Chapter 6 - Maya Had Already Met Ethan
Daniel crouched in front of Maya.
“When did you see a boy?”
“Yesterday.”
His pulse accelerated.
“Inside the passage?”
Maya nodded.
“He was with Anna.”
Rachel gripped the desk.
“Was he about this tall?”
She held out a trembling hand.
Maya nodded.
“Brown hair?”
“Yes.”
Rachel began crying.
Daniel stayed focused.
“What did the boy say?”
“He asked if Mommy was nice.”
Rachel made a broken sound.
Maya looked at her.
“I said yes.”
Daniel unfolded the paper.
It contained a child’s handwriting.
MAYA — IF I HAVE TO LEAVE, GIVE THIS TO RACHEL.
Below that:
I don’t know if you knew about me. Anna says you didn’t. I want to
believe her. I came because I wanted to see you before anyone decided
for me again.
Rachel pressed both hands over her mouth.
The letter continued.
Caroline is my mom. I’m not leaving her. But I need to know who you are
too.
Daniel looked at Maya.
“Where did he go?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did he leave through your room?”
“No. Anna told him to go back.”
“Back where?”
“The garden.”
Detective Ortiz arrived within twenty minutes.
Maya carefully described Ethan.
He had entered the passage through the garden access the previous
afternoon.
Anna had been furious because he traveled from Pennsylvania without
telling Caroline.
She planned to call Caroline once she safely contacted Rachel.
Before she could, the unknown man entered the passage.
Anna told Ethan to run through the exterior exit.
Then she hid deeper inside.
The man apparently never found her.
“Why didn’t Anna tell us Ethan had been here?” Daniel demanded.
Ortiz called the hospital.
Anna’s answer was painful.
She thought Ethan had returned to Caroline.
She had no idea he was now officially missing.
Police searched transportation records.
A bus station camera captured Ethan later that evening.
He boarded a bus toward Richmond.
Then another camera showed him getting off one stop early.
A dark SUV waited nearby.
Ethan walked toward it voluntarily.
The driver stepped out.
Richard Hale.
Rachel stared at the image.
“My father has him.”
Police went immediately to Richard’s estate.
Richard was there.
Ethan wasn’t.
Richard claimed he had picked the boy up because Ethan contacted him
first.
“How?” Ortiz asked.
Richard refused to say.
“Where is he now?”
“With someone safe.”
Rachel exploded.
“You stole him once already!”
Richard looked at his daughter.
“I saved you.”
“You told me my baby was dead!”
“You were nineteen.”
“He was mine!”
“And you were about to destroy your life for Lucas Grant.”
Rachel froze.
Daniel noticed.
“Lucas.”
Richard’s expression changed.
For the first time, he looked as if he had said too much.
Daniel stepped forward.
“What does Lucas have to do with where Ethan is now?”
Richard’s attorney told him not to answer.
Then Rachel whispered something Daniel had never considered.
“My father told me Lucas abandoned me.”
She looked directly at Richard.
“Did he?”
Richard said nothing.
May you like
Rachel’s voice broke.
“Is Lucas alive too?”
