CHAPTER 9 — THE FALSE SURRENDER
Evelyn killed the storage unit’s overhead light.
“Back exit,” she whispered.
“There is no back exit,” Rebecca said.
A vehicle stopped outside the building.
Its headlights spilled beneath the storage door.
Claire gripped the phone carrying her mother’s last call.
“We can’t leave the files.”
Rebecca began sweeping documents into two archive boxes.
“They didn’t come for the files.”
“What did they come for?”
“You.”
The first strike against the metal door shook the entire unit.
A man called from outside.
“Claire, Mason wants to talk.”
Evelyn pulled a small emergency release cord near the rear wall.
A narrow maintenance panel opened behind the filing cabinet.
“You said there was no back exit,” Claire whispered.
“There wasn’t supposed to be.”
They crawled into a service passage as the storage door began rising.
Claire carried one box.
Rebecca dragged the other.
Evelyn closed the panel behind them.
Through a thin gap, Claire saw two men enter the unit.
Neither was Mason.
One wore a Gray Tide security jacket.
The other was the security officer who had blocked Claire from entering her own company.
The men searched the boxes.
“They’re gone,” one said.
The second man lifted a radio.
“Tell Mr. Bennett she took the North Harbor file.”
Claire followed Evelyn through the dark passage.
Ten minutes later, they emerged behind the facility’s maintenance shed.
Rebecca had parked a car near the freight tracks.
As they drove away, Claire received a message from Mason.
You have made this much worse for Lily.
A second message contained a photograph.
Lily sat alone in a bedroom.
Her pink jacket lay beside her.
She was clutching the birthday card she had made for Olivia.
Claire called immediately.
Mason answered.
“Let me speak to her.”
“You had your chance to cooperate.”
“She is six years old.”
“And she needs stability.”
“You took her from school and locked her inside Olivia’s house.”
“I protected her from a woman having another breakdown.”
Claire looked toward Rebecca.
“We both know I never had a breakdown.”
“Can you prove it?”
Mason’s calmness made her skin crawl.
“I’ll sign the North Harbor authorization.”
Rebecca turned sharply.
Claire raised one hand, signaling her to remain silent.
Mason did not respond immediately.
“You’ll also resign from the company.”
“Yes.”
“And temporary custody.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“I’ll sign.”
“Why the sudden change?”
“Because Lily matters more than the company.”
“That’s the first intelligent thing you’ve said in two days.”
“Where do we meet?”
“My attorney’s office. Ten tomorrow morning.”
“I want to see Lily first.”
“You’ll see her after everything is signed.”
“No. Bring her to the building.”
Mason laughed softly.
“You’re no longer setting conditions.”
Claire tightened her grip on the phone.
“If I don’t see her, I walk away with the North Harbor file.”
The silence on the other end changed.
Mason had not known exactly what she had taken.
“What file?”
“The one my mother left.”
“Your mother left nothing.”
“Then you won’t mind if I send it to the district attorney.”
Mason’s voice became lower.
“Ten o’clock. Lily will be nearby.”
“Not nearby. In the room.”
“I’ll consider it.”
The call ended.
Rebecca looked furious.
“You cannot sign those documents.”
“I’m not going to.”
“He will check every page.”
“Then we give him pages that appear real.”
Evelyn looked at Claire.
“You’re planning to record him.”
“I’m planning to make him believe he has won.”
Claire opened the box on her lap.
The North Harbor file contained detailed maps, financial documents, and photographs of Mason meeting Gray Tide executives.
But the final section was missing.
The folder ended at Phase Two.
The table of contents listed a third section.
Phase Three — Succession.
“What is succession?” Claire asked.
Rebecca looked out the window.
“In Mason’s plans, it usually means replacing someone.”
“Replacing me at the company?”
“Possibly.”
“Or replacing me as Lily’s mother?”
Rebecca did not answer.
Claire’s phone vibrated again.
This message came from Olivia.
Please don’t sign anything.
Claire stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
Mason never planned to give Lily back.
Claire typed:
Then help me get her out.
Olivia’s response came immediately.
I can’t. He watches everything.
Where is she?
Three dots appeared and disappeared several times.
Finally, Olivia sent an address.
It was not the beach house.
It belonged to an old estate outside Port Haven.
Claire recognized the name from her mother’s files.
The property was owned by Gray Tide Development.
A final message arrived.
Come before sunrise. Don’t bring Rebecca.
Claire slowly raised her eyes.
Rebecca had been watching the screen’s reflection in the car window.
“What did Olivia say?”
Claire locked the phone.
“She wants to help.”
Rebecca’s expression hardened.
“No, she doesn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because that estate is where Mason took me nine years ago.”
Claire stared at her.
May you like
Rebecca touched the scar on her neck.
“And it’s where he left me to disappear.”
