Chapter 7 - THE MISSING WITNESS
By morning, the hospital had become a fortress.
Two officers stood outside Sophie’s room.
Another guarded the elevator.
Rachel remained missing.
Her blood type matched the stain in the abandoned car.
Officer Mercer refused to call it a homicide investigation.
Not yet.
But I could see what he believed.
Sophie slept through most of the morning.
Her concussion symptoms were improving.
My life outside the hospital was collapsing.
The bank sent notice that my mortgage was under immediate review.
My employer called to say I was being placed on temporary leave.
A video had gone viral overnight.
It showed Preston accusing Sophie of theft.
It ended before he struck her.
The title read:
ENTITLED MOTHER DEFENDS CHILD THIEF AT LUXURY WEDDING.
Thousands of strangers had already judged us.
Some called Sophie a criminal.
Others said I had trained her to steal from rich relatives.
The complete lie was spreading faster than the truth.
I showed the video to Mercer.
“Who uploaded it?”
“The account is anonymous.”
“It was edited.”
“Yes.”
“It makes Preston look like the victim.”
“That appears intentional.”
My phone rang continuously.
Reporters.
Unknown numbers.
Former friends.
People I had not spoken to in years.
Then Cassandra called.
I almost ignored it.
Mercer signaled for me to answer.
I placed the call on speaker.
“Evelyn.”
Her voice sounded calm.
“What do you want?”
“To help you.”
“You helped put a stolen phone in my daughter’s jacket.”
There was a pause.
“You don’t understand what you saw.”
“I saw enough.”
“Preston is dangerous.”
I looked at Mercer.
“Then why did you marry him?”
“Because leaving him is harder than marrying him.”
Her voice cracked slightly.
It was the first real emotion I had heard from her.
“Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Are you with Preston?”
“No.”
“Do you know where Rachel Cole is?”
Silence.
Then Cassandra whispered, “She is alive.”
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“How do you know?”
“I saw her.”
“Where?”
“Your father’s private club.”
Mercer began writing a note.
KEEP HER TALKING.
“When did you see her?”
“Three hours ago.”
“Was she hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Who was with her?”
“Thomas Reed.”
“And Preston?”
Another pause.
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
“What do they want from her?”
“The original files.”
“She already sent them.”
“They don’t know that.”
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because Preston lied to me.”
“About what?”
“The money.”
“He said we would leave together after the acquisition closed.”
“But there is no account in my name.”
“He planned to blame everything on me.”
Her breathing became uneven.
“He married me because he needed someone disposable.”
I felt no sympathy.
Not yet.
“You helped frame Sophie.”
“I know.”
“You watched him hit her.”
“I did not know he would do that.”
“You still stayed beside him.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was my daughter.”
Cassandra began crying quietly.
“I can get Rachel out.”
“How?”
“There is a service tunnel beneath the club.”
“Meet me there.”
Mercer shook his head.
“No.”
Cassandra continued.
“Come alone.”
“Why?”
“Because your father has police contacts.”
“I don’t know who to trust.”
Mercer wrote another note.
ASK FOR PROOF.
“How do I know Rachel is alive?”
A video arrived on my phone.
Rachel sat tied to a chair.
Blood marked her forehead.
Behind her stood Preston.
He held a gun against her shoulder.
The video lasted four seconds.
Then Cassandra whispered, “You have one hour.”
The call ended.
Mercer took my phone.
“You are not going.”
“She knows where Rachel is.”
“It is a trap.”
“Then we plan for it.”
“You stay here.”
“No.”
“Your daughter needs you.”
“Rachel risked her life for Sophie.”
Mercer leaned closer.
“If you walk into that club, Sophie could lose her mother too.”
Before I could answer, the hospital door opened.
A nurse entered carrying discharge papers.
“She can go home this afternoon.”
I looked at the papers.
The doctor’s signature was wrong.
I had seen his real signature earlier.
The nurse reached into her coat pocket.
Officer Mercer shouted.
“Hands where I can see them!”
May you like
She pulled out a syringe.
And lunged toward Sophie.
