CHAPTER 18: THE WRONG LAST NAME

Ethan stared at the bracelet.

Ava Mercer had been born at St. Catherine’s Hospital.

Her mother was Claire Mercer.

Her father was Ethan Mercer.

There had never been any Hart name on her records.

Bianca looked over his shoulder.

“Ava Hart.”

Ethan folded the bracelet.

“She does not need to see this.”

“But you need to know what it means.”

“It could be fake.”

“So could my entire life.”

Bianca looked toward the road where Conrad had disappeared.

“My grandmother told me my mother abandoned me. Ward says she stole me. Now Ava’s name is connected to Evelyn Hart.”

Ethan examined the date on the bracelet.

It was Ava’s birthday.

Eight years earlier.

“There may have been another baby at the hospital,” he said.

Bianca’s eyes narrowed.

“Or Claire was not Ava’s biological mother.”

Ethan stepped toward her.

“Do not say that in front of my daughter.”

“I am trying to help.”

“Then help me reach the stadium.”

They returned to the vehicles.

Conrad’s SUV would not start.

The Midnight Bat lay across the rear seat.

Ethan finally examined the blood.

A small piece of fabric had caught on the handle.

Dark blue wool.

Conrad had been wearing a black suit.

The fabric belonged to someone else.

Arthur Bell touched it.

“Samuel wore blue the night he disappeared.”

Ethan stared at him.

“You think my father took Conrad?”

“I think someone wants us to believe he did.”

Ward looked toward the stadium lights in the distance.

One floodlight had switched on.

Then another.

The abandoned field had been without electricity for seventeen years.

Ava pointed through the cracked window.

“Someone’s waiting.”

The scoreboard suddenly came alive.

White numbers appeared across it.

11:47.

Thirteen minutes before midnight.

Then words moved across the screen:

ETHAN MERCER, BRING THE BAT TO HOME PLATE.

Ward’s face became pale.

“The locker may not be our destination.”

“What is?”

Ward pointed toward the pitcher’s mound.

“Samuel’s last game ended with a fight at home plate.”

Ethan looked at the Midnight Bat.

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