Chapter 5 - THE WAREHOUSE THAT WASN'T EMPTY
The warehouse on Harbor Row had once belonged to Gabriel's father.
It stood between abandoned freight buildings and a narrow strip of riverfront property.
For years, it had been used to store equipment.
Then it was closed.
At least, that's what Gabriel believed.
Detective Brooks obtained a warrant.
Investigators entered the property before dawn.
Inside, they found office furniture.
Computers.
Files.
And a room filled with locked cabinets.
The cabinets contained employment applications, copies of identification documents, and photographs.
Many belonged to women who had applied through Harbor Talent Solutions.
Some photographs had been taken without their knowledge.
My picture was there.
So was Wren's.
I stared at the evidence photograph.
My daughter sat in her high chair, smiling with mashed banana on her cheeks.
The image had been taken through our kitchen window.
I felt physically sick.
Naomi sat beside me.
"We're working to identify everyone involved."
I nodded.
But my hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Gabriel stood near the door.
He looked at the photograph.
Then turned away.
I followed him into the hallway.
"Gabriel."
He stopped.
"Yes?"
"Don't do something stupid."
He looked at me.
I continued.
"I know what people say about you."
His expression hardened.
"Most of it is exaggerated."
"Some of it isn't."
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"If you go after Calder yourself, you could ruin the investigation."
Gabriel looked down.
"And if I do nothing?"
"You're not doing nothing."
He stared.
I continued.
"You're cooperating. You're helping your children. You're telling the truth."
His jaw tightened.
"That doesn't feel like enough."
I understood.
God, I understood.
But I shook my head.
"Sometimes enough doesn't feel powerful."
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then nodded.
"All right."
Later that day, investigators discovered that Calder had been transferring money through several companies connected to Gabriel's shipping business.
The transactions suggested a larger fraud operation.
But the most disturbing discovery was a set of instructions.
The document referred to three infants.
A train journey.
And a woman identified only as C.B.
I stared at the initials.
Claire Bennett.
Naomi read the document aloud.
"Subject to be placed near the children. Medical incident expected. Subject to intervene."
My stomach dropped.
"What does that mean?"
She continued.
"Subject's child to be used as compliance leverage."
I covered my mouth.
Gabriel looked like he might be sick.
Naomi closed the folder.
"Claire, you were selected because they believed you would help the babies."
I stared.
"And then?"
She hesitated.
"They planned to use your involvement to control what you said afterward."
I thought about the red light in my purse.
The photograph of Wren.
The frightened babies.
And the man who had arranged every step.
I whispered:
"They knew I wouldn't ignore a crying child."
Naomi nodded.
"Yes."
For the first time, I understood the cruelty of the plan.
May you like
Calder hadn't chosen me because I was weak.
He had chosen me because he knew I would care.
