Chapter 14
Elaine tried one final performance.
On the fourth week of trial, she fainted.
Perfect timing.
Perfect angle.
Perfect hand to her heart.
Her lawyers demanded delay.
The judge ordered medical evaluation.
She was fine.
Of course she was.
But while she was in the courthouse clinic, she asked to use the restroom.
A female deputy escorted her.
Elaine came out calm.
Too calm.
Ten minutes later, smoke filled the hallway.
A fire alarm screamed.
People ran.
In the chaos, Elaine vanished.
For fourteen minutes, the courthouse became panic.
I grabbed Noah.
Lila grabbed Rebecca.
Samuel pushed us into a secure room.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Elaine’s voice was breathless.
“You think you won.”
“Where are you?”
“With the only thing that matters.”
My blood went cold.
“Noah?”
He was beside me.
Lila?
Beside me.
Then I heard a child crying.
Not Noah.
A girl.
Elaine whispered, “Did you think Lila was the only baby?”
The line cut.
Police found the deputy unconscious.
Her uniform gone.
Elaine had escaped dressed as law enforcement.
But she left behind a clue.
A courthouse visitor badge.
Name: Clara Bell.
Anna’s younger sister.
The girl crying on the phone belonged to Clara.
Elaine had taken another child from Anna’s family.
Lila’s face went white.
“I have an aunt?”
Samuel nodded slowly.
“And a cousin.”
Noah looked at me.
“We find them.”
I squeezed his hand.
“Yes.”
May you like
This family had spent decades erasing women.
Now every erased name was coming back.
