Chapter 9 - What Elena Hid
Elena did not run.
She waited until Jasmine crossed the street.
Dr. Mercer followed several steps behind.
“You told her,” Elena said to him.
“She deserves the truth.”
“You don’t know the truth.”
“I know what I saw.”
Elena turned to Jasmine.
“I drove the vehicle, but Evelyn was not inside.”
“Dr. Mercer saw her.”
“He saw a girl under a blanket.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No. I expect you to remember how easily images can be arranged.”
Elena handed back the photograph.
“The girl in the vehicle was me.”
Jasmine stared at her.
“You?”
“I was injured. Aaron was driving until we reached the courthouse tunnel. Then we changed places because he believed we were being followed.”
“Why were you under a blanket?”
“To make anyone watching think Evelyn was still with us.”
“Where was Evelyn?”
“With someone Aaron trusted.”
“Who?”
Before Elena could answer, a motorcycle accelerated down the street.
Dr. Mercer saw it first.
“Move!”
He pushed Jasmine behind a parked car.
The motorcycle passed.
A gloved rider fired two suppressed shots.
One struck the streetlight.
The other hit Dr. Mercer in the shoulder.
He fell.
Elena drew a small pistol from inside her coat and fired at the motorcycle’s rear tire. The rider swerved but escaped into traffic.
Jasmine knelt beside Dr. Mercer.
Blood spread through his shirt.
“You carry a gun?” she demanded.
Elena watched the road.
“There are many things I did not tell you.”
At the hospital, Dr. Mercer was taken into surgery.
Elena refused to speak until they reached a private parking structure.
Then she gave Jasmine the Crossroad key.
“Aaron and I were not merely married,” she said. “We worked together.”
“For the county?”
“For an investigation.”
“What agency?”
“It no longer officially exists.”
Jasmine almost laughed.
“Of course it doesn’t.”
Elena accepted the anger.
“Project Crossroad began with government funding. When private interests took control, a small internal team was created to document the crimes. Your father mapped the routes. I identified the people using them.”
“Was Celeste one of them?”
“Yes.”
“Dr. Mercer?”
“He provided access but was not part of the original organization.”
“And Evelyn?”
“She witnessed a transfer beneath Westbridge. Not money. Not documents.”
“What was transferred?”
Elena’s voice lowered.
“Identities.”
Jasmine waited.
“Crossroad could erase a person from public systems,” Elena continued. “Birth records, school history, medical files. It could also create a new identity using records taken from someone else.”
“Why?”
“To hide witnesses. Criminals. Informants. Anyone valuable.”
“Evelyn was erased.”
“Yes.”
“Is she alive?”
“She was when your father disappeared.”
“You still haven’t told me where he took her.”
Elena looked toward the concrete ceiling.
“To your aunt.”
“My aunt died before I was born.”
“That is what we told everyone.”
Jasmine stepped back.
“What is her name?”
“Rebecca Cole.”
“Where is she?”
“I have not seen her in seven years.”
“You gave Evelyn to her?”
“Aaron did. Rebecca was supposed to take Evelyn beyond the network.”
“Did she?”
“We don’t know. Three hours later, Aaron disappeared. Rebecca stopped responding. Evelyn vanished.”
Jasmine held up the Crossroad key.
“What does this open?”
“The final junction beneath the school.”
“Why give it to me now?”
“Because the key no longer responds to me.”
Like the compass, it had been designed for Aaron’s family.
Jasmine thought of Friday’s hearing.
“Celeste wants me in the hallway.”
“Yes.”
“Because the final junction is close.”
“Yes.”
“And while everyone is watching me, she’ll move the witness.”
“If the witness is Evelyn.”
“Who else could it be?”
May you like
Elena’s expression changed.
“Your father.”
