me search for her for years.”
“She begged me not to tell anyone about the baby.”
Lydia moved toward Claire, but Grant stepped between them.
Claire took a key from her pocket.
“Laura placed Trinity-D with someone outside the Bennett network.”
“Who?”
“Jonathan Reed.”
Grant checked his radio.
Jonathan had not been located after the board evacuation.
Emily looked toward the missing faces in the photographs.
“Where would he take her?”
Claire gave Emily the key.
“To the one place Helena cannot enter without the original heir.”
“Which place?”
“The Bennett family cemetery.”
Preston stared at her.
“That is not a cemetery.”
Silas looked at him.
“What is it?”
Preston’s expression darkened.
“A vault.”
Before they could leave, a sound came from the hallway.
Emily turned.
The man claiming to be Nathan stood at the top of the stairs.
He no longer carried the baby.
Emily raised Grant’s weapon before anyone could stop her.
“Where is my daughter?”
He looked at her with tears in his eyes.
“I gave her to the only person I remembered.”
“Who?”
He took one step forward.
“You.”
Emily’s finger tightened around the weapon.
“I have never seen you with her.”
“You have.”
May you like
His voice broke.
“Just not in this life.”
