Chapter 9 - The Ransom Drop
The live video feed showed my precious baby sleeping peacefully, entirely unaware of the fatal drop just inches away.
Selina immediately recognized the distinct neon sign glowing faintly in the background of the video.
It was an abandoned, high-rise luxury hotel on the absolute worst side of the industrial district.
We had no time to gather two million dollars, and we definitely could not call the compromised police force.
Selina looked at me with absolute determination and pulled a sleek, heavy silver pistol from her designer purse.
She admitted she had bought the weapon for protection when she first discovered Julian was stalking her.
I left my son safely locked inside Selina’s armored car with strict instructions not to move.
We sprinted up the crumbling concrete stairs of the decaying twenty-story building.
My lungs burned fiercely and my legs felt like lead, but the terrifying image of my baby kept me moving upward.
We finally burst through the rusted roof access door into the howling, freezing midnight wind.
Chloe was standing dangerously close to the absolute edge of the roof, holding the fragile baby carrier loosely in one hand.
She smiled wickedly, holding out a digital tablet, and demanded that I complete the wire transfer immediately.
I slowly stepped forward, raising my empty hands, begging her to let me hold my daughter first.
Chloe took a dangerous step backward, the heels of her boots hanging precariously off the very edge of the building.
She screamed that I had ruined her perfect life with Julian, and she was going to take everything from me in return.
Selina silently stepped out from the shadows, aiming the heavy pistol directly at Chloe’s chest.
Selina confidently commanded Chloe to drop the tablet and step away from the ledge.
Chloe looked at the gun, let out a maniacal, broken laugh, and completely lost the last shred of her sanity.
She revealed that Julian had actually called her from jail an hour ago and explicitly told her to get rid of the baby anyway.
He didn't want the burden of a screaming infant tying them down when they eventually escaped to South America.
My blood ran completely cold as I realized there was never a real ransom exchange planned.
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Chloe looked me dead in the eyes with a truly evil grin.
She casually opened her hand, entirely releasing her grip on the heavy plastic handle of the baby carrier.
