Chapter 17 - Rachel Wynn

Rachel Wynn sat in an interview room at the district police office with both hands flat on the table.

She was thirty-four, neat brown hair, gray jacket, no expression.

And white athletic shoes with a black triangular logo.

Ben saw them through the observation window.

His stomach turned.

Detective Cole did not allow him into the interview.

"You're a witness and a parent," she said. "Let me do my job."

He nodded.

It was the right call.

That did not make it easy.

Through the glass, Cole placed the forged note in front of Rachel.

Then the image from the hallway camera.

Then a photograph of the hidden camera from Ben's house.

Rachel's face barely changed.

"You have circumstantial evidence."

Cole replied, "We also have device records linking the camera to a cloud account registered under an alias tied to Victor Hale."

A flicker.

Small, but real.

"I worked for Mr. Hale two years ago."

"You met Martin Keene last night."

"I consult for schools."

"You impersonated a teacher."

"No."

"You contacted an eight-year-old child and forged her father's initials."

Rachel's mouth tightened.

Cole leaned forward. "What were you waiting for at the school this morning?"

Rachel said nothing.

Outside the room, Dr. Voss approached Ben carrying Clara's project folder in a clear evidence sleeve.

"We found something else inside the cardboard backing."

She showed him a tiny square of adhesive plastic.

"A tracker?"

"Near-field tag. Probably planted when the folder was taken from Ms. Harrow's desk. It can log when it passes certain readers. The district uses compatible scanners in doors and buses."

Ben stared at it.

"They were using Clara's folder to track her through the building."

"It appears so."

Inside the interview room, Rachel suddenly spoke.

Cole's posture changed.

Ben couldn't hear through the glass, but the recording speaker outside was switched on.

Rachel said, "Hale wasn't interested in the houses."

Cole asked, "Then what was he interested in?"

Rachel smiled for the first time.

"The people who came home when something happened to the children."

Ben's skin went cold.

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Rachel turned her head toward the observation window as if she knew he was there.

"He wanted the soldiers."