Several men in dark blue coats with federal badges walked into the light of the chandeliers.

The crowd parted for them, their faces filled with shock.

I looked down at the entrance, my hand tightening on Ethan’s arm.

“Ethan,” I whispered.

The lead investigator walked straight toward the stage where Richard and Eleanor stood.

My phone in my coat pocket began to vibrate aggressively.

I pulled it out and looked at the screen.

It was an unknown number, but the text preview was visible.

*We have the children. If you want to see them alive, tell Ethan to stop the feed now.*

My breath caught in my throat.

I looked up at the NICU monitors on the screen near Maya’s desk, but the feed had suddenly gone black.

I turned to Ethan, my voice trembling.

“Ethan,” I said, showing him the screen.

“The twins.”

Ethan stared down at the glowing screen of my phone, his jaw tightening until the muscle in his cheek twitched.

His fingers went cold against my wrist as he gripped my hand.

“They were in the secure wing,” he whispered, his voice dangerously low.