Chapter 8 - The Woman at the Side Door
Harris called before sunrise.
“We’ve identified the person who entered.”
I stepped away from the boys’ room.
“Who?”
“Margaret’s sister.
Ruth Bell.
She handles linen deliveries twice a week.”
I knew the name.
Margaret had hired her.
Approved her invoices.
Given her the side-door code.
Of course she had.
“She came in after the ambulance left,” Harris said.
“The officers were still in the front part of the house.
She said she was picking up laundry.”
“Did anyone stop her?”
“No.”
I closed my eyes.
Another door opened because Margaret had taught everyone not to ask questions.
“What did she carry out?”
“A laundry sack.”
Ruiz took the information.
I wanted to call Ruth myself.
Demand that she bring everything back.
Threaten every consequence money could reach.
Ruiz stopped me.
“Let us contact her.
You need evidence, not an argument.”
By late morning, Ruth was sitting in an interview room.
She claimed she had collected personal items for her sister.
She said she didn’t know anything about the boys.
But the house cameras showed her entering Margaret’s office first.
Then Lena’s room.
When Ruiz told me that, I felt something cold settle into place.
“Margaret already knew where Lena hid it.”
“Possibly,” Ruiz said.
“We’re establishing that.”
That afternoon, Lena asked to speak with me alone.
“I can leave when they’re discharged.”
I stared at her.
“Why would you leave?”
“Because this is going to get ugly.
And because you looked at me like I might have stolen the bracelet.”
I didn’t defend myself.
“I did.”
She nodded once.
“I need you to understand something.
I love those boys.
But I can’t keep living in a house where I’m one accusation away from losing everything.”
“You’re right.”
She looked surprised.
“You don’t owe me staying,” I said.
“If you choose to help them through this, we’ll make it safe.
And you can say no.”
Before she answered, my phone rang.
Ruiz.
“We recovered the notebook.”
I let out a breath.
Then she continued.
May you like
“Several pages are torn out.
But there’s something written on the inside cover you should see.”
