Chapter 10 - The House That Belonged to Her
“She's not taking our baby,” Daniel said.
I looked at him across the hotel table. “You don't get to become the hero because you finally read a document.”
He didn't argue. For the first time in weeks, he simply nodded.
Naomi explained that Vivian couldn't claim custody by filling out a form. But a false psychiatric report, forged records, and a manufactured crisis could still cause harm if we were careless. We contacted the hospital, my physician, and the authorities with the documents we had.
Claire spread Charles's ledger across the table. On the final page was a property description for a cottage on Mercer Road, purchased by an LLC years before his death.
“Mercer,” I said. “Like Rose.”
Daniel leaned closer. “Dad used to visit a place outside Ashton. Mom said he was fishing.”
We drove there with Naomi's investigator, Sam Delaney. The cottage was modest, with peeling paint and a porch swing. The brass key opened a metal box in the pantry.
Inside were receipts, letters, and six children's names written on index cards. One card read LILY MERCER. Another contained a photograph of a small boy with a serious face and a missing front tooth. Across its back was one word: UNKNOWN.
Under the cards lay a recording device, an older model. Sam charged it in the car. Charles's voice came through the speaker, shaky but unmistakable.
“Vivian, I know what Northlight was doing. I won't let you use my foundation to hide it.”
A woman's voice answered, “You already did.”
“You told me these placements were voluntary.”
“You wanted to believe it. Don't pretend you didn't.”
Then a crash. Footsteps. Charles said, “If anything happens to me, Ruth has the log.”
The recording ended.
I looked at Daniel. He stared at the device, his face drained.
Sam found one final envelope in the box. It was addressed to Claire, in Charles's handwriting.
She tore it open.
May you like
The first line read: I should have told you the day we brought you home that your mother never stopped looking.
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