Chapter 10: The Sixth Child
“Sarah?””
Nothing.
I pressed the phone harder against my ear.
“Sarah!””
The line stayed dead.
Thomas stood across the conference table, his face drained of color.
Michael was already dialing.
“I'm calling the detective.””
I called Sarah again.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
My hands began shaking.
After everything Sarah had done, after every accusation and every lie, one thought overwhelmed the rest.
Emily still loved her.
If something happened to Sarah, my daughter would carry that loss forever.
Michael gave the detective Sarah's number and explained the call.
“They'll try to locate her,” he said.
“How long?””
“I don't know.””
“That isn't good enough.””
“Daniel, running around Dallas looking for Sarah won't help.””
Thomas suddenly spoke.
“The boy.””
We looked at him.
“What?””
“Sarah said there was another child.””
He pointed toward the flash drive.
“Maybe Patricia kept records before.””
Michael inserted the drive into his laptop.
Folders appeared.
Court documents.
Photographs.
Audio files.
Emails Thomas had saved from seven years earlier.
One folder was labeled PATRICIA.
Inside were screenshots Rebecca had sent Thomas shortly before Lily died.
Michael opened the first.
It showed a message from Patricia.
*Document everything. Judges believe patterns, not feelings.*
Another:
*If he won't show them who he is, sometimes you have to help the truth become visible.*
My stomach turned.
Thomas pointed.
“That was how she talked.””
Michael opened another screenshot.
*Never use your own phone for anything sensitive.*
I thought about Emily's pink phone.
“She hasn't changed,” I whispered.
“No,” Thomas said.
“She's gotten better.””
Michael searched the documents for names connected to Patricia.
Rebecca Mercer.
Two other mothers.
Then another.
Natalie Brooks.
Michael frowned.
“This one is recent.””
“How recent?””
“Current year.””
He searched public records available to him.
A custody matter appeared.
Natalie Brooks versus Aaron Brooks.
One minor child.
Ethan.
Age six.
I stared at the screen.
“That's him.””
“We don't know that.””
“How many six-year-old boys in current custody cases could Patricia be involved with?””
Michael was already calling the detective again.
He gave them the name.
Thomas sat back.
“If they're using the same pattern, the father may already have something planted in his house.””
I felt sick.
Michael located Aaron's attorney through the case record.
He called.
No answer.
Then he found an office number.
A receptionist picked up.
“This is urgent,” Michael said.
“I'm attorney Michael Grant. I represent a father in a separate custody matter involving an individual connected to your Brooks case.””
He listened.
His expression changed.
“When?””
Another pause.
“Was the child injured?””
My blood went cold.
Michael looked at us.
“We'll be there.””
He hung up.
“What happened?””
“Aaron Brooks was arrested this morning.””
“For what?””
“Police found prescription pills in his kitchen.””
Thomas closed his eyes.
“And Ethan?””
“With his mother.””
I stood.
“We need to get that boy away from them.””
“Police are being notified.””
“Patricia could be with him.””
“I know.””
My phone rang.
Detective Ruiz.
“Mr. Carter, we've located Sarah's vehicle.””
“Where?””
“A parking structure near a hotel.””
“Is she there?””
“No.””
My chest tightened.
“Any sign of Patricia?””
“Not yet.””
“Sarah said she'd found her.””
“We're working on it.””
Then Ruiz asked, “Did Sarah mention a hotel?””
“No.””
“Anything about a room?””
“No.””
He paused.
“We found her phone beneath the driver's seat.””
That made no sense.
“She called me from it.””
“We know.””
“Then why leave it?””
“We're trying to determine that.””
I thought about the sound before the call ended.
A door.
Sarah saying, Mom?
“What hotel?””
Ruiz gave me the name.
Thomas suddenly stood.
“I know that hotel.””
We stared at him.
“What?””
“Rebecca met Patricia there.””
“When?””
“The week before Lily died.””
The room went silent.
“How do you know?””
“Rebecca told me she was meeting someone who could help finish the custody case.””
Michael asked, “Did she say Patricia?””
“No.””
Thomas looked sick.
“But after Lily died, I found a hotel receipt in Rebecca's paperwork.””
“Same place?””
“Yes.””
My phone buzzed.
A message from Detective Ruiz.
*Do not come to the hotel. Officers entering now.*
I stared at it.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
No update.
Michael called Aaron Brooks's attorney again.
This time he answered.
Michael explained the connection.
The attorney went silent.
Then he said something loud enough for me to hear.
“You're telling me someone may have planted those pills?””
Michael replied, “I'm telling you there is evidence of a similar pattern in another active custody case.””
“What evidence?””
“A child witness. Surveillance. recordings. A recovered bottle tied to a deceased child.””
The attorney swore.
“We need to get Ethan.””
“Yes.””
The call ended.
My phone rang again.
Ruiz.
I answered instantly.
“Did you find Sarah?””
“Yes.””
Relief flooded through me.
“Is she okay?””
A pause.
“She is alive.””
The wording terrified me.
“What happened?””
“She appears to have been struck and locked inside a hotel bathroom.””
I gripped the table.
“Patricia?””
“Gone.””
“And the photographs?””
“We recovered several files.””
“Ethan Brooks?””
Ruiz hesitated.
“We found his photograph.””
I closed my eyes.
Then Ruiz continued.
“We also found a schedule.””
“What schedule?””
“Custody exchanges. School pickup times. Addresses.””
My heart hammered.
“For Ethan?””
“Yes.””
“And Emily?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
I couldn't breathe.
“But there's something else, Mr. Carter.””
“What?””
“Beside Emily's name, Patricia wrote a date.””
My skin went cold.
“What date?””
May you like
Ruiz answered.
“Tomorrow.””
