My Neighbor Asked Me to Watch Her Daughter for One Hour… She Didn’t Come Back Until Sunrise
Chapter 9
The next hour felt like an entire lifetime.
Hawthorne’s people surrounded the church.
But they didn’t attack immediately.
Daniel realized why.
They were waiting.
Waiting for someone.
Evan whispered:
“There’s another exit beneath the altar.”
Father Thomas nodded.
“We can get the children out through the crypt.”
Daniel looked at Claire.
“You go.”
She shook her head.
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Claire.”
“No.”
Evan stepped between them.
“We all leave together.”
Marcus checked his weapon.
“We need a distraction.”
Daniel looked at him.
“What kind?”
Marcus pointed toward the church bell tower.
“I can trigger the fire alarm.”
“Then what?”
“Everyone outside will think there’s a fire.”
Father Thomas frowned.
“And if they don’t?”
Marcus smiled.
“Then we improvise.”
The plan began.
Marcus climbed the bell tower.
Evan moved toward the crypt entrance.
Daniel took Lily’s hand.
Claire held Sophie.
Father Thomas opened the hidden door.
They descended into darkness.
The tunnel was narrow.
Cold air moved through it.
Daniel followed Claire.
“You knew about this?”
She shook her head.
“Evan did.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
“Because every person I told became a target.”
Daniel stopped.
“What about my wife?”
Claire looked at him.
“She trusted me.”
Daniel’s anger softened slightly.
“She told me you were brave.”
Claire looked down.
“I wasn’t.”
“You came back for Sophie.”
“I almost didn’t.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What happened?”
Claire swallowed.
“Hawthorne caught me.”
“What?”
“He wanted the drive.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Yes.”
Daniel clenched his jaw.
“But I escaped.”
They reached the end of the tunnel.
A steel door opened into an alley.
The sky was beginning to lighten.
5:02 a.m.
They hurried toward an old delivery truck.
Father Thomas unlocked it.
“Get inside.”
Everyone climbed in.
Evan started the engine.
The truck moved through back streets.
For the first time, Daniel allowed himself to breathe.
Then Marcus called.
“I’m still at the church.”
Daniel grabbed the radio.
“What happened?”
“Alarm worked.”
“Where are the others?”
“Most of Hawthorne’s men left.”
Daniel frowned.
“Most?”
Silence.
Then Marcus said:
“There are two men here.”
A gunshot.
The radio went dead.
“Marcus!”
No answer.
Daniel looked at Evan.
“We have to go back.”
Evan shook his head.
“No.”
“He saved us.”
“He knew the risk.”
Daniel stared.
“We don’t leave people behind.”
Evan looked at him.
“That is exactly what Emily used to say.”
Daniel’s eyes filled.
The truck continued.
Then a police cruiser appeared behind them.
Sirens.
Daniel relaxed.
“Finally.”
Evan didn’t.
“Something’s wrong.”
The cruiser accelerated.
Lights flashing.
The truck pulled over.
An officer approached.
“Step out of the vehicle.”
Evan whispered:
“Don’t.”
Daniel frowned.
“He’s police.”
Evan shook his head.
“Look at his badge.”
Daniel did.
The badge number was partially obscured.
The officer opened the passenger door.
“Mr. Carter?”
Daniel froze.
“How do you know my name?”
The officer smiled.
“Hawthorne gave it to us.”
He reached for his weapon.
Evan shoved Daniel down.
A gunshot cracked.
The windshield shattered.
Evan fired back.
The officer fell.
Another cruiser appeared behind them.
Then another.
Daniel stared.
“How many?”
Evan looked at him.
“Too many.”
Claire pulled Sophie close.
Lily was crying.
Daniel’s mind raced.
They couldn’t outrun police vehicles forever.
Then he remembered something.
Emily.
Her files.
The documents.
Operation Sunrise.
There had to be someone they could trust.
Daniel looked at Claire.
“Who did Emily trust?”
Claire thought.
“One person.”
“Who?”
“Her old editor.”
“Where is she?”
“Columbus.”
“How far?”
“About forty minutes.”
Daniel looked at Evan.
“Can we make it?”
Evan nodded.
“If we survive the next ten.”
Behind them, sirens multiplied.
Daniel looked at the sunrise beginning to glow over the horizon.
They had been running all night.
But he suddenly realized something.
Hawthorne wasn’t chasing them because of the evidence.
He was chasing them because of what the evidence could prove.
And if they could get it to the right person before sunrise—
Everything could change.
