Chapter 6: The Call From Ethan Cole
“Lily.””
I threw myself against the storage door.
“Open it!””
Jason grabbed the photograph.
His face drained of color.
“This was taken today.””
“I know!””
“Your mom's house.””
“I know!””
I dialed Mom.
No signal.
Again.
Nothing.
Jason raised the chair.
“Move.””
He smashed one leg against the latch.
Metal shrieked.
Again.
Again.
The chair bent.
“Jason!””
“Keep back.””
He drove the broken leg into the gap beside the door and pulled with everything he had.
The latch shifted.
Barely.
I grabbed the other side.
Together we pulled.
Something snapped.
The door rose six inches.
Jason dropped onto his stomach and forced his arms beneath it.
“Push!””
I grabbed the bottom edge.
We lifted.
The damaged latch tore free.
Sunlight flooded inside.
I crawled out first.
The row was empty.
No person.
No vehicle.
Nothing.
I called Mom again.
One bar.
“Pick up.””
No answer.
Again.
“Come on.””
Jason ran toward his truck.
I followed.
Mom finally answered as we reached the gate.
“Sarah?””
“Where's Lily?””
A pause.
“In the living room.””
“Look at her.””
“What?””
“Look at her right now!””
I heard footsteps.
Then Mom called Lily’s name.
Silence.
My heart stopped.
“Mom?””
“She's not here.””
The world tilted.
“Check the bathroom.””
“She was just—”
“CHECK!””
Doors opened.
My mother began shouting.
“Lily!””
Jason heard everything through the speaker.
He accelerated.
“Sarah,” Mom gasped.
“The back door is open.””
“No.””
“I locked it.””
“Call 911.””
“I am.””
I couldn't breathe.
Jason gripped the wheel.
“I'll get her back.””
I turned on him.
“You don't know that.””
His jaw clenched.
“No. But I know my mother.””
“What does Diane have to do with this?””
“Because there’s only one place she'd take Lily if she wanted leverage.””
“Where?””
“Our old family property.””
“What property?””
“A ranch north of Cave Creek. My grandfather used it for company retreats.””
“Call Diane.””
Jason dialed.
Speakerphone.
She answered immediately.
“Jason.””
“Where's Lily?””
Silence.
“Mom.””
“I don't know.””
“Don't lie to me.””
“I’m not.””
“Someone took her.””
Diane's breathing changed.
“What?””
“Someone took Lily from Sarah's mother's house.””
“That wasn't me.””
“Then who?””
“I don't know.””
“You dragged her toward a trash can over Ethan's key!””
Diane went silent.
Jason looked at me.
“How did you know about the key?”” I demanded.
Diane finally spoke.
“Because it shouldn't exist.””
“Why?””
“Ethan had it the night he disappeared.””
My skin prickled.
Jason slowed slightly.
“What are you saying?””
“I thought that key was destroyed.””
“You had it in your desk.””
“No.””
“Lily found it there.””
“I've never seen that key since the hospital.””
Jason and I exchanged a look.
If Diane was telling the truth, someone had planted it.
“Mom,” Jason said, “who knew about the storage unit?””
“My father.””
“Grandpa is dead.””
“Yes.””
“Who else?””
A long pause.
Then Diane said, “Frank.””
Jason nearly dropped the phone.
“Dad?””
My mind flashed back to the barbecue.
Frank had barely spoken.
He'd watched Diane attack Lily and stared at the ground.
“Where is he now?”” I asked.
Diane didn't answer.
“Diane!””
“I don't know.””
Jason cursed.
He called his father.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Then my phone rang.
Mom.
I answered instantly.
“Did the police find her?””
“No.””
She was crying.
“But Sarah… someone left something.””
“What?””
“On the kitchen table.””
My chest tightened.
“What did they leave?””
“Ethan's phone.””
I stared ahead.
“That phone is in your bedroom.””
“I know.””
“No. I saw it.””
“The evidence bag is empty.””
I remembered leaving the metal box open.
Someone had entered the house while Mom was watching Lily.
“What else?””
“The phone is turned on.””
“That battery was dead.””
“I know.””
A sound came through the call.
Another phone ringing.
Mom gasped.
“It's Ethan's.””
“Answer it.””
“I can't.””
“Mom, answer it!””
I heard her pick it up.
Then silence.
“Hello?””
Nothing.
“Who is this?””
Mom suddenly stopped breathing.
“What?”” I demanded.
“Mom?””
Her voice became a whisper.
“Oh my God.””
“What?””
She switched the old phone onto speaker.
Static filled the line.
Then a man's voice spoke.
Older.
Rougher than the recording I'd heard.
But unmistakably similar.
“Margaret?””
My mother made a broken sound.
“Ethan?””
Jason slammed on the brakes.
I grabbed the dashboard.
The voice continued.
“If Sarah is with you, listen carefully.””
My heart pounded.
“I'm here!””
A pause.
Then Ethan Cole said my name.
“Sarah.””
I couldn't speak.
My biological father was supposed to have disappeared seven years ago.
Yet he was talking to me.
“Where's my daughter?”” I shouted.
“Lily is alive.””
“Where is she?””
“I don't have much time.””
“Where is my daughter?””
“You've been told the wrong story about the night she was born.””
“I don't care about that!””
“You will.””
His voice sharpened.
“Because the person who took Lily is the same person who tried to take her from the hospital seven years ago.””
Jason stared at me.
“Who?””
Static crackled.
Then Ethan answered.
“It wasn't Diane.””
A noise sounded behind him.
A door opening.
Ethan suddenly whispered, “They're here.””
“Who is there?””
The connection broke.
“Ethan!””
Nothing.
Then my phone received a text from an unknown number.
One photograph loaded.
Lily sat on a wooden floor, frightened but apparently unharmed.
Behind her was a window overlooking dry desert hills.
Under the photograph was an address.
Jason read it.
His face went white.
“No.””
“You recognize it?””
He stared at the screen.
“That's the ranch.””
Another message appeared.
COME ALONE, SARAH.
May you like
Then a final line.
AND DON'T TRUST YOUR HUSBAND.
