Chapter 7 - Evelyn’s Game
Evelyn called the police station that evening.
She asked for Sarah by name.
The call was traced, but Evelyn disconnected before officers could locate her.
“You have frightened Lily,” Evelyn said calmly.
Sarah recorded the conversation.
“Lily was frightened before we arrived.”
“Grant is not a perfect father, but he loves her.”
“Where is Grace?”
A brief silence followed.
“You should ask why Grace waited eleven months to return.”
“She was being threatened.”
“Everyone claims to be threatened when they regret their choices.”
Sarah looked through the interview-room glass. Detective Reed signaled that the trace was narrowing.
“What do you want, Evelyn?”
“I want Lily returned to her home.”
“That will not happen.”
“Then more people will suffer.”
“Is that what you told Grace?”
Evelyn laughed softly.
“You think this is about Grace?”
The line went dead.
The call had come from a public phone near the central bus station.
Security footage showed Evelyn wearing a blond wig and a long raincoat. After making the call, she entered a taxi.
The driver remembered taking her to a shopping center, where she switched to another vehicle.
Evelyn knew how investigations worked.
She also understood people’s weaknesses.
During Grant’s interview, he initially denied everything. He claimed Evelyn was a tenant and that he had no knowledge of Grace’s location.
Then Detective Reed placed the financial documents in front of him.
Grant’s name appeared on several forged forms.
“You can continue protecting her,” Reed said, “but she has already left you behind.”
Grant stared at the papers.
“She said she was helping me.”
“She took your money.”
“She said Grace was trying to steal Lily.”
“She isolated your daughter and encouraged your behavior.”
Grant lowered his head.
“I never wanted this.”
Reed’s voice hardened.
“You had many chances to stop.”
Grant did not answer.
Eventually, he admitted that Evelyn had approached him at a parenting support group shortly before Grace disappeared. She convinced him that Grace intended to leave with Lily and destroy his reputation.
Evelyn encouraged him to monitor Grace’s phone and finances.
When Grace tried to leave, Grant blocked her from taking Lily.
Evelyn later told him Grace had abandoned them.
Grant claimed he believed her.
But he also admitted he had seen the letters.
He allowed Evelyn to hide them because he feared Lily would choose her mother.
“Where would Evelyn take Grace?” Sarah asked.
Grant closed his eyes.
“There was an old house.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know. She called it the beginning.”
Sarah remembered Evelyn’s employment history.
The first family she had worked for lived in a town called Bellweather, two hours north.
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Property records showed that Evelyn’s late parents had owned a farmhouse outside the town.
The house had never been sold.
