Chapter 11: The Stranger’s Name
The note included a phone number.
Daniel wanted to call immediately.
Claire insisted they first copy every file from the flash drive.
They rented a small hotel room under a false name and uploaded the documents to three secure accounts.
Then Claire called.
The woman answered on the first ring.
“My name is Mara Quinn.”
Daniel recognized it.
Mara had been Lily’s closest friend in college.
Everyone believed they had stopped speaking years ago.
“Where is my sister?” Daniel demanded.
“Alive.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Claire gripped his hand.
“Why hasn’t she come home?” Claire asked.
“Because Victoria has people watching Ethan.”
“We saw you at the wedding.”
“I needed to make sure Lily’s message reached him.”
“Did you speak to Ethan at the hotel?”
“No.”
Claire’s heart sank.
“Then someone else wearing Lily’s coat did.”
Mara became silent.
“When can we meet?” Daniel asked.
“Not until Ethan is safe.”
“He’s with us.”
“That is not safe enough.”
Mara instructed them to look beneath the plastic ring Ethan had used during the proposal.
Claire examined it.
The fake gemstone lifted away.
Hidden beneath it was a tiny memory card.
The card contained a thirty-second audio recording.
Victoria’s voice was unmistakable.
“Once the boy is legally mine, the trust becomes manageable.”
Caleb replied, “And Lily?”
“She should have stayed in the river.”
The recording ended.
Daniel stood so quickly that his chair fell backward.
“We take this to the police.”
Mara’s voice sharpened.
“No. Victoria owns half the people who would investigate her.”
“Then what do we do?”
“You survive Monday’s hearing.”
The call disconnected.
A minute later, Daniel received an email from Victoria’s attorney.
May you like
The court had ordered Ethan surrendered to child services before the hearing.
Someone had accused Daniel of physically harming him.
