Chapter 13: Back at the Altar
They reached the church before the police.
The doors were unlocked.
Inside, the sanctuary was dark except for candles near the altar.
Claire heard a child crying.
“Ethan?”
“Claire!”
He ran from behind the front pew and threw himself into her arms.
Daniel searched the side rooms.
No one else was there.
“How did you get here?” Claire asked.
“The lady brought me.”
“What lady?”
“The lady in Mommy’s coat.”
“Where did she go?”
Ethan pointed toward the confessional.
Daniel opened it.
Empty.
On the seat lay a yellow coat.
Inside the pocket was a hospital bracelet bearing the name Jane Reed.
The admission date was three days after Lily’s crash.
Claire searched the hospital name.
It was a private neurological clinic two hours north.
Daniel called Mara.
She answered angrily.
“You were followed.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Caleb took Ethan to draw Lily out.”
“Did Lily rescue him?” Claire asked.
Mara did not respond.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Is my sister at that clinic?”
“She was.”
“What happened to her?”
“She survived the crash, but she had a brain injury. Victoria found her before the police did.”
Claire looked at the bracelet.
“Why use a false name?”
“To hide her.”
“From us?”
“From everyone.”
Police sirens approached.
Mara spoke quickly.
“Do not show them the bracelet. Go to the clinic first.”
The line went dead.
A police officer entered the church.
Behind him walked Victoria.
She rushed toward Ethan with open arms.
“My poor baby!”
Ethan stepped behind Claire.
Victoria’s face tightened.
Daniel held up the court order.
“He was taken using forged documents.”
Victoria turned to the officer.
“Arrest Daniel.”
“For what?”
She pointed toward the altar.
“For staging his own nephew’s kidnapping.”
May you like
Then Caleb emerged from the shadows behind the organ.
And handed the police a video that appeared to prove it.
