Chapter 8 - The Orange Lunchbox

They ran past supply carts and laundry bins while alarms rang below. Priya led them through a service tunnel to the staff parking garage. Mara's injured cheek burned with every breath.

“Where's the lunchbox?” Sofia asked.

“In Rosie's house,” Mara said. “Under the basement stairs, unless she threw it out.”

Priya handed Mara a thick envelope. “I copied the clinical records before they were altered. There's a chain of timestamps on the back.”

“Why didn't you take them to the police?”

“I did. The originals disappeared.”

A black SUV barreled down the ramp. Noah pulled the women behind a concrete pillar. A side mirror clipped a supply cart, sending metal trays crashing across the floor.

They reached Priya's old sedan. Mara called Aunt Rosie on the prepaid phone. No answer. Another call. Then a third.

At last Rosie's voice came through, breathless. “Mara, there are men outside my house.”

“Did you go to church?”

“I did. I came back for your mother's photograph. They're standing by the front porch.”

“Don't go inside.”

“Sweetheart, I already did.”

Mara could hear footsteps through the line.

“Rosie, get to the basement. There's an orange lunchbox under the stairs.”

“That old thing? Evan picked it up last spring.”

Mara swallowed. “He was there?”

“Yes. He asked me not to tell you. Said he was planning a surprise.”

A door crashed open on Rosie's end.

“Rosie!”

“I'm in the laundry closet,” her aunt whispered. “There's a small red button under the lunchbox handle.”

The call cut off.

Priya accelerated into the street. Mara pressed the phone to her forehead, remembering Evan on summer afternoons, making treasure maps for a little sister who believed every X marked something magical.

Daniel called from an unfamiliar number. “Mara, listen. They have a warrant with your name on it.”

“For what?”

“Evidence theft. Assaulting an officer. They plan to arrest you before sunrise.”

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“Then get to my aunt before they do.”

Daniel's voice dropped. “Mara, I'm already at her house. The door is open, and Rosie's gone.”