Chapter 11 - RUNNING WITH TREVOR
Evelyn had vanished during a bathroom break.
One minute, an officer was outside the interview room.
The next, a service door was open.
Trevor had apparently been waiting in the alley.
“Why would she leave with him?” I demanded.
Ryan was pacing.
“She wouldn’t.”
“She protected you from prison. She protected Trevor from murder. What exactly wouldn’t she do?”
Ryan stopped.
“That’s not fair.”
I stared at him.
He immediately looked ashamed.
“No. You’re right.”
Police tracked Evelyn’s SUV heading north.
Then the GPS died.
Trevor had disabled it.
At 2:14 a.m., my phone rang.
Unknown number.
Claire whispered, “Speaker.”
I answered.
“Hello?”
Breathing.
Then Evelyn.
“Sarah.”
I closed my eyes.
“Where are you?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Where are you?”
“I never meant for Daniel to die.”
“Stop saying that.”
“I need you to understand—”
“No.”
My voice shook.
“You had ten minutes to call for help.”
Silence.
“You chose Ryan.”
“No.”
“You chose yourself.”
She started crying.
“I was scared.”
“So was Daniel.”
“I know.”
“Did he ask for me?”
Another silence.
That silence answered everything.
“Did he?”
“Yes.”
My knees weakened.
Ryan turned away.
Evelyn whispered, “He kept saying your name.”
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.
“You heard my husband calling for me while he died?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Where is Trevor?”
A man’s voice appeared in the background.
“Hang up.”
Evelyn whispered quickly:
“He knows about Madison.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
“He knows she saw him.”
“Evelyn, where are you?”
“Don’t take her home.”
Trevor shouted:
“GIVE ME THE PHONE.”
A struggle.
Then Trevor’s voice came onto the line.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Sarah.”
My skin went cold.
“You murdered my husband.”
“Your husband made bad choices.”
“You put your hand over his mouth.”
“He should have minded his business.”
Ryan stepped closer to the phone.
“You son of a bitch.”
Trevor laughed.
“There he is.”
Ryan’s face twisted.
“You used me.”
“You made it easy.”
“I’m going to kill you.”
“No, you’re not.”
Trevor sounded almost bored.
“You’ve spent your whole life letting somebody else clean up your mess.”
Ryan went still.
Trevor continued.
“First Daniel. Then your mother. Then me.”
“Where are you?”
“Why? You want to be useful for once?”
Ryan clenched his jaw.
Trevor laughed again.
Then said something that changed everything.
“Ask Sarah where Madison is.”
I looked toward the couch.
Empty.
My heart stopped.
I ran down the hallway.
“Madison?”
Bathroom.
Empty.
Bedroom.
Empty.
Back door.
Open.
Claire shouted behind me.
“Sarah!”
I ran outside barefoot.
Madison’s pink jacket lay in the driveway.
Beside it was a phone.
The screen lit up.
A text message.
BRING THE ORIGINAL FLASH DRIVE.
May you like
COME ALONE.
OR YOUR DAUGHTER FINISHES WHAT HER FATHER STARTED.
