Chapter 12 - The Woman Who Wanted Her Daughter
Rachel spent the next week trying to find Sarah.
Every lead disappeared.
Every record was incomplete.
Every person connected to the old family trust refused to speak.
Then a package arrived.
No return address.
Inside was a photograph.
Rachel looked at it.
A young woman stood beside a hospital bed.
In the bed was a newborn baby.
The woman was crying.
On the back was a date.
Rachel's birthday.
Underneath was a single sentence.
I never gave her away.
Rachel's hands trembled.
There was another photograph.
This time, Margaret was holding the baby.
And behind her stood Daniel.
Evelyn was nowhere in the picture.
Rachel stared.
The story she had believed for thirty-two years was collapsing.
A third photograph showed something else.
A hospital bracelet.
The name was partially visible.
Rachel Carter.
But beneath it, another name had been crossed out.
Sarah.
Rachel took the photographs to the lawyer.
He studied them.
"This changes things."
"How?"
"These photographs suggest there may have been an illegal adoption."
Rachel felt sick.
"By my parents?"
"Possibly."
"Why?"
"We need records."
Before they could continue, the lawyer received a call.
He listened.
Then his face changed.
"What?"
Rachel stood.
"What happened?"
He hung up.
"Someone accessed your father's archived records."
"When?"
"Today."
"Who?"
"We don't know."
Rachel's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
"Hello?"
A woman's voice said.
"Rachel."
Rachel froze.
"Who is this?"
"My name is Sarah."
Rachel's heart stopped.
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere safe."
"Why did you leave me?"
Silence.
"I didn't."
Rachel closed her eyes.
"Then why did everyone tell me you were gone?"
"Because they needed you to believe I was."
"Who?"
Sarah hesitated.
"Your mother."
Rachel's voice shook.
"Margaret?"
"No."
Rachel froze.
"Then who?"
Sarah said quietly.
"Evelyn."
Rachel's heart dropped.
"Evelyn?"
"She knew what happened."
"She raised me."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because she promised Daniel she would protect you."
Rachel didn't understand.
"Protect me from what?"
Sarah's voice became quieter.
"From me."
Rachel stared at the phone.
"Why would I need protection from my own mother?"
Sarah took a breath.
"Because the person you think is your mother isn't the person who started this."
Rachel whispered.
"Then who did?"
Sarah answered.
"The person who has been sending you the messages."
The call ended.
Rachel stared at the screen.
A new message appeared.
You're getting close.
Then another.
But you still haven't asked why Emma was targeted.
Rachel's blood ran cold.
Emma.
Everything suddenly came back to the kitchen.
The chair.
The skillet.
Vanessa.
Margaret.
Why had a four-year-old child been involved in any of this?
Rachel typed one question.
Why Emma?
May you like
The reply came immediately.
Because she found what you were never supposed to find.
