Chapter 2 - The Locked Room
Baby Noah was fighting for his life.
His oxygen levels remained dangerously low.
The medical team worked around him.
Elena watched the monitors.
"Come on, little man."
Noah's tiny chest rose and fell.
Barely.
Across the hall, Sophie sat wrapped in a blanket.
A social worker named Karen sat beside her.
Melissa had been escorted to a private room.
She was furious.
"I have legal authority over these children."
Karen looked at the paperwork.
"Temporary authority?"
"Yes."
"Signed by whom?"
Melissa hesitated.
"Their mother."
"When?"
"Several months ago."
Karen studied her.
"And where is their mother now?"
Melissa said nothing.
Meanwhile, police arrived.
Detective Marcus Reed entered the emergency department.
He was forty-four, calm and observant.
He looked at Sophie.
Then at the seven coins sitting inside a plastic evidence bag.
"What happened?"
Elena told him.
Marcus stared at the coins.
"She brought those?"
"She thought the hospital wouldn't treat her brother unless she paid."
Marcus's expression darkened.
"Where did she get them?"
"She wouldn't say."
Marcus approached Sophie.
"Hi."
She looked up.
"I'm Detective Reed."
Sophie pulled the blanket tighter.
"Are you going to take me away?"
"No."
"Are you going to take Noah?"
"No."
"Promise?"
"I'll do everything I can to keep you both safe."
Sophie studied his face.
Then whispered:
"She said police don't help."
"Who?"
Sophie looked around.
Melissa was nowhere near them.
"The lady."
"Melissa?"
Sophie nodded.
"What did she tell you?"
"She said if I told anyone about Mommy, Mommy would disappear."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"What happened to your mother?"
Sophie hesitated.
"She got sick."
"What kind of sick?"
"She was crying."
"Did Melissa hurt her?"
Sophie looked down.
"I don't know."
That answer was worse than yes.
Marcus called another detective.
"Get a warrant for the Walker residence."
Within an hour, officers were on their way.
But there was another problem.
Sophie kept repeating one sentence.
"I need to go back."
"Why?" Marcus asked.
"My medicine."
"Your medicine?"
"For Noah."
"What medicine?"
Sophie pointed toward her pocket.
There was a tiny key.
"What's this?"
"The blue box."
"What blue box?"
"Mommy said if something happened, I had to take the medicine from the blue box."
Marcus stared.
"Where is the box?"
"At home."
The Walker house was located in a quiet neighborhood outside the city.
From the outside, it looked ordinary.
White siding.
Small garden.
Two-car garage.
Inside, officers found something different.
The living room was spotless.
Too spotless.
There were no children's toys.
No photographs.
No family clutter.
A bedroom door upstairs was locked.
Police forced it open.
Behind the door was a woman.
She was lying on the floor.
Alive.
Barely.
"Call an ambulance!"
Marcus rushed forward.
"Ma'am?"
The woman opened her eyes.
"Sophie?"
"She's safe."
The woman's lips trembled.
"And Noah?"
"He's at Mercy."
Tears filled her eyes.
"Thank God."
Marcus knelt.
"What's your name?"
"Emily."
"Emily Walker?"
She nodded.
"Who locked you in this room?"
Emily looked terrified.
"Melissa."
"Why?"
Emily tried to sit up.
"She wanted the children."
"Why?"
"Money."
Marcus frowned.
"Whose money?"
Emily closed her eyes.
"My father's."
That changed everything.
Emily's father was Daniel Walker, founder of Walker Medical Technologies.
He had died six months earlier.
His estate was worth approximately $42 million.
And the children's inheritance had been placed into a protected trust.
Until Sophie and Noah turned eighteen.
Marcus stared at Emily.
"Who controls the trust?"
May you like
Emily whispered:
"Melissa."
