Chapter 6 - THE CHILD WITH THE RED COAT
The maternity wing was three floors above us.
Reed wanted me to stay in recovery.
I refused.
“You can't walk.”
“Then carry me.”
He stared at me.
“You're impossible.”
“You knew that before you recruited me.”
Jessica looked between us.
“You recruited her?”
Reed didn't answer.
Dad suddenly spoke.
“Where is the girl?”
Reed looked at him.
“You know her?”
“No.”
“Then why did you ask?”
Dad's face tightened.
“I saw the photograph.”
Mom stepped closer.
“Richard.”
He shook his head.
“I don't know that child.”
I watched him carefully.
He was lying.
Maybe not about knowing her.
But about how much.
Reed noticed too.
“Stay here.”
He and two agents moved toward the elevator.
Jessica looked at me.
“What happens if they find her?”
“We get her out.”
“You said she was the reason you came home.”
“I didn't know where else to take her.”
Jessica looked down at the bracelet.
“Why did you trust me with this?”
“Because you're my sister.”
Her eyes filled.
“Even after what I did?”
“Yes.”
She looked away.
“I don't deserve that.”
“No.”
She looked at me.
“But you can still choose what you do next.”
The elevator doors opened.
Reed returned.
His face was pale.
“She isn't on the maternity floor.”
“Where is she?”
“Pediatric observation.”
“Why?”
He lowered his voice.
“Because she was brought in two hours before you.”
I stared at him.
“By whom?”
“A woman.”
“What woman?”
Reed hesitated.
“She gave the name Sarah Collins.”
I knew the name.
My former handler.
Dead for three years.
“No.”
Reed nodded.
“We thought the same thing.”
Jessica whispered, “What is happening?”
I looked toward the hallway.
“Take me to her.”
Reed shook his head.
“You're still unstable.”
“I need to see her.”
“Why?”
“Because Lily doesn't trust strangers.”
He looked at me.
“She trusted you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I closed my eyes.
“Because I gave her my coat.”
Jessica looked down.
“The coat?”
I nodded.
“The night I found her, she was freezing.”
Reed's expression softened.
“What happened?”
“I wrapped her in it.”
“And?”
“She stopped crying.”
Jessica whispered, “That's why you kept it.”
I nodded.
The coat had been with me ever since.
The inside pocket held more than classified material.
It held a child's drawing.
A red house.
A blue tree.
And three people holding hands.
Lily had drawn it while we were hiding.
I had promised her I would find a safe place.
I had broken that promise once.
I wasn't going to do it again.
We reached pediatric observation.
The hallway was empty.
Too empty.
Reed raised his hand.
Everyone stopped.
A nurse emerged from a room.
“Agent Reed?”
“Yes.”
“She's gone.”
My stomach dropped.
“Who took her?”
The nurse pointed toward the stairwell.
“A woman.”
“What did she look like?”
“Dark hair. Gray coat.”
I knew immediately.
“Elias.”
Reed shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed at the floor.
A red ribbon lay there.
Tied around it was a small silver charm.
I recognized it.
Lily's bracelet.
She never took it off.
I picked it up.
There was a tiny piece of paper attached.
My hands shook as I unfolded it.
YOU TAUGHT HER TO HIDE.
NOW SEE IF YOU CAN FIND HER.
Jessica looked at me.
“This is your fault.”
The words were not cruel.
They were frightened.
I nodded.
“I know.”
Dad stepped forward.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
Dad was staring at the bracelet.
“I know where she is.”
Mom grabbed his arm.
“Richard.”
He pulled away.
“I can't keep doing this.”
Reed approached him.
“Where?”
Dad looked at me.
“The old train station.”
“Which one?”
“Baltimore.”
My blood went cold.
“Platform seventeen.”
Reed's face hardened.
“That location was destroyed.”
Dad shook his head.
“Not all of it.”
I looked at him.
“How do you know?”
He swallowed.
“Because that's where I met Elias.”
Silence.
Jessica stared at him.
“You knew him.”
Dad nodded.
“Yes.”
“You worked with him.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I was trying to stop him.”
I didn't believe him.
Not yet.
Then Dad reached into his wallet.
He removed an old ticket.
Yellowed paper.
Train number 17.
Departure time: 2:17.
Destination: Baltimore.
I stared at it.
The same time as the watch.
Dad whispered, “Your mother and I thought we buried this secret twenty years ago.”
I looked at him.
“What secret?”
Dad's hand trembled.
“That ticket belonged to your brother.”
Jessica froze.
“My brother?”
Dad nodded.
“Before you were born.”
I stared at him.
“You had another child?”
Dad's eyes filled.
“He disappeared.”
Then Reed's radio crackled.
“Agent Reed, we've located the girl.”
A pause.
Then another voice.
“She's with someone.”
“Who?”
May you like
The answer came back.
“Your father.”
