Chapter 15 - THE SON BEATRICE DIDN’T KNOWGrant confronted Beatrice with police and attorneys present.
He refused private conversation.
Beatrice looked offended.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I am your mother.”
Grant said nothing.
Detective asked Beatrice whether she placed Caleb in compartment.
Attorney advised silence.
Beatrice ignored.
“It was discipline.”
Grant’s face went white.
Audra closed eyes.
Beatrice continued:
“He was eavesdropping.”
“He threatened family.”
Grant whispered:
“He’s seven.”
“He knew what he was doing.”
“You left him three days.”
“I panicked.”
“You watched my wife think her son was dead.”
Beatrice’s composure cracked.
“I made a mistake.”
Grant laughed once.
“A mistake is forgetting school pickup.”
“You created a missing-child search while he was inside your wall.”
Beatrice pointed at Audra.
“This is what she wanted.”
Grant stared.
“What?”
“To separate you from family.”
“You still think this is about her?”
“She has manipulated you since Kentucky.”
Grant stepped closer but remained controlled.
“She never asked me for anything.”
“She asked for you.”
“I gave myself.”
“She came with another man’s child.”
Grant’s voice became deadly calm.
“His name is Caleb.”
“He is my son.”
“He is not your blood.”
Grant looked at mother for long time.
Then:
“Neither is my wife.”
“So what?”
“Do you only love people who share your blood?”
Beatrice had no answer.
Camille sat pale.
Grant turned.
“You knew?”
Camille cried.
“I thought Mom was letting him out.”
“When did you know she didn’t?”
“Later.”
“How much later?”
“Next morning.”
Grant closed eyes.
“So for two days you knew where he was.”
Camille sobbed.
“I was scared.”
Grant looked disgusted.
“So was he.”
Police eventually took Beatrice into custody for questioning and charges related to unlawful confinement and child endangerment began moving.
Camille faced investigation as well for withholding critical information.
Family attorneys scrambled.
But Grant’s decision had already moved beyond criminal case.
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His mother was no longer someone he could trust around wife or son.
That was permanent.
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