Chapter 2 - The Mother Who DisappearedAt the hospital, Emily underwent a series of examinations.
Dehydration.
Bruising.
Malnutrition.
Minor injuries.
The doctor told me she would recover physically.
But emotionally...
That would take much longer.
I sat beside her bed all night.
Every time she woke, she grabbed my hand.
At three in the morning, Detective Laura Bennett entered the room.
She was in her forties, calm and direct.
She sat across from me.
“Mr. Carter.”
“Yes?”
“We need to talk about your daughter's statement.”
I nodded.
“She said Jason locked her in the enclosure three days ago.”
“Yes.”
“She also said her mother was assaulted.”
“Yes.”
“We searched the house.”
“Did you find Sarah?”
“No.”
My stomach tightened.
“Then where is she?”
“We don't know.”
She paused.
“But we found evidence suggesting she may have been injured.”
I looked toward Emily.
“Is she dead?”
The detective didn't answer immediately.
“We don't know.”
I closed my eyes.
Sarah and I had been divorced for five years.
We had our disagreements.
But she was still Emily's mother.
And whatever had happened...
I needed to find her.
Detective Bennett continued.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“The pool.”
I looked at her.
“Those black bags.”
“Yes.”
“What are they?”
“We haven't opened them yet.”
“Why?”
“Because we're treating the scene as potentially criminal.”
She lowered her voice.
“We're bringing in divers.”
My heart pounded.
“What do you think is down there?”
“I don't speculate.”
“But you have a theory.”
She looked at me.
“We found traces of blood around the pool.”
I swallowed.
“Do you think those bags contain a body?”
“We don't know.”
I nodded slowly.
“Then find out.”
She stood.
“We will.”
Before leaving, she looked at Emily.
“She keeps asking for you.”
“I'll stay.”
“I assumed you would.”
The next morning, detectives returned to the property.
Divers entered the pool.
One bag.
Then another.
Then another.
They were pulled onto the deck.
I wasn't there.
I stayed with Emily.
But Detective Bennett called me.
“We found something.”
“What?”
“Personal belongings.”
“Whose?”
“Sarah's.”
My blood ran cold.
“What kind?”
“A purse.”
Then she paused.
“Her driver's license.”
I looked at Emily.
She was asleep.
“Anything else?”
“Her wedding ring.”
I closed my eyes.
“What does that mean?”
“We don't know yet.”
Then I heard her voice change.
“There are also photographs.”
“What photographs?”
“Of Jason.”
I frowned.
“Doing what?”
“Meeting people.”
“Who?”
“That's what we're trying to determine.”
The detective continued.
“Mr. Carter, your ex-wife may have been investigating your former stepfather.”
I froze.
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
Then she added:
“But we're beginning to suspect Sarah wasn't simply a victim.”
I stared at the wall.
May you like
“What do you mean?”
“She may have been trying to expose him.”
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