Chapter 12 - adam's secret)
Adam did have a secret.
But it was not murder.
Three months before William Hale died, Adam met with him.
William had discovered Daniel's identity.
He did not know how to tell Rebecca without destroying her marriage.
So he contacted Adam.
He gave Adam the investigator's report.
He asked him to protect Mia.
Adam read it.
Then did nothing.
Rebecca stared at him.
"You knew?"
"I knew Daniel had changed his name and had history with your father's family."
"You knew he threatened my father."
"I didn't know about Mia."
"You knew enough."
Adam looked sick.
"I thought your dad was being paranoid."
Rebecca stood.
"He was dying."
"He wasn't dying then."
"You should have told me."
"I know."
"Why didn't you?"
Adam's voice broke.
"Because I thought you'd think I was trying to destroy your marriage."
Rebecca laughed bitterly.
"You were."
"No. I was trying not to."
That hurt worse.
Adam continued.
"You were happy. Mia loved the house. Daniel seemed good to her. I hated him, but I thought that was jealousy."
Rebecca turned away.
"William told me Daniel might be dangerous financially. He never said physically."
"Daniel knew you had the report."
Adam nodded.
"I confronted him once."
Rebecca turned.
"When?"
"Two weeks before your father died."
"What happened?"
"I told him to stay away from Mia's trust."
"And?"
"He smiled."
Rebecca knew that smile.
Adam's hands clenched.
"He told me, 'By the time she understands what you are, she won't believe anything you say.'"
Rebecca felt cold.
Daniel had anticipated Adam too.
The isolation.
The false texts.
The canceled visits.
Everything.
Adam handed the investigator's report to Wells.
One page contained a former address Daniel used.
A cabin near Lake Mercer.
Property now owned by a shell company tied to Patricia.
Police searched it.
Empty.
But there was fresh food.
A sleeping bag.
Burned papers.
And a wall covered with photographs.
Rebecca.
Mia.
Adam.
Claire.
Owen.
Lena.
Sophie.
Wells.
Even Patricia.
Everyone Daniel believed had betrayed him.
Red circles marked three faces.
Rebecca.
Lena.
Adam.
Wells increased protection.
Rebecca hated feeling hunted.
Three days passed.
Then four.
No Daniel.
The silence became worse than the messages.
On the fifth morning, Lena called Rebecca.
"Someone mailed me something."
Inside the envelope was Mia's original hospital wristband.
The name LILY BENNETT printed clearly.
Daniel had kept it.
Why send it now?
A note accompanied it.
YOU WANTED PROOF. NOW YOU HAVE IT.
Rebecca understood before police did.
Daniel was no longer trying to erase evidence.
He wanted them looking backward.
Because he was moving forward.
She asked Wells about Mia's trust hearing.
"What hearing?"
"The adoption paperwork."
Wells checked.
Daniel had filed a motion weeks earlier.
A procedural hearing remained on the calendar for Friday.
It should have been canceled after the warrant.
But due to administrative delay, the docket still showed it.
Daniel might believe court records held something he needed.
Or someone.
The family court building was secured.
Friday came.
Daniel did not appear.
Nothing happened.
At noon, Rebecca felt foolish.
At twelve fourteen, courthouse alarms activated.
Not a fire.
A bomb threat.
Building evacuated.
Police searched.
No device.
While officers focused on court security, Daniel entered Sophie's street disguised as a utility worker.
He reached the backyard.
A patrol officer saw him.
Daniel ran.
This time he did not escape.
He jumped a fence.
Crossed an alley.
Entered an abandoned house.
Police surrounded it.
Rebecca received the call at twelve forty.
"They have him contained."
Her knees weakened.
"Is he armed?"
"We don't know."
For three hours, negotiators spoke through a loudspeaker.
No response.
At four fifteen, officers entered.
The house was empty.
A tunnel beneath the basement connected to a storm drain.
Daniel had chosen the building because he knew.
He had planned the escape before the bomb threat.
But in the basement, police found one thing.
A child's red shoe.
Mia owned a pair exactly like it.
Rebecca called Sophie screaming.
Sophie answered.
"Mia's right here."
Rebecca nearly collapsed.
So the shoe was not Mia's.
Then Wells examined it.
May you like
Inside, written in black marker, were two words.
NOT YET.
