Chapter 17 - WHO SENT IT
The handwriting on the photograph did not match Evelyn’s.
It did not match Warren’s.
It did not match Denise’s.
Then Lucas recognized the phrase.
She ruined him.
He had heard it before.
At his father’s funeral, his aunt Rebecca had whispered the same words about a business partner who had challenged Evelyn.
Rebecca Mercer was his father’s younger sister.
She adored Evelyn.
She also sat on the foundation board.
The only vote against suspending her.
Police questioned Rebecca that afternoon.
She denied sending the photograph.
Then they searched her phone.
There was the picture of Hannah at the kitchen window.
There were messages to Evelyn from the week before the nursery attack.
Don’t worry. Lucas always comes back to family.
And one message sent the morning after Evelyn’s first arrest.
If you can’t finish this, I will.
Lucas read it in the detective’s office and felt numb.
Rebecca was charged with stalking and intimidation related to the messages.
The wider conspiracy finally began to collapse.
Warren started negotiating with prosecutors.
Dr. Sloan agreed to testify about Evelyn’s request for the psychiatric letter.
Denise turned over emails.
Martin provided accounting records.
Every person Evelyn had recruited to create a wall around her began stepping away from it.
But Hannah was not interested in victory.
She wanted sleep.
She wanted to hold Sophie without checking the door lock twice.
She wanted to walk through a grocery store without wondering who might be watching.
One night, she told Lucas, “I don’t know who I am anymore.”
He sat beside her on the couch.
“You’re Sophie’s mom.”
“I know. But I was somebody before I became the person defending myself all day.”
Lucas nodded.
“What do you need from me?”
Hannah looked directly at him.
“One answer.”
“Anything.”
“If your mother apologizes, gets treatment, cries, says she’s changed—will you let her back into our daughter’s life?”
Lucas understood the question beneath the question.
Will you choose us when guilt gets harder than anger?
May you like
He took a long breath.
Then answered.
