Chapter 6 - THE MESSAGE FROM CLAIRE’S PHONE
Ethan was sleeping in a chair beside Claire when his phone vibrated.
The screen showed a number he recognized instantly.
MOM.
His breath caught.
Claire’s phone had disappeared the night she was drugged.
Police had not found it inside the house.
Ethan looked at his mother sleeping nearby.
Then he opened the message.
I need you to come home.
He stared at the words.
Another message appeared.
Don’t tell Megan.
Ethan’s heart began pounding.
A third message followed.
There is something in the garage you need to see.
Ethan almost stood.
Then he remembered Richard’s face beside the coffin.
Don’t ever say that again.
Ethan carried the phone into the hallway and found the officer stationed outside Claire’s room.
“My mom’s phone is texting me.”
Within minutes, Ortiz was called.
She read the messages.
“Good job not answering.”
“Can you find where they came from?”
“We can try.”
Another message appeared.
Ethan?
Then another.
Please.
The person sending them was becoming impatient.
Ortiz asked Ethan to place the phone on a table.
A technician began tracing the device.
They sent one controlled response.
What’s in the garage?
The answer came almost immediately.
Something your mother hid.
Come alone.
Ortiz looked at Ethan.
“They want you away from the hospital.”
“Richard?”
“He’s in custody.”
“Then who?”
They all knew the likely possibilities.
Vale.
Mercer.
Or someone else they had not discovered yet.
The phone signal moved.
It was traveling north through the city.
Police units began searching.
Then the phone went offline.
For twelve minutes, nothing happened.
Finally, one last image arrived on Ethan’s phone.
It was a photograph of Claire’s house.
Taken from across the street.
The timestamp showed it had been taken less than five minutes earlier.
Someone was watching the police search the property.
At the bottom of the image was a message.
Tell your mother the blue folder wasn’t the only copy.
Ortiz immediately called officers at the house.
“Lock the entire perimeter.”
Ethan reread the message.
“What does that mean?”
Claire had awakened behind him.
She had heard everything.
Her face became pale.
“There was another file.”
Ortiz turned.
“Where?”
Claire hesitated.
“I gave it to someone.”
“Who?”
“My attorney.”
“What attorney?”
“Rebecca Sloan.”
Megan frowned.
“I’ve never heard that name.”
May you like
Claire looked directly at Ortiz.
“That’s because Richard thought Rebecca was dead.”
