Page 106 of Fatal Betrayal

"What is she talking about?" Natasha asked.

"She's just trying to upset you. Come along now."

She heard them move away, and she felt a wave of despair. Five minutes later, the door opened and quickly closed. Natasha moved into the room.

"Why are you telling me lies?" Natasha asked suspiciously.

"I'm telling you the truth. I used to babysit you. Your name is Hannah. We built forts in your bedroom and took flashlights under the blanket and sang songs." She knew she didn't have much time, but she was desperate to convince Natasha. Maybe she couldn't save herself, but hopefully she could save this girl who had been missing for so long.

"We made up a silly song," she continued, trying to remember the words. "It went like this: We're sitting in our tent, drinking our tea, Hannah and her elephant, her turtle, and me," she said. "We would have tea parties with your stuffed animals. Your mother's name is Shari. Your father's name is Ray. Your last name is Montgomery. I lived up the street from you. I'm Andi. I took you to the park when your nanny, Gemma, was busy. The park had a big slide, and you loved it. You would climb up and down the ladder without ever getting tired. But one day at the park, you fell, and you cut your arm. That's where your scar came from."

Natasha shook her head. "That's not true."

"It is true. I think deep down you know it is. That's why you came in here. When you were two years old, someone took you out of your crib, and I never saw you again until earlier today. I didn't know what happened to you, but now I do. The people you think are your family either kidnapped you or accepted a stolen child."

Natasha shook her head. "It's not possible. My mother is my mother. We both have blonde hair."

"That's not enough, Natasha, and you know it."

"I have to go. I have to help. The babies are scared."

"They're scared, because they've been stolen. You gave a duffel bag to a girl named Kristine in the park. That was for a baby named Elisa. She was taken from her crib Tuesday morning."

"No. We don't kidnap children. We just help move the babies from poor mothers to those who can take care of them. We're doing good. We're helping people who can't get help other places. And we're helping the mothers, too. They don't have anything when they come here."

"Where do they come from?"

"I can't talk to you anymore."

As Hannah headed to the door, she said, "Wait. If you don't believe me, look up your name on your phone—Hannah Montgomery. I'm sure your baby pictures are there from when you were kidnapped. You'll see your parents. Maybe you'll recognize them, but even if you don't, you might recognize yourself, and you'll know I'm not lying."

"I—I can't," she said nervously. "You're telling me stories, because you're crazy."

"I'm not crazy, Hannah. I'm a federal agent. I work for the FBI. What's happening here is against the law."

"No, you're trying to kidnap a baby. They told me you'll do anything to get your hands on a child. You were at the store with your husband. You were desperate."

"I just told that story so that someone would tell me what's going on. You have to believe me. I need you to call the FBI or the police. Tell them to come down here. Tell them Agent Andi Hart is in trouble. Please."

Hannah didn't answer. She just backed out of the room and shut the door behind her.

Andi groaned in frustration. She hadn’t made her case. She hadn't convinced Hannah what was really going on.

How could the girl be so naïve? How could she believe the story they'd told her?

She must have been brainwashed, raised to believe that lies were the truth.

Although, she wondered again why Hannah hadn't been sold.Why had they taken her and kept her all these years?

Her questions weren't going to matter unless she could get herself out of here. She yanked her arms again, which only resulted in sending a shaft of pain through one elbow. The noises outside were getting fainter. They were abandoning this location and she didn't think they were going to leave it standing behind them.

She stiffened as she heard someone coming down the hall.

The door opened once more, but this time it wasn't Natasha who entered the room.

Andi's jaw dropped in shock. "You?" she breathed.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

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