“She said to tell you she wasn’t trying to keep us away from you. She was trying to protect you too.”
Caleb curled his fingers around the charm.
For two years, he had assumed Meredith’s secrecy was part of their difficult custody dispute. She had switched jobs, concealed financial records, and filed confusing court documents. He had viewed every action as man!pulation.
Now a different possibility was emerging, and it was much more painful: Meredith might have been terrified, and he had confused her fear with dishonesty.
Detective Sloan arranged for officers to stay with the children while she accompanied Caleb home.
Inside his bedroom closet, underneath old blankets and boxes containing tax documents, they discovered the blue storage container.
The white rabbit rested at the bottom.
A row of uneven stitches crossed its belly.
After photographing the toy, Rebecca cautiously opened the seam and pulled out a small flash drive and a folded photograph.
The picture showed Meredith standing beside a silver-haired man wearing an expensive coat. Six children stood behind them, all wearing blue wristbands. On the back, Meredith had written:
“These are not ordinary placements. The records have been changed.”
Caleb’s phone suddenly rang.
Rebecca told him to put the call on speaker.
A calm male voice filled the bedroom.
“You found the rabbit.”
“Who are you?” Caleb asked.
“My name is Harrison Creed. Your former wife removed information belonging to Havenbridge Family Alliance. Bring the drive to the pedestrian bridge before midnight, and this can remain a private misunderstanding.”
“You left two children alone and took their mother.”
“Meredith made her own choices. You should concentrate on making a wiser one.”
The call disconnected.
Rebecca immediately had the drive sent for examination.
