Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN EVERYONETRUSTED
Victoria Crane had built her reputation around protecting children.
Her face appeared on billboards.
Her speeches were played at fundraising dinners.
She had testified before state legislators.
She had received awards for child advocacy.
And according to Caleb, she had helped take his mother.
Rebecca stared at him.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“How did you see her?”
Caleb swallowed.
“It was the night Mom disappeared.”
Rebecca sat beside him.
“Tell us.”
Caleb closed his eyes.
“I woke up because they were arguing.”
“Your parents?”
“Mom and Dad.”
“What were they saying?”
“Mom kept saying she had copies.”
“Copies of what?”
“I don't know.”
Caleb opened his eyes.
“Dad told her she didn't understand what she had found.”
“What happened next?”
“A car came.”
“Whose car?”
“Victoria's.”
Rebecca covered her mouth.
Caleb continued.
“She came inside.”
“Did she threaten your mother?”
“No.”
That answer surprised me.
“What did she do?”
“She hugged her.”
Rebecca frowned.
“What?”
“Mom was crying.”
Caleb stared toward the window.
“Victoria told her she would help.”
A horrible possibility formed in my mind.
“She convinced your mother to leave with her.”
Caleb nodded.
“Mom packed a bag.”
“Then what?”
“They walked outside.”
“Was Daniel with them?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Caleb's face tightened.
“Mom got into Victoria's car.”
“And?”
“Dad stayed.”
“Then how do you know something happened to her?”
Caleb looked at Rebecca.
“Because Victoria came back.”
“When?”
“Two hours later.”
“Without your mother?”
“Yes.”
“What did she do?”
“She and Dad went into the basement.”
Rebecca and I exchanged a look.
“And three nights later,” I said, “you heard your mother underneath the house.”
Caleb nodded.
A knock came at the door.
Detective Reed entered.
His clothes were dusty.
His face looked different.
Not tired anymore.
Angry.
“Rebecca.”
She stood.
“Did you find it?”
“We found the farmhouse.”
Caleb's eyes widened.
“Were there babies?”
“There were cribs.”
“Emma came from there.”
“We believe you.”
Reed pulled a chair closer.
“Caleb, I need to show you someone.”
He displayed a photograph of Dr. Franklin Hale.
“Have you ever seen this man?”
Caleb immediately looked away.
That was enough.
Reed noticed.
“Where?”
“At our house.”
“How often?”
“A lot.”
“Did he speak to you?”
“Sometimes.”
“What did he say?”
Caleb hesitated.
“He told Dad I was observant.”
Reed frowned.
“Anything else?”
“He said observant children become dangerous adults.”
Rebecca looked sick.
Reed put the tablet away.
“We found records.”
“What kind?” I asked.
“Enough that federal agencies are being contacted.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“Are children being trafficked?”
Reed paused.
“We don't know the full scope yet.”
That was police language.
Which meant yes was possible.
Very possible.
“What about Daniel?” Rebecca asked.
“We're locating him.”
“You released him.”
“I know.”
“Where is he?”
“We don't know.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“You lost him?”
Reed's jaw tightened.
“We had surveillance on his residence.”
“And?”
“He never went home.”
My phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
I ignored it.
It vibrated again.
Same number.
Reed noticed.
“Answer it.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because very few people should know you're here.”
I accepted the call.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then breathing.
“Hello?”
A woman's voice whispered.
“Is Caleb alive?”
My entire body went cold.
Reed immediately moved closer.
“Yes.”
The woman started crying.
“Thank God.”
“Who is this?”
She didn't answer.
“Who are you?”
“Tell Caleb…”
Her voice broke.
“Tell him I'm sorry.”
I looked at Rebecca.
She was staring at me.
“Who is this?”
I asked again.
The woman whispered two words.
“His mother.”
Rebecca's chair scraped backward.
“What?”
I put the phone on speaker.
“Melissa?”
Rebecca shouted.
The woman began sobbing.
“Rebecca?”
Rebecca covered her mouth.
“Oh my God.”
Caleb sat upright.
“Mom?”
Silence.
Then the woman gasped.
“Caleb?”
“Mom!”
His voice shattered.
“Mom, where are you?”
“Baby, listen to me.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because they'll hear.”
Reed motioned for everyone to remain quiet.
He began texting someone.
Probably attempting to trace the call.
Melissa spoke quickly.
“Caleb, you did something incredibly brave.”
“Mom, I thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
“Dad said you left us.”
“I never left you.”
Caleb began crying.
“Then come home.”
Melissa went silent.
“Mom?”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because if they find me, people will die.”
Reed leaned toward the phone.
“Melissa, my name is Detective Marcus Reed.”
The line went silent.
“Please don't hang up.”
Nothing.
“We found the Miller Road property.”
Melissa inhaled sharply.
“You went there?”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn't have.”
“Why?”
“Because it wasn't the only one.”
Reed's expression changed.
“How many?”
“I don't know.”
“Who operates them?”
Melissa didn't answer.
“Victoria Crane?”
Silence.
“Daniel?”
More silence.
“Franklin Hale?”
Melissa whispered.
“They're pieces.”
“Pieces of what?”
“A network.”
Nobody moved.
Reed spoke carefully.
“Melissa, where are the children being taken?”
“I don't know anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
“They changed everything after I escaped.”
Rebecca leaned toward the phone.
“Melissa, where have you been for two years?”
“Running.”
“From Daniel?”
Melissa laughed bitterly.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Before she could answer, another voice appeared in the background.
A man's voice.
Distant.
Melissa gasped.
“No.”
Reed stood.
“Melissa?”
“I have to go.”
“Wait.”
“Caleb.”
“Mom?”
“I love you.”
“Mom, please!”
“And listen to Laura.”
I froze.
How did she know my name?
“Melissa?”
“She saved you for a reason.”
“What reason?”
The line crackled.
Then Melissa said something that made everyone in the room look at me.
“Because Laura's husband died trying to expose the same people.”
I couldn't speak.
My husband, Michael, had died three years earlier.
A highway accident.
At least that was what I had been told.
“Melissa.”
My voice shook.
“How do you know Michael?”
“I'm sorry.”
“HOW DO YOU KNOW MY HUSBAND?”
The background noise became louder.
A door slammed.
Melissa screamed.
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Nobody spoke.
Then Reed asked the question I suddenly couldn't answer.
“Laura…”
He looked directly at me.
“What exactly did your husband do for a living?”
I swallowed.
“He was an accountant.”
Reed waited.
“For whom?”
I looked toward Caleb.
Then Rebecca.
Then back at Reed.
And for the first time in three years, I understood why Michael had become so secretive during the final months of his life.
“He audited nonprofit organizations.”
Reed's expression hardened.
“Which ones?”
My stomach dropped.
May you like
Because I remembered the name printed on the last folder Michael had brought home before he died.
Mercer Child Services.
