Chapter 5 - THE AMBUSH AT LINCOLN PARKAt 3:55 PM, a black SUV pulled up near the shaded duck pond at Lincoln Park. The security detail I had hired surrounded the perimeter, staying hidden in the trees.
Evelyn Vaughn sat on a park bench, wearing a black trench coat and looking nervously at her watch. Beside her sat a small metal tin of cookies.
I stepped out of the vehicle, holding the hand of a small child dressed in Ethan’s signature blue raincoat and yellow boots, with his hood pulled low over his face.
As we walked toward the bench, Evelyn stood up, her hands trembling. “Mara... you came.”
“Where is Andrew, Evelyn?” I asked directly, stopping ten feet away.
“He’s not here, I swear!” Evelyn said, her voice shaking. “I just wanted to give Ethan these...”
Suddenly, the doors of a gray delivery van parked nearby burst open! Two tall, masked men in black tactical gear rushed toward us, pulling out heavy zip-ties and a black cloth bag.
“Get the kid!” one of the men yelled.
Evelyn covered her mouth and stepped back, showing no surprise—proving she had known all along.
The two masked men lunged forward, grabbing the child in the yellow raincoat and shoving him into the back of the van! The side door slammed shut, and the van sped away into traffic, tires screeching against the asphalt!
Evelyn gasped, falling back onto the bench, pretending to weep hysterically. “Oh my god! Mara! They took him! Someone call the police!”
I stood completely still in the middle of the path. I didn't scream. I didn't cry. I didn't run after the van.
I simply pulled out my phone, pressed a button, and looked down at Evelyn with absolute contempt.
“You’re a terrible actress, Evelyn,” I said coldly.
Evelyn stopped her fake crying and blinked in confusion. “What... what are you talking about?! Your son was just kidnapped!”
I pointed toward the black SUV I had just arrived in.
the tint was lowered on the back window. Sitting safely inside, wearing his noise-canceling headphones and sipping an apple juice box, was Ethan.
Evelyn’s jaw dropped. She looked back at the retreating van, then at the SUV, completely paralyzed by shock. “If... if Ethan is in the car... then who was in the yellow raincoat?!”
The side door of the gray delivery van—which had only driven fifty yards before being completely surrounded and blocked by four unmarked black security vehicles—burst open again.
Out stepped two federal agents, dragging the two masked men out of the vehicle in handcuffs. And stepping out from the back of the van was a life-sized, heavy silicon mannequin wearing Ethan’s coat and boots—equipped with a high-definition GPS tracker and a live audio recording device.
“ kidnapping of a minor, conspiracy to commit extortion, and federal witness intimidation,” I said, walking slowly toward my mother-in-law as police sirens echoed in the distance. “You just helped Andrew and Victoria commit three major felonies on audio and video tape, Evelyn.”
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Evelyn collapsed onto her knees, sobbing real, terrified tears this time. “Mara! Please! Andrew forced me to do it! He said he would take away my allowance if I didn't help!”
“You chose your money over your grandson,” I said, stepping past her as the police cars pulled onto the grass, lights flashing red and blue. “Now you can enjoy your retirement in a federal penitentiary.”
