Chapter 11: Tomorrow
Emily was asleep when I returned to Mark's house.
I stood in the doorway of the guest room and watched her breathe.
Tomorrow.
That word wouldn't leave my head.
Tomorrow what?
A pickup?
A photograph?
Another planted bottle?
Something worse?
Mark appeared behind me.
“You should sleep.””
“I can't.””
“You won't help her by collapsing.””
I turned toward him.
“Patricia wrote tomorrow beside Emily's name.””
“I know.””
“What would you do?””
Mark didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, “Exactly what you're doing. Keep her close and let the police work.””
I hated that answer because it was sensible.
At 1:17 a.m., Detective Ruiz called.
Sarah was at the hospital with minor injuries.
She wanted to speak to me.
I almost refused.
Then I thought about Emily.
“I'll come.””
Michael met me there.
Sarah looked smaller than I'd ever seen her.
A bruise darkened her temple.
Her cream courtroom blazer was gone. She wore a hospital gown and stared at her hands.
When I entered, she began crying.
“Daniel.””
I stayed near the door.
“Why tomorrow?””
She looked confused.
“What?””
“Patricia's schedule. Emily's name. Tomorrow.””
Sarah's face changed.
“Oh God.””
My stomach dropped.
“You know.””
She covered her mouth.
“Sarah.””
“She was supposed to pick Emily up.””
“From where?””
“School.””
“Patricia isn't authorized.””
“She has an old emergency contact card.””
My pulse hammered.
“That was changed after we separated.””
“I know.””
“Then how?””
Sarah looked down.
“I gave her a copy of your signature.””
For a moment, I couldn't process the words.
“You what?””
“She said she needed it for court paperwork.””
“You forged my signature?””
“I didn't forge anything.””
“You gave someone a sample so they could.””
Sarah started crying harder.
“I didn't know what she was doing.””
I stepped closer.
“How many times are you going to say that?””
Michael touched my shoulder.
I lowered my voice.
“You gave Emily a secret phone.””
Sarah flinched.
“You questioned her about my home.””
“I know.””
“You helped stage photographs.””
“I know.””
“You let your mother watch my house.””
“I know!””
Her voice cracked.
“I know what I did.””
Silence filled the room.
Sarah looked at me.
“I wanted to win.””
That was the first completely honest thing she'd said.
“I thought if you got primary custody, Emily would love you more.””
I stared at her.
“She isn't a trophy.””
“I know that now.””
“You should've known it then.””
Sarah wiped her face.
“Mom kept telling me you were taking my daughter the way Dad took everything from her.””
“Your father left Patricia.””
Sarah shook her head.
“No.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He didn't leave.””
She looked toward the window.
“My mother made him disappear from our lives.””
My skin prickled.
“What does that mean?””
“She accused him of hurting me.””
Michael straightened.
“Did he?””
Sarah shook her head.
“I found letters last year.””
“What letters?””
“From my father.””
Her voice broke.
“He wrote every month.””
I said nothing.
“She told me he abandoned us. But he kept asking to see me. She returned the letters.””
Sarah looked at me.
“I confronted her.””
“What did she say?””
“That fathers leave eventually, so she simply made sure he left before he could hurt me.””
The room went cold.
Patricia hadn't developed this obsession during Lily's case.
It had started decades earlier.
“Where is your father now?”” Michael asked.
Sarah swallowed.
“Colorado.””
“Have you spoken to him?””
“Once.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
That timing mattered.
Six months ago was around the time the old photograph in Emily's room had been taken.
“What happened after Patricia learned you contacted him?”” I asked.
Sarah's face tightened.
“She said I was becoming weak.””
A nurse appeared in the doorway, but Sarah waved her away.
“Daniel, there's something in Mom's house.””
“What?””
“A cabinet in the basement.””
Michael immediately said, “Tell police.””
“I did.””
“What is inside?””
“I don't know everything.””
“What do you know?””
Sarah looked at me.
“Files.””
My stomach sank.
“About custody cases?””
“Children. Parents. Attorneys. Judges.””
Michael pulled out his phone.
Sarah continued.
“And recordings.””
“Of what?””
“Conversations.””
She closed her eyes.
“She records everyone.””
Detective Ruiz was informed.
By dawn, police had obtained authority to search Patricia's residence.
I waited at Mark's house with Emily.
At 7:42 a.m., Ruiz called.
“We found the cabinet.””
“And?””
“Mrs. Carter kept extensive records.””
“How extensive?””
“More than a decade.””
My stomach twisted.
“Did you find anything about Ethan?””
“Yes.””
“Emily?””
“Yes.””
“Lily?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
Then Ruiz said, “We found an audio recorder labeled Mercer.””
Thomas.
I immediately called Michael.
An hour later, we were allowed to hear a copied portion.
Patricia's voice came first.
Calm.
Controlled.
Then Rebecca Mercer.
Crying.
“I didn't agree to this.””
Patricia answered.
“You agreed to protect your daughter.””
Rebecca sobbed.
“The pills were real.””
A pause.
Then Patricia said:
“Then you should have watched Lily more carefully.””
I felt physically ill.
But the recording continued.
Rebecca whispered, “I'm going to the police.””
Patricia's voice became colder.
“And tell them what? That you helped frame Thomas?””
Silence.
Then:
“You'll lose everything.””
The audio ended.
Michael stared at me.
“That could reopen the Mercer investigation.””
My phone rang before I could respond.
Mark.
I answered.
“What's wrong?””
His voice was frantic.
“Daniel, I'm at Emily's school.””
My heart stopped.
“Why?””
“Someone called saying classes were canceled and parents needed to collect their kids.””
I stood.
“What?””
“The school says they never made that call.””
My knees weakened.
May you like
Then Mark said the words I had been terrified to hear.
“Daniel, somebody already tried to sign Emily out.””
