Chapter 11: The First Attempt
Chapter 11: The First Attempt
The drive back to Boston felt longer than it ever had before.
Rain pounded against the windshield, blurring the highway into streaks of gray and white.
Daniel Carter barely noticed.
His mind replayed Harold Mercer's final words over and over again.
> "They were asking about Lily."
Not about him.
Not about Emily.
Not about Vanessa.
About Lily.
His seven-year-old daughter.
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.
For the first time since Emily's death...
Daniel wasn't grieving.
He was afraid.
---
### Carter Estate
It was nearly eight o'clock when Daniel pulled into the driveway.
Every light in the house was on.
Michael Reynolds stood on the front porch talking to two private security officers.
The moment Daniel stepped out of the SUV, Michael hurried toward him.
"Where have you been?"
"Vermont."
Michael's expression was tense.
"I've been calling you for an hour."
"My phone died."
Michael didn't waste another second.
"Lily's missing."
Daniel felt the world stop.
"What?"
Michael grabbed his shoulders.
"Calm down."
"She isn't gone anymore."
"But for fifteen minutes..."
"...nobody knew where she was."
Daniel shoved past him and ran inside.
"Lily!"
"Daddy!"
A tiny voice answered from the living room.
Before he could say another word, Lily ran into his arms.
Daniel dropped to his knees and held her so tightly she squealed.
"Daddy..."
"I can't breathe."
He loosened his embrace immediately.
"I'm sorry."
He looked her over from head to toe.
No injuries.
No bruises.
No tears.
Only confusion.
"What happened?"
Lily looked toward Michael.
"I was playing hide-and-seek."
Daniel slowly stood.
"With who?"
"Grandma."
His mother stepped into the hallway.
"I'm so sorry."
Daniel looked at her.
"What happened?"
Evelyn's face was pale.
"I thought she was upstairs coloring."
"I only turned away for a minute."
"When I called her name..."
"There was no answer."
Michael continued.
"The entire security team searched the property."
"For fifteen minutes we couldn't find her."
Daniel looked down at Lily.
"Where were you?"
She smiled innocently.
"In Mommy's garden."
Daniel froze.
Emily's garden.
The small rose garden behind the guest house.
Hardly anyone ever went there anymore.
"Why?"
Lily lowered her eyes.
"I wanted to talk to Mommy."
Daniel swallowed hard.
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her I missed her."
"And..."
"I told her I was scared."
His heart broke.
---
### The White Van
After Lily had gone upstairs for a bath, one of the security officers approached Daniel.
"Mr. Carter."
"What is it?"
The guard handed him a tablet.
"Our cameras recorded something."
Daniel watched the security footage.
At exactly 6:14 p.m...
A white delivery van slowed near the front gate.
It remained there for almost four minutes.
Long enough to observe the property.
Then it drove away.
"License plate?"
The guard shook his head.
"Fake."
Daniel frowned.
"Did anyone get out?"
"No."
"But..."
The guard zoomed in.
"There."
A blurry figure sat in the passenger seat.
Watching the house.
Watching Lily.
Daniel's stomach turned.
---
### FBI Boston Field Office
Special Agent Nathan Brooks studied the report Detective Sarah Mitchell had sent earlier that afternoon.
Victoria Elaine Stone.
The name immediately caught his attention.
He opened a secure federal database.
Classified files filled the screen.
Operation Blackthorn.
Witness Protection Breach.
Interstate Organized Crime.
Nathan's expression grew serious.
He picked up the phone.
"Get me Director Collins."
The receptionist transferred the call.
Seconds later a deep voice answered.
"What is it?"
Nathan spoke carefully.
"I think we have a problem."
"What kind?"
"Victoria Stone has resurfaced."
Silence.
Then...
"That's impossible."
"It appears she's been living under the identity Vanessa Blake."
Another silence.
Finally...
"Where is she now?"
Nathan looked at the latest report.
"In Boston."
Director Collins answered immediately.
"I'm coming in."
---
### Vanessa's Penthouse
Vanessa sat alone in darkness.
The only light came from the city skyline beyond the windows.
Marcus entered quietly.
"You wanted to see me."
She nodded.
"Did Daniel reach Mercer?"
"Yes."
Marcus paused.
"He knows about Victoria Stone."
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"So it's finally over."
Marcus frowned.
"What is?"
"My chance of keeping the past buried."
He walked closer.
"Then tell me the truth."
"For once."
Vanessa looked at him.
"You really want to know who I am?"
"Yes."
She took a slow breath.
"My real name is Victoria Stone."
"You already admitted that."
"But that's only part of it."
Marcus waited.
"I wasn't stalking Daniel."
"I was assigned to him."
His eyes narrowed.
"Assigned by who?"
Vanessa looked away.
"I can't tell you."
"Why?"
"Because if I say their name..."
"...they'll know I'm alive."
Marcus stared at her.
For the first time since meeting her...
He believed she wasn't exaggerating.
She was terrified.
---
### Carter Estate
Later that night, Daniel tucked Lily into bed.
She held the little sapphire ring in her hands.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Will the bad lady come back?"
Daniel sat beside her.
"No."
"How do you know?"
"Because I'll never let anyone hurt you."
She thought for a moment.
"What if they try?"
Daniel gently brushed her hair away from her face.
"Then they'll have to get through me first."
She smiled sleepily.
"I think Mommy picked you."
Daniel blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"She picked you to be my daddy."
A tear escaped despite his best effort to hold it back.
"I'm the lucky one."
Within minutes Lily drifted off to sleep.
Daniel quietly left the room.
As he reached the hallway...
His phone vibrated.
Unknown Number.
Another message.
This time it contained only a photograph.
Daniel opened it.
His blood froze.
The image had clearly been taken that evening.
It showed Lily standing alone in Emily's rose garden.
Someone had been inside the Carter estate.
Watching his daughter.
Watching his home.
Watching...
Everything.
Before Daniel could react, another message appeared beneath the photo.
> Next time, she won't make it back inside.
Daniel's breathing became ragged.
He immediately called Michael.
"Lock the estate down."
"What happened?"
Daniel stared at the screen.
"We're too late."
"They've already been here."
---
### Somewhere Outside Boston
A black SUV sat beneath an abandoned railway bridge.
Inside, three people watched the Carter estate through high-powered binoculars.
One of them lowered a camera.
"The father received the message."
Another nodded.
"Good."
"What about the girl?"
The driver smiled coldly.
"She's exactly where they said she'd be."
A fourth voice came through the vehicle's encrypted radio.
"Stand by."
"We have new instructions."
The driver pressed the transmit button.
"We're listening."
The voice on the other end spoke only one sentence.
A sentence that sent a chill through everyone in the vehicle.
> Do not harm the child... unless Victoria Stone interferes again.
The transmission ended.
The driver slowly looked toward the glowing lights of the Carter estate.
"So..."
he murmured.
"This was never about Daniel Carter."
He started the engine.
May you like
"It was always about Victoria."
End of Chapter 11
