Chapter 12 - Sisters)
Rachel did not cry.
Not immediately.
She sat in silence while Walter explained.
Rachel's mother, Sarah Carter, had worked as a nurse at one of Harold Vale's clinics.
They had an affair.
Sarah became pregnant.
She left.
Harold never publicly acknowledged Rachel.
Years later, after Sarah died, Harold arranged for fourteen-year-old Rachel to be placed at Mercer House.
Rachel stared at Walter.
"He put me there."
Walter nodded.
"Because he knew I was his daughter?"
"Yes."
"And Emily knew?"
Walter swallowed.
"Eventually."
Rachel stood.
"She was my sister."
"Half-sister."
"She was my sister."
Her voice broke.
Suddenly everything changed.
Emily protecting her.
Emily risking punishment for her.
Emily making her promise they would escape together.
Emily refusing to leave without Rachel.
She had known.
Rachel pressed both hands against her face.
Daniel stepped toward her.
She moved away.
Thomas asked Walter, "Why wasn't this in the records?"
"Harold removed it."
Rachel laughed through tears.
"He erased me before he erased Emily."
Walter lowered his head.
Claire stood near the window.
She looked at Rachel.
"If Emily was your sister..."
Rachel looked at her.
Claire's eyes filled.
"Then you're my aunt."
Rachel's face crumpled.
Claire crossed the room.
They embraced.
Two strangers connected by a woman both had spent their lives missing.
Thomas turned away to give them privacy.
Daniel did the same.
Walter simply cried.
Later that night, Rachel sat alone with Claire.
Claire held the old photograph.
"What was she like?"
Rachel smiled through tears.
"Stubborn."
Claire laughed.
"So am I."
"She hated peas."
"I hate peas."
"She could pick locks."
Claire looked amused.
"That one's less comforting."
Rachel smiled.
Then her expression faded.
"She saved me."
Claire looked at her.
"I spent nineteen years thinking I failed her."
"You were fourteen."
"I promised I'd go back."
"You survived."
"So did she."
Claire touched the photograph.
"Maybe we can still find her."
Rachel nodded.
Then Thomas entered carrying a laptop.
"We may have something."
They gathered around.
Thomas had traced Renn's consulting payments to three properties.
One in Michigan.
One in Kentucky.
One outside Toledo.
The Toledo property had been owned by a shell company connected to the North Program.
Rachel looked at the map.
"How far?"
"Ninety minutes."
Daniel said, "Police should go."
Rachel nodded.
"They will."
Thomas looked at her.
"And?"
"And I'm going too."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
Rachel turned.
He stopped.
The old Daniel might have told her what she was allowed to do.
This Daniel caught himself.
He tried again.
"I don't want you going."
"That's different."
He nodded.
"I know."
Rachel softened slightly.
"I need to."
"I know."
Police searched the Toledo property the next morning.
Rachel, Thomas, Claire, and Daniel waited outside.
The building was an abandoned rehabilitation center.
Inside they found old files.
Medical equipment.
Burned records.
And one locked basement room.
Rachel saw the door.
Red emergency light above it.
Her legs weakened.
Daniel caught her.
She did not pull away.
Investigators opened the room.
Empty.
Except for a chair.
Speakers.
A video camera.
And writing scratched into the wall.
Rachel stepped closer.
Three words.
RACHEL CAME BACK.
She touched the letters.
Fresh.
Not nineteen years old.
Claire whispered, "Emily?"
Rachel stared.
Someone had been waiting for her.
Then a detective called from the hallway.
"We found something else."
Inside a desk drawer was a train ticket.
Cincinnati to Fairview.
Dated three days earlier.
Rachel looked at Thomas.
May you like
Emily was not running away anymore.
She was coming home.
