Chapter 17 - The Woman with the Folder
Rosa had the door locked before the visitor reached it. We were upstairs with Lily, out of sight, while the doorbell camera carried the woman's voice through Rosa's phone.
"Family services," the woman announced. "I'm here about an emergency placement."
Rosa called the police and asked for identification through the closed door. The woman held a badge up too briefly for the camera to read.
"You can verify the order at the courthouse," Rosa said. "We're not opening the door."
"You're putting a child at risk," the visitor answered.
"Then the officers on their way can help us."
The woman walked back toward a silver car. As she turned, the camera caught her face beneath the edge of a scarf.
It was Vanessa.
I felt an urge to run downstairs that was so strong it nearly carried me out of my chair. Elena put a hand on my arm.
"Lily first," she said.
I stayed.
The camera recorded Vanessa driving away. Police arrived within minutes, took the footage, and started tracing the vehicle. Nobody pretended she was harmless because she'd avoided a confrontation.
In the living room, Kayla's drawing hung beside Lily's paper star. Marcus had brought the children over earlier for a supervised visit, hoping they could see that none of them had caused what the adults had done.
Lily stared at the door.
"Was that Vanessa?"
I crouched beside her. "Yes. She came here, but Rosa did exactly what she was supposed to do. We didn't let her in."
"Is she mad?"
"Maybe. That isn't your job to fix."
She considered this, then reached for Elena's hand as well as mine.
May you like
Park called after midnight. The vehicle had been located at a roadside motel near the state line. Officers were securing the area.
But the woman registered in the room had paid under Elena's name.
