Chapter 12 - The Demand
Nobody intended to hand over Lily.
That was never considered.
Police treated demand as extortion and potential child threat.
Sarah finally agreed to come in.
She arrived at federal building that evening.
Alive.
Thin.
Exhausted.
But unharmed.
Victor saw daughter through glass.
For eleven months he had imagined graves, prisons and accidents.
Reality was more complicated.
Sarah had chosen first disappearance.
Then been briefly confined by Graham.
Then chosen hiding again because of threats, legal exposure and shame.
Victor hugged her.
Then stepped back.
“You should have called.”
“I know.”
“You used Lily to trigger gala.”
“I know.”
“You let her believe you might be trapped in that case.”
“I didn’t know she would hear recording.”
“But you put it there.”
“Yes.”
Sarah cried.
“I thought I was exposing Daniel.”
“You put your investigation near your child.”
“Yes.”
No easy absolution.
She had been victimized and had made reckless choices.
Both could be true.
Lily reunion was handled privately, without investigators turning it into spectacle.
Lily clung to mother.
“Were you in box?”
Sarah burst into tears.
“No, sweetheart.”
“Why did box talk like you?”
“Because Mommy made a bad decision.”
That answer mattered.
Then Sarah gave investigators all copies from Case 16.
Margaret’s sealed envelope was missing from copies because Sarah respected address.
She had never opened it.
What could be important enough to demand Lily?
Maybe nothing.
Threatener might only use Lily as leverage.
Then extortion message arrived:
Bring Victor to Ashford Grand ballroom at midnight.
No Lily.
That contradicted first demand.
Maybe sender never truly wanted child.
They wanted Victor frightened.
Police prepared controlled meeting.
Victor went wearing wire.
At midnight ballroom was empty.
Overturned Case 14 remained police evidence, so another black case sat center floor.
Case 16.
Victor approached.
No person.
Phone inside rang.
He answered.
Distorted voice:
“Open Margaret’s envelope.”
“You stole it.”
“It’s inside.”
Victor opened Case 16 under police instruction.
There it was.
Sealed.
Addressed:
VICTOR ONLY.
He reached for it.
Voice said:
“Before you read it, ask Sarah why she never opened it.”
Victor looked toward surveillance camera.
Sarah listening remotely.
She answered through earpiece:
“Because Mom wrote it for you.”
Voice laughed.
“No.”
Then:
“Because Sarah already knew what it said.”
Sarah went pale.
Victor whispered:
“Is that true?”
Sarah hesitated.
“I knew part.”
“What part?”
“Mom told me before she died.”
“What?”
Sarah began crying.
“That she had changed Dawson sale records herself.”
Victor stared at envelope.
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
That seemed backwards.
Protect Victor by altering records?
Then lights flickered.
Case 16 slammed shut automatically when timer released latch.
Victor stepped back.
A side door opened.
Police rushed.
A man surrendered immediately.
No weapon.
No escape.
Victor recognized him.
Richard Ashford.
Daniel’s father.
Richard raised hands.
“I’m the one who took Case 16.”
May you like
But he denied sending threat about Lily.
Someone else had been using him too.
