Chapter 12 - Anna Mercer Comes Home Alive
Anna was found alive at the maintenance property.
She was weak, dehydrated, and frightened.
Medical staff examined her before investigators interviewed her at
length.
She described being held and pressured to reveal where she had stored
the records.
She said Graham threatened Lily.
That was why she had not tried to contact her daughter directly.
She believed every attempt might put Lily in danger.
The investigation would test her account against records, physical
evidence, and other witnesses.
For Daniel, one fact mattered immediately.
Anna was alive.
He told Ethan.
His son stared at him.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Ethan began crying.
Then laughing.
Then crying again.
Lily learned the news from her assigned worker in a quiet room, with
someone trained to support her.
She asked one question.
“Can I see her?”
The answer was yes, once Anna’s medical team said she was ready.
Daniel did not attend their first reunion.
It belonged to them.
Later, Ethan received a message from Lily.
May you like
MOM HUGGED ME.
He read it three times.
