Chapter 6 - Doctor Crane
Dr. Elliot Crane worked three days a week as a consultant at Hawthorne Ridge.
That was the first problem.
The second was that no legitimate record showed him examining Graham or Maisie.
The third was the money.
Detective Ruiz traced two recent payments to Crane from a consulting company called Morrow Lane LLC.
Sam pulled the state filings.
"Morrow Lane was formed eight months ago."
"Owner?" Graham asked.
Sam's face hardened.
"A holding company managed by Sloane's financial advisory firm."
Graham leaned against the desk.
Sloane had spent months discussing flowers, vows, and honeymoon resorts while building a paper trail designed to erase his authority over his own child.
Ruiz's phone rang.
She listened, then looked at Graham.
"Sloane left the bridal hotel through the kitchen exit. Her driver says she told him the wedding was canceled and dismissed him."
"So where is she?"
"We don't know yet."
The front door opened downstairs.
June called up, "Mr. Grant? There's something you need to see."
They found her holding Maisie's framed photograph of Julia.
The back panel had been pried loose.
"This was in the suitcase," June said. "I was putting it back in her room. Something rattled."
Behind the photograph was a folded envelope, yellowed at the edges.
Graham recognized Julia's handwriting before he touched it.
FOR GRAHAM - IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME.
His hands went numb.
Julia had died in a car crash twenty-six months earlier.
He opened the envelope.
Inside was one line.
Sam has the Mercer file. Do not let them near Maisie.
Graham read it twice.
Then he looked at his attorney.
May you like
"What Mercer file?"
Sam Pike went completely still.
