Chapter 9: The Woman Who Kept the Original
Detective Harris immediately called the number back.
It went straight to voicemail.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Hank walked to the window and looked down the street.
A dark SUV was parked across from June's house.
Its headlights were off.
“Detective.””
Harris followed his gaze.
The SUV started moving.
An officer outside called it in, but the vehicle turned the corner before anyone could reach it.
“Did you get the plate?”” Harris asked.
“Partial. Three letters and two numbers.””
“Run it.””
June was trembling.
“Someone is watching us?””
Harris turned toward her.
“We don't know who was in that vehicle. But we're increasing security.””
Eli sat very still on the couch.
Hank approached him.
“Hey, champ.””
The boy looked up.
“Is Dad coming back?””
Hank pulled a chair beside him.
“I don't know. But there are police officers here, and your grandmother isn't going anywhere.””
Eli stared at his hands.
“Dad said nobody would believe me.””
Hank's voice became firm.
“I believe you.””
“Even if I forget things?””
“Even then.””
Eli nodded slowly.
Then he whispered, “Mom used to say people who tell the truth don't have to remember a story.””
Hank smiled faintly.
“Your mom sounds like she was a smart woman.””
“She was.””
For a moment, Eli looked almost proud.
Then Detective Harris returned to the table.
“I spoke with the hospital. Dr. Reed's office has been secured, but he hasn't been located.””
June frowned.
“Can he just disappear?””
“He can try. But we've issued alerts, and we're working with investigators to establish his whereabouts.””
“What about Vanessa?””
“We'll need to find her before Derek does.””
Hank looked toward Boone.
“Can your people check the old train station?””
Boone nodded.
“I'll send Marcus and two others. They'll stay visible and avoid approaching anyone.””
Harris considered it.
“Fine. But let the police handle any contact.””
Boone agreed.
Twenty minutes later, Marcus called.
They had found the yellow-door apartment building.
But Vanessa wasn't there.
A neighbor said she had moved out several days earlier.
Harris asked for the address of her previous employer.
The neighbor provided the name of a small accounting office.
When the officers arrived, the business was closed.
However, the owner recognized Vanessa's photograph.
“She came by yesterday,” he told them.
“She was frightened. Asked whether anyone had called looking for her.””
“Did she leave anything?””
The owner hesitated.
Then he unlocked a desk drawer.
Inside was a small envelope.
Written on it was one name.
June Mitchell.
The officers returned with the envelope.
June opened it carefully.
Inside was a handwritten note and a photograph.
The photograph showed Rachel sitting at a kitchen table.
Beside her was a small digital recorder.
On the back, Vanessa had written:
Rachel trusted me with the original. I copied it because she was afraid the first version would disappear.
June read the note aloud.
June,
I know what Derek did. I know what Richard did. And I know what Dr. Reed was paid to hide.
I have spent fourteen months trying to find a safe way to give you the truth.
I failed your daughter once. I won't fail her again.
The recording is hidden where Rachel's wedding vows were kept.
June stopped.
Her eyes widened.
“Her wedding vows.””
Hank frowned.
“Where did she keep them?””
“In the old family Bible.””
June hurried toward the living room.
The Bible sat on the bookshelf, exactly where it had been for years.
She opened it.
A folded sheet of paper slipped from between the pages.
Rachel's handwriting.
But there was something else tucked behind it.
A tiny memory card.
June held it carefully.
“Is this the recording?””
Detective Harris nodded.
“We'll need to examine it.””
The technician connected the card to a protected device.
A single audio file appeared.
Its date was October twenty-six.
The night Rachel died.
June gripped Hank's arm.
“Play it.””
The detective hesitated.
“Mrs. Mitchell, this may be difficult.””
“Please.””
He pressed play.
At first, there was only static.
Then a door opened.
Richard's voice.
“She's getting worse.””
Dr. Reed answered.
“She was supposed to be stable for another week.””
Derek spoke next.
“I can't wait another week.””
A chair scraped.
Richard said something quietly.
Then Dr. Reed replied:
“You understand what happens if this gets investigated?””
Derek laughed.
“There's nothing to investigate. She's already sick.””
The recording crackled.
Then Rachel's voice emerged.
Weak.
Terrified.
“Please… don't give me anything else.””
June covered her mouth.
Richard answered.
“It's just your medicine.””
“No. It's not.””
Derek stepped closer.
“You're making this harder than it needs to be.””
Rachel began coughing.
Then she whispered:
“Eli is upstairs.””
Derek replied:
“He's asleep.””
“Don't do this in front of him.””
Dr. Reed's voice became sharper.
“Derek, we need to finish.””
The recording continued for another minute.
Then came a sound that made June collapse into her chair.
A glass breaking.
Rachel gasping.
Richard shouting.
And Derek saying:
“She isn't breathing.””
Silence.
Then Dr. Reed spoke.
“Give it a minute.””
June began sobbing.
Hank stood beside her, his fists clenched.
The recording continued.
Richard asked:
“What about the boy?””
Derek answered without hesitation.
“He'll say she was sick. That's what everyone already believes.””
Then Dr. Reed said something that made Detective Harris immediately stop the recording and call his superior.
“Make sure the death certificate says natural causes. I'll handle the hospital records.””
Nobody moved.
June stared at the tablet.
Her daughter hadn't simply died from an illness.
The recording strongly suggested that the three men had been present when something happened to her and had discussed concealing it afterward.
Hank looked at the detective.
“Tell me you've got enough to bring them in.””
Harris didn't answer immediately.
He copied the file, documented its source, and arranged for forensic authentication.
“It's significant evidence. We'll need to establish exactly what happened and corroborate the voices, but this changes the investigation substantially.””
Eli had been listening from the couch.
He slowly walked toward June.
“Grandma?””
She pulled him into her arms.
“I'm here.””
“Did Mommy know?””
June pressed her cheek against his hair.
“I think she knew something terrible was happening.””
“Was she scared?””
June couldn't answer.
Hank knelt beside them.
“She was scared, buddy. But she loved you enough to keep fighting.””
Eli began crying.
June held him tighter.
For the first time, he didn't try to hide his tears.
Then Detective Harris's phone rang.
He listened.
His expression hardened.
“Where?””
A pause.
“Are you certain?””
Another pause.
“Keep the scene secured. Nobody touches anything.””
He ended the call.
Hank stood.
“What happened?””
“We located Dr. Reed's vehicle.””
“Where?””
“At the repair shop.””
June looked confused.
“Was he there?””
“No.””
Harris glanced toward Eli.
“His car was abandoned outside the detached storage building.””
Hank frowned.
“What's wrong with that?””
The detective took a breath.
“The building was locked from the inside.””
“Then how did he leave?””
“He didn't.””
June's hand flew to her mouth.
Harris continued.
“Officers found blood near the entrance and a broken window.””
Hank reached for his jacket.
“Is he alive?””
“We don't know yet.””
Then the detective looked directly at June.
“There was a message written on the wall inside.””
“What message?””
Harris hesitated.
Then he answered.
THE BOY KNOWS WHERE THE LAST COPY IS.
Eli stopped crying.
His face went completely white.
Because suddenly he remembered something his mother had told him on the night of the storm.
Something he had never told anyone.
Not even his grandmother.
“Grandma…”
June turned toward him.
“What is it, sweetheart?””
Eli looked at the detective.
Then at Hank.
And whispered:
“Mom didn't hide the last copy in the house.””
May you like
He swallowed.
“She gave it to me.””
