Chapter 4 - The Night Sophia Disappeared
The Cumberland warehouse stood beside the river.
I entered alone.
At least, that's what Caleb believed.
Daniel hated my plan.
“You have ten minutes,” he'd told me.
“I need fifteen.”
“You get ten.”
“Since when do you give me orders?”
“Since someone painted flowers on your face and apparently damaged your judgment.”
I stared at him.
He shrugged.
“Worth it.”
Inside the warehouse, Caleb waited.
Sophia sat on a wooden chair twenty feet away.
She wasn't tied.
But another man stood beside her.
Sophia saw me.
“Mr. Ethan!”
“Hey, troublemaker.”
She smiled.
“You washed your face.”
“Unfortunately.”
“I can do it again.”
“I'm sure you can.”
Caleb stepped forward.
“The ledger.”
I held it up.
“Let her walk to me.”
“No.”
“Then you don't get this.”
“You're not negotiating.”
“I've been negotiating with killers since I was seventeen. You're holding a three-year-old because you're afraid of a book.”
His expression hardened.
“Give it to me.”
“Sophia first.”
Caleb looked at his partner.
The man stepped aside.
Sophia ran toward me.
I crouched.
She slammed into my chest.
I wrapped one arm around her.
“Where's Noodle?” she asked.
I pulled the rabbit from inside my coat.
Her face lit up.
“You brought him!”
“Of course.”
Caleb snapped.
“The ledger.”
I tossed it across the floor.
He grabbed it.
Sophia whispered, “Can we go home?”
“Yes.”
Caleb opened the book.
Then stopped.
The pages were blank.
His face changed.
“What is this?”
“A children's sketchbook.”
“You think this is funny?”
“Not particularly.”
The warehouse doors opened.
Daniel entered with my security team.
Caleb backed away.
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“You said you'd come alone.”
“I did.”
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
“Technically, he arrived alone.”
Caleb stared at me.
“You'll destroy everything your father built.”
I looked down at Sophia.
“No.”
I finally understood the letter.
“He already destroyed enough.”
Caleb was restrained without a fight.
As Daniel led him away, Caleb shouted:
“You think that child changes who you are?”
I stopped.
Sophia held my hand.
Caleb continued.
“You're Ethan Cole.”
“Yes.”
“A killer.”
Sophia looked up at me.
The warehouse went quiet.
I crouched in front of her.
“Ready to see your mom?”
She nodded.
I lifted her.
Outside, Maria was waiting.
The second she saw us, she ran.
“Sophia!”
“Mommy!”
Maria pulled her daughter from my arms and held her tightly.
She cried into Sophia's hair.
Then she looked at me.
“Thank you.”
I nodded.
Sophia reached toward me.
“Mr. Ethan.”
“What?”
“You forgot something.”
“What?”
“My heart.”
She pointed at my chest.
“The red one.”
Maria laughed through her tears.
I looked at Sophia.
May you like
“I didn't forget.”
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