Chapter 15 - Rebecca Is Alive
The woman who died in the Monterey boating accident was identified through dental records supplied by a private dentist.
That dentist had retired immediately afterward and moved to Costa Rica.
Rebecca Sloan had faked her death.
We found a recent image from the lobby camera at Hayes Technologies.
There she was.
Older, thinner, hair dyed dark, but unmistakable.
Rebecca had been inside my company using a visitor badge under another name.
Marcus traced her to a rented house in Carmel.
By the time police arrived, it was empty.
But they found printed photographs of me.
My office.
My home.
My obstetrician's building.
The helicopter company.
On one wall was a timeline beginning with my father's death and ending with a single date circled in red.
The day of the helicopter flight.
"She planned it with Richard," I said.
Evelyn pointed to another document.
It was a custody petition prepared in advance.
If I died but the baby survived, Richard would become sole guardian.
If both of us died, the petition named a secondary guardian.
Rebecca Sloan.
I felt physically cold.
"Why would she want my child?"
Marcus opened a drawer.
Inside was a photograph of Rebecca holding a newborn baby twelve years earlier.
On the back, in Richard's handwriting, were the words:
Our first chance.
Below it was a hospital bracelet with one name.
Baby Boy Sloan.
Claire covered her mouth.
Evelyn whispered, "Richard had a child before your marriage."
Marcus shook his head.
"Had."
He placed a death certificate beside the bracelet.
May you like
The infant died at three days old.
And suddenly the custody plan felt far more personal than money.
