Chapter 10: The Woman in Laura's Hospital Room
Boone looked at the photograph again.
Then he looked at the date.
Six months earlier.
The same night Laura Reeves supposedly died in a car accident.
"Deputy Harris," he said quietly.
"We need to get to that hospital.""
Harris was already reaching for his radio.
"Which hospital?""
Michael answered.
"St. Mary's Medical Center. Outside Knoxville.""
Harris looked at him.
"Why would Claire be there?""
Michael shook his head.
"I don't know. But if she's alive, she might be our only chance of finding the other children.""
Evelyn held Sophie close.
"Then let's go.""
Daniel remained beside the SUV.
He hadn't spoken since hearing Claire's name.
Boone noticed.
"Something bothering you?""
Daniel rubbed his hands together.
"I know that hospital.""
"Why?""
"Because I identified Laura's body there.""
Michael slowly turned.
"What?""
Daniel looked at him.
"After the accident, the police called me. They said the vehicle had gone off the road and burned. I went to the hospital to identify her.""
Michael stared at him.
"Did you actually see her?""
Daniel hesitated.
"I saw a body.""
"Was it Laura?""
Daniel's eyes filled.
"I thought it was.""
Michael stepped toward him.
"You thought?""
Daniel swallowed.
"The face was badly damaged. They said dental records confirmed her identity.""
Boone exchanged a glance with Duke.
"Who gave you those records?""
Daniel looked toward the empty sheriff's vehicle.
"Robert Collins.""
Nobody spoke.
Michael grabbed Daniel's jacket.
"You let them bury my wife without knowing it was her?""
Daniel didn't resist.
"I was told she was dead.""
"By the man who arranged everything!""
Harris stepped between them.
"That's enough. We need to move.""
The convoy left the property with two additional state police vehicles.
Boone rode beside Duke.
For the first time that night, he wasn't thinking about Ryan's threats.
He was thinking about Laura.
If she hadn't died, where was she?
And why had Claire been in the same hospital?
At 11:38 p.m., they reached St. Mary's.
The emergency department was crowded.
A nurse approached Harris.
"Can I help you?""
"We're looking for a patient named Claire Bennett.""
The nurse checked her computer.
"She's in a private room.""
"Is she conscious?""
The nurse hesitated.
"She was when she arrived.""
Boone noticed the hesitation.
"What happened?""
"She came in about an hour ago. Someone found her outside the hospital entrance.""
"Was she injured?""
"Several bruises. Possible concussion. She was frightened and kept asking whether a little girl had been found.""
Evelyn immediately stepped forward.
"That's Sophie.""
The nurse nodded.
"She asked us to call the police if anyone mentioned that name.""
Harris showed his badge.
"Take us to her.""
They followed the nurse down a long corridor.
Sophie held Evelyn's hand.
Boone walked behind them.
At the end of the hallway, a woman sat upright in a hospital bed.
Her dark hair was tangled.
There was a bandage above her eyebrow.
She looked exhausted.
But when she saw Sophie, she began crying.
"Baby?""
Sophie stopped.
She stared at the woman.
"Who are you?""
Claire reached out.
"My name is Claire.""
Sophie looked at the photograph in Evelyn's hand.
Then back at the woman.
"Are you my first mommy?""
Claire covered her mouth.
"Yes.""
Sophie didn't move.
Claire slowly lowered her hand.
"I know this is confusing. I know you have questions. But I have been looking for you every single day since they took you.""
Sophie looked toward Evelyn.
"Is she telling the truth?""
Evelyn knelt.
"We're going to let her explain, sweetheart.""
Claire wiped her cheeks.
"When you were born, I was nineteen. Your father and I were young. We were living in a small apartment, and I was working two jobs.""
Michael looked at her.
"You had a boyfriend?""
Claire nodded.
"His name was Aaron Bennett. He died in a construction accident before Sophie was born.""
Michael lowered his head.
Claire continued.
"I was alone. I trusted a woman who said she worked with a family-support organization. She told me there was a temporary placement program for mothers who needed help.""
Boone moved closer.
"Who was the woman?""
"Ryan Carter.""
Evelyn frowned.
"Ryan?""
Claire nodded.
"He introduced himself as a family counselor. He told me I could keep my baby while I recovered financially.""
Sophie listened silently.
"Then what happened?""
Claire's eyes filled.
"They took you to the hospital for a routine examination. They told me you had a medical emergency.""
She swallowed.
"They said you died.""
Sophie looked down.
Claire continued.
"I begged to see you. They showed me a closed casket. They gave me a death certificate.""
Michael clenched his fists.
"Was it real?""
"No. Years later, I discovered the certificate belonged to another child.""
Daniel looked sick.
Claire looked at him.
"You were the man who raised her?""
Daniel nodded.
Claire stared at him.
"Did you know?""
"No.""
She held his gaze.
"You signed the papers.""
Daniel's shoulders dropped.
"I thought it was a legal adoption.""
"You never wondered why there was no court hearing?""
He couldn't answer.
Claire turned toward Sophie.
"Your mommy Laura found me six months ago. She came to my apartment with photographs and documents.""
Boone leaned forward.
"What did she tell you?""
"She told me Sophie was alive. She said she had been raised by Daniel and that Ryan had been using the adoption agency to move children between families.""
"Did Laura know about the other children?""
Claire nodded.
"She had names. Addresses. Everything.""
Michael moved closer.
"Did you see her after that?""
Claire looked down.
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"At this hospital.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"What?""
Claire nodded.
"Laura came here the night she supposedly died.""
Evelyn's knees nearly gave way.
"Then whose body did you identify?""
Claire looked at Daniel.
"An unidentified woman brought in after a separate accident.""
Daniel covered his face.
Claire continued.
"Laura was alive when I saw her. She was scared, but she was alive.""
Boone asked the question nobody else wanted to ask.
"Where is she now?""
Claire began crying harder.
"I don't know.""
Then she reached beneath her pillow and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
"She left this for you.""
Boone took it.
It was written in Laura's handwriting.
If Michael is alive, tell him I kept my promise.
Below that was an address.
And one more sentence:
The children are not at the farm. They're somewhere nobody thinks to look.
Boone studied the address.
It belonged to an abandoned elementary school outside town.
Before he could speak, Claire grabbed his wrist.
"There's something else.""
"What?""
Claire looked toward the hospital door.
"Ryan knows I'm here.""
A crash sounded in the hallway.
May you like
The nurse screamed.
Then the lights went out.
