CHAPTER 29 — THE GIRL NAMED ROSE
The child’s name was Rose.
At least, that was the name written inside her coat.
She remembered no last name.
She had lived in medical facilities for as long as she could remember.
“They showed me pictures of you,” Rose said.
“Who did?”
“The lady with silver hair.”
Sarah.
“She said you would come when Lily was ready.”
Claire crouched.
“Where is Lily?”
Rose pointed at Mr. Buttons.
“She put this in my hands and told me to follow the lights.”
The tracker had not led Claire to Lily.
It had led Rose to Claire.
Dana scanned the rabbit.
A recording began playing.
Lily’s voice came through the speaker.
“Mommy, I’m okay. The other girl knows the way.”
A second voice interrupted.
Sarah.
“You now understand the purpose of Room Nine.”
Claire searched Rose’s face.
She did resemble Lily.
Not perfectly.
But enough to be frightening.
Margaret took a step backward.
“No.”
“What do you know?” Claire asked.
“Rose was supposed to have died.”
Rose looked at her.
“Do you know me?”
Margaret covered her mouth.
“She was the first viable embryo.”
Cole’s genetic material had not created only Lily.
Gray Tide had produced multiple embryos.
Rose had been born through a surrogate one year before Claire gave birth.
“Why does she look the same age?” Dana asked.
“Growth suppression,” Elaine whispered. “Long-term hormone treatment.”
Claire felt sick.
Rose had been kept small so she could replace Lily if necessary.
A knock sounded at the door.
Mason entered.
He looked worse than before.
One hand pressed against his side.
“Sarah’s team is two blocks away.”
Claire aimed at him.
“Where were you?”
“Freeing Cole.”
Cole appeared behind him, wearing civilian clothing.
His wrist was bruised from handcuffs.
Mason placed a security badge on the table.
“I also found the underground entrance.”
Claire showed him Rose.
Mason stared.
“I saw her once.”
“When?”
“The night Lily was born.”
He looked at Claire.
“Sarah brought Rose to the hospital. She planned to switch the infants.”
Claire stopped breathing.
“Which infant did I take home?”
“Lily.”
“Are you certain?”
“I stopped the transfer.”
“Why?”
“Because I had held Lily.”
His voice broke.
“You were asleep. Sarah ordered me to carry her to the service elevator. She opened her eyes and wrapped her hand around my finger.”
Lily’s questions returned to Claire.
Did you hold her?
Mason had said no.
Another lie.
“I switched the identification bands back,” he said. “Sarah never knew.”
Rose listened quietly.
“So no one wanted me?”
Claire turned toward her.
“This was never your fault.”
Sirens approached outside.
Mason opened the underground map.
“The entrance is beneath the courthouse parking garage.”
Margaret took the Vane registry.
“Sarah will exchange Lily for this.”
“No,” Claire said. “She will take both.”
Cole checked his weapon.
“Then we do not offer a trade.”
They entered the tunnel system moments before Sarah’s vehicles arrived.
Rose guided them through corridors she remembered from her childhood.
At a steel door, she stopped.
“This is where they told me not to listen.”
A woman was crying on the other side.
Olivia.
Claire opened the door.
Olivia sat inside a glass medical room.
Rebecca lay unconscious beside her.
Lily was not there.
Olivia pressed both hands against the glass.
“Claire, don’t come closer!”
A red light began flashing.
Daniel appeared behind them.
His weapon was aimed at Mason.
“You walked into the transfer chamber.”
Metal doors sealed every exit.
Daniel looked toward Margaret.
“Sarah does not need to choose between Lily and Olivia’s baby anymore.”
May you like
He pointed at Rose.
“She has found a third heir.”
