Chapter 13 - Someone Was Inside
Police reached my apartment before I did.
The back door showed no damage.
The lock had been opened with a key.
Nothing obvious was stolen.
That was worse.
The officer walked through each room while I waited outside.
Finally he came back holding a plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a small white envelope.
It had been placed on Lily's pillow.
I didn't need to see the handwriting.
I already knew.
BEN,
YOU ARE CONFUSING A CHILD WHO NEEDS HER FAMILY.
DROP THE CHARGES.
LET TAYLOR COME HOME.
THIS CAN STILL END QUIETLY.
No signature.
"Evelyn's in jail," I said.
Officer Keller, who arrived minutes later, nodded.
"Which means she didn't put it there today."
"Someone is helping her."
He didn't argue.
My landlord changed the locks before sunset.
Police increased patrols around Lily's school.
Then they reviewed jail calls.
Evelyn had spoken to one person repeatedly.
Her brother.
Gerald Shaw.
I had met Gerald twice in eleven years.
He lived in Wyoming and sold farm equipment.
At least, that's what I'd been told.
The calls were coded enough to sound ordinary.
"Did you feed the cat?"
"Did you check the guest room?"
"Make sure the child gets her sweater."
Except Evelyn didn't own a cat.
And Gerald had been in Denver for three days.
Police found his rental car near my apartment complex.
They arrested him that night.
In the trunk were copied keys.
One matched my old apartment lock.
Another matched Taylor's house.
A third had a yellow tag.
ASPEN RIDGE - GARAGE.
Keller called me after midnight.
"Gerald says Evelyn gave him the keys months ago."
"Why?"
"He claims she told him it was for emergencies."
"Do you believe him?"
"Not entirely."
The next morning, Gerald asked for a deal.
In exchange for reduced charges, he offered information.
He said Evelyn had been building a case against me for nearly a year.
Not just to help Taylor win custody.
To remove me from Lily's life completely.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
Keller exhaled.
"Gerald says there was another plan."
"What plan?"
"A false abuse allegation."
I couldn't speak.
"Against me?"
"Yes."
"From who?"
May you like
Keller looked grim.
"From Lily."
