Chapter 9 - The Longest Night
Grace forgot the company.
She forgot Richard.
She forgot Vanessa.
She forgot every document.
There was only her son.
At the hospital, doctors discovered signs that required immediate monitoring.
Stress had not caused the complication, they told her.
She needed to hear that.
But the baby might need to be delivered early.
Grace lay beneath white sheets listening to the fetal monitor.
Adrian waited outside.
So did Ethan.
Grace had not asked him to come.
Vanessa had called him.
When Grace learned he was there, she stared at the door for several minutes.
Then she said, “Let him in.”
Ethan entered quietly.
He looked terrified.
“Hi.”
Grace almost smiled at the ridiculous normality of it.
“Hi.”
He stood awkwardly.
“Can I sit?”
She nodded.
For an hour, neither discussed their marriage.
They listened to their son’s heartbeat.
Ethan cried first.
Grace turned away.
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing.”
“I wasn’t apologizing for crying.”
That made her laugh.
A tiny laugh.
The first they had shared since Aurelia.
Ethan looked at the monitor.
“I don’t deserve to ask you for anything.”
“No.”
“But please let me be his father.”
Grace looked at him.
“I never planned to take that away.”
His face crumpled.
Grace felt anger rise again.
“You hurt me, Ethan.”
“I know.”
“You made me question eight years of my life.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know whether I’ll ever trust you again.”
“I know.”
“And if you say ‘I know’ one more time, I may throw this water at you.”
He almost smiled.
“Understood.”
She did too.
For one second, they were themselves again.
Then the monitor alarm changed.
Nurses entered.
Ethan stood.
Grace’s fear returned instantly.
The doctor examined her.
Minutes stretched.
Finally, the baby stabilized.
No delivery.
Not tonight.
Grace cried after everyone left.
Ethan sat beside her but did not touch her.
That restraint mattered.
At dawn, Grace woke and found him asleep in the chair.
His phone lay on the floor.
A message preview glowed.
VANESSA: I FOUND MARTIN.
Grace picked up the phone.
Another message arrived.
HE’S AT THE OLD CALLOWAY SHIPYARD.
Then:
HE HAS MY MOTHER.
Grace woke Ethan.
Within minutes, Ward was called.
Vanessa had apparently followed Celeste after her mother disappeared from protective housing.
The old shipyard had been abandoned for twelve years.
Ethan wanted to go.
Grace grabbed his wrist.
“No.”
“My father—”
“Your father wants you emotional.”
“My father may be holding Celeste.”
“Then let trained people handle it.”
He looked at her.
She saw the struggle.
Then he nodded.
That was new.
He listened.
Federal agents surrounded the shipyard.
Vanessa was found outside.
Celeste was inside.
So was Martin.
Richard was gone.
Martin surrendered.
Celeste was alive.
And in an office safe, agents found the original Hawthorne Trust documents.
The case should have been over.
It wasn’t.
Martin asked for a deal.
He offered evidence proving Richard ordered Daniel Vale’s death.
But he wanted immunity.
Ward refused full immunity.
Martin smiled.
“Then you’ll never find the recording.”
Adrian stared through the interrogation glass.
“What recording?”
Martin looked directly toward the hidden window as if he knew Adrian was there.
“Daniel’s last call.”
Adrian entered the room.
“Where is it?”
Martin smiled.
“Ask Richard.”
“Where is he?”
Martin leaned back.
“Going to see Grace.”
Adrian’s blood ran cold.
He grabbed his phone.
At the hospital, Grace was asleep.
Ethan had stepped downstairs for coffee.
The private-room door opened.
Grace woke.
May you like
Richard Calloway walked inside.
He locked the door behind him.
