Pretty Baby novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Lake Forest

I chased a grey Mercedes through Chicago in the back of a taxi, and the driver never asked why.

He just drove, and swore, and ran two yellows.

Lake Forest was forty minutes north, all stone walls and bare oak trees and long white driveways.

The Hartwell estate sat behind iron gates twice my height.

The Mercedes was already inside, parked on the gravel with its doors shut.

I got out and gripped the bars of the gate.

"Mabel!" I shouted.

A security camera turned slowly and looked at me.

"Open the gate!" I said. "Open it right now!"

Nobody answered.

I was still shouting when a black SUV skidded to a stop behind me, and Stefan got out of it.

He hadn't shaved.

His tie was gone and his shirt collar was open.

His face held a white, disciplined fury I had never seen on him.

"The nanny called me," he said. "My mother took her from school without a word."

"I know. I was there."

"You were there."

"I was trying to reach you!"

He walked past me to the gate and hit the intercom with the flat of his hand.

"Mother. Open the gate."

The speaker crackled.

"Stefan, darling," said Winifred's voice. "She's having a snack. We're having such a lovely afternoon."

"Open it, or I call the police."

"And say what? That a grandmother is feeding her grandchild?"

"That you took her from school without my consent."

"Consent," Winifred said gently. "Darling, you've been sleeping badly."

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