Chapter 9 - THE BOY LEFT ALONE AT THE CABINMichael drove.
Rachel went with him.
She didn't fully understand why until they were already on the highway toward Wisconsin.
Maybe because Noah was nine.
Maybe because Samantha was missing.
Maybe because no matter what Michael had done, Rachel couldn't sit at home knowing a frightened child was alone in a cabin surrounded by adults' secrets.
They called local police on the way.
By the time they arrived, a patrol car was already parked outside.
Noah sat on the porch wrapped in a blanket.
The first thing Rachel noticed was how much he looked like Michael.
The second was how small he was.
Until that moment, Noah had existed as betrayal.
A photograph.
A paternity test.
A secret.
Now he was simply a scared nine-year-old boy.
Michael jumped out.
Noah stood.
"Dad?"
The word hit Rachel hard.
Michael ran to him and crouched.
"Are you okay?"
Noah nodded, trying not to cry.
"Where's Mom?"
"We're going to find her."
Rachel remained a few feet away.
Noah noticed her.
His eyes widened.
"You're Rachel."
She wasn't prepared for him to know her face.
"Yes."
"Emma's mom."
Rachel swallowed.
"Yes."
Noah looked embarrassed.
"Mom said I wasn't supposed to bother you."
The sentence broke something inside Rachel.
"You aren't bothering me."
A deputy approached.
Samantha's purse, car, wallet, and phone were still inside.
No sign of forced entry.
A neighbor had seen a dark SUV around seven that morning.
Rachel immediately thought of Diane.
Michael did too.
He called his mother.
She answered.
"Where is Samantha?"
Diane sounded genuinely confused.
"What?"
"She's missing."
Silence.
Then, "What happened?"
"Don't play games."
"Michael, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You've been following her."
"I haven't."
"You followed me."
"That's different."
Rachel took the phone.
"If you've done anything to her—"
Diane snapped, "I haven't touched that woman."
Rachel listened carefully.
She believed Diane was capable of intimidation.
Kidnapping felt different.
But Diane knew something.
Rachel could hear it.
"What happened in Seattle?"
Another silence.
Diane said, "Ask Samantha."
"She's missing."
"Then ask the police."
"You brought it up yesterday."
Diane exhaled.
"Her former boyfriend is named Eric Dalton."
Rachel memorized it.
"He accused her of stealing."
"What?"
"Twenty-eight thousand dollars."
Michael shook his head.
"Sam wouldn't."
Diane laughed.
"You slept with her while engaged to someone else, Michael. Perhaps stop pretending you know what people will and won't do."
He flinched.
Rachel hated that Diane was often most effective when telling a partial truth.
"What happened to the case?"
"No charges yet."
"Why?"
"Apparently Eric withdrew the complaint."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Rachel didn't believe that last part.
She ended the call.
The police asked Michael to stay with Noah until Samantha was found.
That created another problem.
Where would Noah go?
Michael looked at Rachel.
She knew the question before he asked.
"No."
"I haven't said anything."
"You're thinking it."
"I can't leave him here."
"I know."
Noah was sitting inside, pretending not to listen.
Rachel lowered her voice.
"Emma doesn't even know he exists."
"I know."
"And now you want to bring him into our house while Samantha is missing?"
"What do you want me to do?"
Rachel hated that there was no good answer.
A deputy returned.
"We found something."
He held Samantha's phone.
There was an outgoing call at 6:42 that morning.
To Diane.
Michael stared.
"How long?"
"Eleven minutes."
Rachel felt cold.
"Diane said she hadn't spoken to her."
The deputy continued.
"There's also a deleted voicemail recovered from the device."
"From who?"
"Same number."
They played it.
Diane's voice filled the cabin.
"Samantha, you've left me no choice. We need to finish what we started in Seattle. Come alone, and do not involve Michael."
Michael looked at Rachel.
Seattle.
Again.
The deputy asked, "Do you know what she's referring to?"
"No," Rachel said.
Noah spoke behind them.
"I do."
Everyone turned.
The boy was standing in the doorway.
Michael crouched.
"What do you know?"
Noah hesitated.
"Mom thought I was asleep last night."
Rachel's stomach tightened.
"Who was she talking to?"
"Grandma Diane."
Michael looked sick at the title.
"What did she say?"
Noah stared at the floor.
"Mom told her she wasn't giving me back."
Silence.
Michael whispered, "Back?"
Noah nodded.
Then he looked at Rachel.
"Grandma Diane said Mom had already signed papers once."
Rachel felt cold.
"What papers?"
Noah shrugged.
"I don't know."
Michael looked at the deputy.
Rachel suddenly remembered Diane asking whether Noah might ever live with Michael.
The half-million-dollar offer.
The strange statement that Samantha could walk away from people under enough pressure.
Rachel crouched in front of Noah.
"Did your mom say anything else?"
He nodded.
"She said, 'You lied about the adoption.'"
Rachel stopped breathing.
Michael stared at her.
Adoption?
Noah wasn't adopted.
At least, that was what everyone had assumed.
The deputy asked gently, "What did your grandmother say?"
Noah's voice dropped.
"She said Mom should've read what she signed nine years ago."
Rachel looked at Michael.
Whatever Diane had done when Noah was born, it wasn't merely a payoff.
May you like
There were papers.
And Samantha had been afraid they could still take her son.
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