Chapter 3 - THE RED COAT
Sabrina stared at Detective Hale.
“You can’t be here.”
Hale closed the door behind him.
“That’s an interesting greeting.”
“You need a warrant.”
“I’m not searching your house.”
He lifted the evidence bag.
“I came to return something.”
Ethan looked at the coat.
“Where did you get that?”
Hale looked at Sabrina.
“Maybe she’d like to explain.”
Sabrina folded her arms.
“I reported it stolen.”
“You reported it stolen this morning.”
“Yes.”
“After we found it.”
Her expression shifted.
Hale continued.
“A motel employee found this behind the Blue Haven three days ago.”
Ethan felt Lily grip his hand.
Hale noticed her.
His expression softened.
“You must be Lily.”
She nodded.
“Your mother told me about you.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You spoke to Claire?”
“Six months ago.”
Ethan couldn’t process it.
“You knew my sister was alive?”
“I didn’t know she was your sister.”
Hale removed a notebook.
“She gave us the name Claire Carter.”
“That’s her name.”
“She said she had been hiding from someone for years.”
Ethan looked toward Sabrina.
“Who?”
Hale didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at Lily.
“Maria, would you take Lily upstairs?”
Lily tightened her grip on Ethan.
“No.”
Ethan knelt.
“I’ll come upstairs in a minute.”
“You promise?”
“Yes.”
Maria took her hand.
Lily walked toward the staircase.
Halfway up, she stopped.
She turned toward Ethan.
“Uncle Ethan?”
The words hit him hard.
“Yes?”
“Please find my mommy.”
“I will.”
When Lily disappeared upstairs, Ethan turned back.
“Tell me everything.”
Hale opened his notebook.
“Claire contacted our department six months ago.”
“She claimed someone had stolen money from a trust established by your father.”
Ethan frowned.
“What trust?”
“A trust for Claire.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
Hale nodded.
“That’s what made the complaint interesting.”
Sabrina interrupted.
“This is absurd.”
Hale ignored her.
“According to Claire, the trust was worth approximately twelve million dollars when your father died.”
Ethan stared at him.
“My father left Claire twelve million dollars?”
“Apparently.”
“Then where is it?”
Hale looked at Sabrina.
“That’s the question.”
Sabrina laughed.
“You think I stole twelve million dollars?”
Hale’s expression remained calm.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Ethan stepped toward her.
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did you know about the trust?”
“No.”
“Look at me.”
Sabrina did.
Ethan had spent nine years with her.
He knew when she was irritated.
He knew when she was angry.
He knew when she was pretending to be calm.
And now he recognized something he had somehow ignored for years.
Fear.
“Sabrina.”
His voice dropped.
“Did you know Claire was alive?”
“No.”
Hale reached into the evidence bag.
“There’s something else.”
He pulled out a small plastic sleeve.
Inside was a motel key card.
Room 214.
Then another object.
A silver bracelet.
Ethan recognized it immediately.
He had given it to Claire on her eighteenth birthday.
Hale placed it on the table.
“We found blood on it.”
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
“Claire’s?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Sabrina moved toward the door.
Hale stepped in front of her.
“Where are you going?”
“I need air.”
“You’re free to leave.”
Hale paused.
“But I wouldn’t.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No.”
He looked toward the window.
Red and blue lights suddenly flashed across the marble floor.
Two police vehicles were pulling through the gates.
Hale looked back at Sabrina.
“It’s advice.”
Sabrina stared outside.
“What happened?”
Hale’s phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then his expression changed.
“When?”
Another pause.
“Keep everyone there.”
He hung up.
Ethan’s chest tightened.
“What?”
Hale looked at him.
“They found Claire’s car.”
“Where?”
“Abandoned near the old quarry.”
Ethan went pale.
“Was she inside?”
“No.”
For one second, Ethan felt relief.
Then Hale continued.
“But there was a note on the driver’s seat.”
“What did it say?”
May you like
Hale looked directly at Sabrina.
“Tell Ethan his sister should have stayed dead.”
