Chapter 5 - Half of an Empire
Ethan was gone.
Madison's scream tore through the apartment.
Vincent arrived seconds later from downstairs.
He found Madison clutching the empty blanket.
Every trace of softness vanished from him.
Chicago had feared Vincent Carter for years.
That night, Madison understood why.
He didn't shout.
He didn't threaten.
He simply issued orders.
Doors closed.
Airports were watched.
Every Carter contact received Ethan's photograph.
But Madison refused to collapse.
She examined the nursery herself.
The window.
The lock.
The hallway cameras.
Then she noticed Grace.
“You said you turned away for ten seconds.”
Grace nodded through tears.
“I did.”
“Where?”
“To warm his bottle.”
“The warmer is beside the bassinet.”
Grace stopped crying.
Vincent looked at her.
Grace ran.
She made it three steps.
Vincent's security chief caught her.
Grace broke immediately.
“They have my daughter!”
Charles had threatened Grace's sixteen-year-old daughter.
She hadn't taken Ethan.
She had opened the service entrance.
A woman entered.
Blonde.
Vanessa.
Vincent closed his eyes.
Madison stared at him.
“You brought her back into our lives.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
No denial.
Just yes.
It was the first truthful answer he'd given her.
Vanessa called twenty minutes later.
Madison answered.
“Where is my son?”
“Safe.”
“Let me hear him.”
A tiny cry came through the phone.
Madison's knees weakened.
Vincent steadied her.
She pulled away.
“What do you want?”
Vanessa breathed slowly.
“Not money.”
“What?”
“I want the files your father left you.”
“You kidnapped a newborn for documents?”
“You still don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
“Charles isn't protecting either of us.”
Vanessa's voice cracked.
“He's cleaning up.”
A gunshot sounded through the call.
Vanessa screamed.
The line went dead.
Vincent traced the signal to an abandoned Bennett warehouse.
They found Vanessa wounded but alive.
Ethan was beside her, unharmed.
Madison grabbed her son and held him against her chest.
For several seconds, nothing else existed.
Then Vanessa whispered from the floor.
“I didn't take him to hurt you.”
Madison looked down.
“Why should I believe anything you say?”
“Because your father ordered me to kill him.”
Vincent went still.
Vanessa coughed.
“And I couldn't.”
Sirens approached.
Vanessa reached inside her coat.
Vincent's men raised their weapons.
“Wait,” Madison said.
Vanessa pulled out a small ledger.
She held it toward Madison.
“This is what Charles actually wants.”
Madison opened it.
Names.
Payments.
Politicians.
Police.
Businesses.
And one name appeared repeatedly.
Madison Carter.
Payments had been made in her name for years.
Enough evidence to make her look like the financial architect of a criminal organization.
At the bottom of the final page was tomorrow's date.
Beside it were two words:
FEDERAL DELIVERY.
Madison looked up.
Vanessa whispered, “By morning, your father plans to make sure you take the fall for everything.”
May you like
Then headlights flooded the warehouse.
Someone had arrived.
