Chapter 4 - THE BACKPACK
Sophie was still at the hospital.
Her backpack should have been at preschool.
Ethan called.
The teacher checked Sophie’s cubby.
Empty.
Vanessa had picked it up the day before.
No explanation.
Inside the recovered backpack police found crayons.
A sweater.
A crushed granola bar.
And a disposable phone.
The phone contained one number.
Caleb’s.
Detective Quinn called it from an evidence line.
Nobody answered.
Then a text arrived.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT ALONE.
Ethan read it twice.
“Is that for me?”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
Quinn took the phone.
“We don’t guess.”
Ethan hated her calmness.
Then understood why she needed it.
At the hospital, Sophie sat cross-legged in bed eating purple gelatin.
Her lip was stained.
She looked offended by the hospital socks.
“They’re scratchy.”
Ethan smiled despite himself.
“I’ll file a complaint.”
“With who?”
“The sock president.”
Sophie thought about that.
“Okay.”
The doctor wanted her admitted overnight.
Ethan stayed.
At 2:14 a.m., Sophie woke crying.
“Don’t turn off the hall light.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
She stared at him.
“Vanessa says promises don’t count if nobody hears.”
Ethan swallowed.
“Well, you heard this one.”
Sophie nodded.
Then whispered.
“Is she coming back?”
“No.”
He hoped it was true.
Sophie pulled the blanket to her chin.
“She said you’d pick her.”
Ethan’s eyes burned.
“Over you?”
A nod.
“No.”
He moved closer.
“Never.”
She looked skeptical.
Four years old.
Already skeptical of love.
That made him furious in a way shouting could not fix.
The next morning, Quinn arrived with bad news.
Vanessa’s attorney had arranged her release pending a hearing.
Protective orders were in place.
No contact with Sophie.
No access to the house.
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“She sent a man into my daughter’s bedroom.”
“We’re still proving why.”
“She hurt Sophie.”
“That case is stronger.”
“Then arrest her.”
“We did.”
“And she walked out.”
Quinn did not argue.
She handed him a photograph.
A girl around thirteen.
Dark hair.
Gray-green eyes.
“Ava Cross?”
“We think so.”
The photo came from a bus station camera in San Diego.
Taken three years after Daniel died.
Ava had not gone to relatives.
She had been traveling with Caleb Ross.
Ethan stared.
“Caleb had her?”
“Looks that way.”
“Why?”
“We’re trying to find out.”
Sophie stirred beside him.
She looked at the photograph.
Her spoon dropped into the gelatin.
“I know her.”
Ethan turned.
“What?”
Sophie pointed.
“That’s the lady from the beach.”
Quinn crouched.
“What lady?”
“The one who told me to hide when Vanessa gets mad.”
Ethan’s skin went cold.
“When did you see her?”
Sophie whispered.
“Yesterday.”
----
(To be continued)
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