Chapter 9 - THE SILENCE WAS NOT GRIEF
The fake officer’s name was not Reed.
It was Marcus Vale.
He had no badge.
No police record.
No medical license.
But hospital security footage showed him entering Alex’s room two days after Caroline died.
Wearing blue scrubs.
Andrew watched the footage in disbelief.
“He threatened my son inside a hospital?”
Sarah nodded.
“He signed in under a fake name.”
Elizabeth looked sick.
Alex sat beside her under a blanket.
Andrew turned to him.
“Buddy, is that why you stopped talking?”
Alex nodded.
Tears filled Andrew’s eyes.
“All this time…”
“I wanted to tell.”
Andrew knelt.
“You never had to be afraid of me.”
Alex whispered, “He said if I said the lady’s name, he’d make you fall too.”
Andrew pulled his son into his arms.
For months, doctors had told him not to push.
So he hadn’t.
He had given Alex space.
He had assumed silence was grief.
But it had been terror.
Sarah walked in from the hallway.
“We searched Vale’s phone.”
“And?”
“There are messages with David.”
Andrew stood.
“Where are they?”
“We’re still tracking them.”
Sarah hesitated.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“David sent Vale instructions tonight.”
She showed him the screen.
IF THE BOY TALKS, REMOVE HIM FIRST.
Andrew went cold.
Elizabeth read it.
Her face turned white.
Sarah continued.
“Lucinda sent David another message afterward.”
“What did it say?”
Sarah handed Andrew the phone.
It read:
NO. NOT ALEX. I NEVER AGREED TO THAT.
Andrew looked toward the stairs.
Lucinda had murdered Caroline.
Yet she had tried to stop David from harming Alex.
It didn’t make her innocent.
But it meant David was more dangerous than anyone realized.
Sarah said, “We found several encrypted payment records.”
“From where?”
“Your trust.”
Andrew’s jaw tightened.
“To Vale?”
“And others.”
“How many?”
“At least six.”
Elizabeth whispered, “For what?”
Sarah looked at her.
“We don’t know yet.”
A deputy entered.
“Detective.”
Sarah turned.
“We found Mercer’s SUV.”
“Where?”
“Near the old marina.”
Andrew knew the place.
Abandoned boat storage.
Dark water.
Few cameras.
Sarah grabbed her coat.
“Stay here.”
Andrew said, “I’m coming.”
“No.”
“That man helped murder my wife.”
“And he wants you dead.”
Andrew stepped closer.
“My son is finally talking because he thinks I can protect him. I am not sitting here.”
Sarah studied him.
Then Alex spoke.
“Daddy.”
Andrew turned.
The boy looked frightened.
“Don’t go.”
Andrew stopped.
Alex hugged the rabbit.
“I don’t want another person not to come back.”
Andrew’s anger collapsed.
He sat beside him.
“You’re right.”
Sarah nodded.
“Good.”
Her radio crackled.
A voice came through.
“We found someone at the marina.”
Sarah grabbed it.
“Mercer?”
“No.”
“Who?”
The deputy hesitated.
“Lucinda Ward.”
Andrew stood.
“Is she alive?”
“Yes.”
May you like
The radio crackled again.
“But she says Mercer has Elizabeth’s daughter.”
