Chapter 6 - THE LITTLE GIRL BEHIND THE WINDOW
“The woman in that apartment might be protecting Molly,” Gabriel said. “Or she might be the reason Molly can't leave.”
Eleanor stood beside him outside Bellweather House, gripping her crutches.
Detective Brennan had arrived with two officers.
The building manager had confirmed that a child matching Molly's description was staying in the third-floor apartment.
The manager also confirmed that North Star had listed the child as being in temporary protective care.
But no court or child welfare agency had authorized such an arrangement.
Brennan was arranging a formal welfare check.
Eleanor looked toward the window.
The curtains remained closed.
“My niece is behind that glass,” she whispered.
Gabriel nodded.
“I know.”
“She's probably wondering why nobody came.”
Gabriel couldn't answer.
Because there was no comforting explanation for what had happened.
The building manager accompanied Brennan to the third floor.
Gabriel and Eleanor followed several steps behind.
Vince remained downstairs with another officer.
Someone from North Star had arrived at the building carrying an empty child-sized car seat.
Vince had recognized the driver from the cathedral footage.
Brennan wanted him questioned before he could leave.
At Apartment 312, she knocked.
“Chicago Police. We'd like to check on the child staying here.”
A woman's voice answered.
“She's resting.”
“We need to speak with her.”
“She isn't in danger.”
“Then this should be simple.”
A long silence followed.
The door opened a few inches.
An older woman with silver hair looked out.
She wore a blue cardigan and slippers.
Her name was Diane Bell.
She had once worked as an elementary school aide.
For the past month, she had been accepting temporary caregiving assignments through North Star.
Brennan showed her identification.
“We have a report that Molly Shaw was taken without her family's permission.”
Diane frowned.
“That can't be right.”
Eleanor moved closer.
“Mrs. Bell, I'm Molly's aunt.”
The woman looked at her.
Then at Gabriel.
Her expression changed.
“They told me you might come.”
Eleanor felt a chill.
“Who?”
“The people who arranged her placement.”
“What did they tell you?”
Diane hesitated.
“That her family was dangerous.”
Gabriel remained quiet.
Diane looked directly at him.
“They said you were the man who ordered her taken.”
The words struck Eleanor like a blow.
She turned toward Gabriel.
He looked equally stunned.
Brennan stepped forward.
“Mrs. Bell, we need to verify Molly's safety. May we come inside?”
Diane looked past her.
A small voice came from the apartment.
“Aunt Ellie?”
Eleanor's breath caught.
“Molly?”
A child appeared behind Diane.
Pink sweater.
Dark hair.
Tired brown eyes.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Molly pushed past the older woman.
“Aunt Ellie!”
Eleanor dropped one crutch.
She knelt carefully despite the pain and opened her arms.
Molly ran into them.
The force of the embrace nearly knocked Eleanor backward.
She held the little girl against her chest.
“I've got you,” she whispered. “I've got you, sweetheart.”
Molly began crying.
“I thought you forgot me.”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“Never.”
“They said you got married and went away.”
“No, baby.”
Molly pulled back.
“Didn't you want to marry him?”
Eleanor looked toward Gabriel.
He stood several feet away, hands at his sides.
“It wasn't a wedding I chose,” she told Molly. “And I didn't leave you.”
Molly looked at the walking boot.
“Your foot's broken.”
“A little.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Sometimes.”
Molly frowned.
“I'm sorry.”
Eleanor kissed her forehead.
“You didn't do anything wrong.”
The little girl began crying again.
This time, Eleanor let her.
Inside the apartment, Diane Bell sat at the kitchen table while Brennan questioned her.
The rooms were clean.
There were groceries in the refrigerator.
Molly had a bed, books, and fresh clothes.
Diane had not mistreated her.
But she'd been told to keep the girl away from windows and not permit calls to relatives.
“They said the father was involved with dangerous people,” Diane explained.
“Who told you that?” Brennan asked.
“A man from the agency. He had papers with the Moretti company name.”
Gabriel stood near the doorway.
“Did you ever speak to me?”
“No.”
“Then why believe I approved this?”
Diane looked ashamed.
“Because he showed me a signed authorization.”
Gabriel felt the familiar weight of his own carelessness.
Another document.
Another signature.
Another person persuaded by the authority of his name.
Diane continued.
“I thought she was here because someone was trying to protect her.”
Brennan asked for the paperwork.
Diane brought a folder from the cabinet.
Inside were a temporary care agreement, payment records, and emergency instructions.
Most were signed by someone at North Star.
But the authorization page carried Gabriel's initials.
Brennan photographed the documents.
“Mrs. Bell, these papers don't establish legal custody. We're going to have them examined.”
Diane began crying.
“I would never hurt a child.”
Eleanor looked up from the sofa.
“I believe you.”
Diane turned toward her.
“Every night, she asked when her father was coming.”
Eleanor stroked Molly's hair.
“We're here now.”
Gabriel stepped onto the apartment's narrow balcony.
He needed a moment.
He had imagined himself as Molly's rescuer.
But the woman caring for the child believed he was the danger.
And she had good reason to believe it.
His signature had authorized money.
His men had transported Molly.
His underboss had arranged everything.
Gabriel had built a system in which people obeyed his name without asking questions.
Julian had merely learned how to use it.
Eleanor appeared behind him.
“Molly wants to meet you.”
Gabriel turned.
“Are you sure?”
“She asked who you were.”
“What did you tell her?”
“The truth.”
He looked down.
“That could mean several things.”
“I told her you're the man I was supposed to marry. I also told her you helped me find her.”
Gabriel looked through the balcony door.
Molly sat at the table eating crackers.
Diane had given her a glass of milk.
“She'll probably be frightened of me.”
“Maybe.”
Eleanor's honesty almost made him smile.
“Come inside anyway.”
Molly studied Gabriel from her chair.
He was tall.
His shoulders filled the doorway.
A tattoo showed beneath his shirt cuff.
She looked at Eleanor.
“Is he Uncle Gabriel?”
Eleanor hesitated.
“You can call him Gabriel.”
Molly considered this.
“Are you mad at Aunt Ellie?”
Gabriel knelt so they were at eye level.
“No.”
“She didn't mean to break her foot.”
“I know.”
Molly twisted a napkin.
“Are you going to make her work?”
Gabriel felt his throat tighten.
“No, sweetheart.”
“Good.”
She looked back at her crackers.
Then she quietly asked, “Can I go home now?”
Eleanor answered before Gabriel could.
“Yes.”
Molly leaned against her aunt.
“Can Daddy come?”
The room became painfully quiet.
Eleanor brushed a strand of hair from Molly's face.
“We'll see Daddy soon. There are some things the grown-ups need to fix.”
Molly accepted that answer.
She was eight.
She didn't need a lecture about betrayal.
She needed to know where she would sleep.
And whether the people she loved would still be there in the morning.
An hour later, Brennan arranged for Molly to be released into Nathan's care after the necessary checks, with Eleanor accompanying her and temporary protective measures in place.
Diane agreed to cooperate with investigators.
She also gave Brennan the name of the North Star employee who had threatened to withhold her final paycheck if she contacted the family.
Before leaving, Molly handed Diane a small drawing.
It showed the older woman beside a window.
“That's for you,” Molly said.
Diane began crying again.
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
Gabriel watched from the hallway.
For the first time that day, he allowed himself to believe something good had happened.
Molly was safe.
Eleanor had her niece back.
Perhaps he could finally begin repairing the damage.
Then Brennan approached him.
Her expression had changed.
“Mr. Moretti, I need you to come with me.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“What's happened?”
“We received new evidence in the Ashland investigation.”
“From whom?”
“Your office, and a witness who has given a sworn statement.”
Gabriel frowned.
“Which witness?”
Brennan hesitated.
Then she showed him the name.
Nathan Shaw.
Gabriel read it once.
Then again.
Brennan took out her handcuffs.
“Gabriel Moretti, there's a warrant for your arrest in connection with the deaths of Eli Mercer and the two warehouse employees at Ashland.”
Gabriel looked through the open apartment door.
Eleanor was helping Molly put on her coat.
The child was smiling for the first time.
May you like
Gabriel slowly held out his hands.
“Let them leave first,” he said.
