Chapter 12 - The Visit
Dad was released from the station pending further investigation. The police had enough evidence to document the assault, but the financial case was more complicated, and Lang's involvement meant the investigators had to move carefully.
I hated knowing Dad was free. I hated even more that part of me still listened for his footsteps in the hall, even though we were miles away.
Arthur promised us that Dad didn't know the address of the safe house. He said the building was monitored, the staff were vetted, and no one could enter without authorization.
For two days, I almost believed him.
Then a delivery van stopped outside the fence. A man in a gray cap carried a bouquet of yellow flowers to the gate and asked for Sarah Cole.
The guard refused the delivery. The man left the flowers on the pavement and drove away.
Mom recognized the handwriting on the card.
"Daniel," she whispered.
The note said: I want to talk. I know I made mistakes. Let Emily come home, and we can fix this.
I tore the card in half.
"He hit you. He hit me. How can he say he wants to fix it?"
Mom pulled me close. "Because he wants us to believe the next time will be different."
Arthur asked the guards to preserve the flowers and the card. The delivery van had been rented under a false name, but a camera caught its rear plate.
The plate belonged to a vehicle reported stolen the previous week.
That evening, Investigator Brooks called with an update. The senior city inspector from the warehouse case had disappeared. His office was locked, his files were gone, and his work phone had been wiped.
"Someone is cleaning up," Arthur said.
Mom looked at the torn card.
May you like
"No," she replied. "Someone is panicking."
Then the lights in the safe house blinked once and went out.
