Chapter 7
The crib was old.
Dusty.
Empty.
But the blanket inside had my initials stitched into the corner.
R.C.
Ryan Coleman.
I stood in the hidden room while officers photographed everything.
There were shelves of documents.
Passports.
Birth certificates.
Medical reports.
Insurance papers.
Every piece of my life had been edited.
Caroline had not only lied.
She had rebuilt reality around me.
On one wall hung a calendar from seven years ago.
Dates circled in red.
Ryan discharged.
Claire transferred.
Wedding announcement.
My stomach turned.
Detective Harris opened a metal box.
Inside were flash drives labeled with names.
Mine.
Claire’s.
Margaret’s.
Lily’s.
“Why Lily?” I asked.
Harris didn’t answer.
We both knew.
Caroline had recorded everyone.
That night, child services placed Mia and Noah in emergency protective care at the hospital with Claire. Because the DNA results were still pending, I could visit only under supervision.
Lily stayed with me at my brother Ethan’s house.
Ethan hugged me at the door and whispered, “Tell me what to do.”
“I don’t know.”
He looked at Lily.
“Then we start with keeping her safe.”
At midnight, I sat in the guest room watching Lily sleep.
She woke suddenly.
“Daddy?”
“I’m here.”
“Mommy said Mia’s mommy stole you.”
My throat tightened.
“What do you think?”
Lily’s lower lip shook.
“I think Mommy scares people.”
I pulled her into my arms.
A message came to my phone from an unknown number.
A video.
I opened it.
Caroline stood in our kitchen at night.
A man stood with her.
His face was turned away.
Caroline said, “Ryan is getting suspicious.”
The man replied, “Then move Claire before the hearing.”
Hearing?
Then he turned.
May you like
I knew him.
Our family lawyer.
