Chapter 9 - Someone in the Garage
Daniel called 911 from the hospital parking lot and drove home anyway.
Ortiz yelled at him over the phone. "Do not go inside. Patrol is two minutes out."
"If Olivia is there--"
"Then you definitely don't go inside."
He parked across the street.
The garage door was halfway open. Light spilled across the driveway.
A shadow moved inside.
Daniel's hands clenched around the steering wheel.
Then he remembered Ethan.
Rachel had him at her apartment. Safe.
He stayed in the car until two patrol units arrived.
Police cleared the house room by room.
No Olivia.
But the garage had been torn apart.
Storage bins overturned. Tool drawers open. Christmas decorations crushed underfoot.
"What are we looking for?" an officer asked.
"A blue box. My mother said it was here."
Daniel searched behind paint cans, camping gear, old school projects.
Nothing.
Then he saw a clean square on a dusty shelf.
Something had been sitting there recently.
Gone now.
A patrol officer called from the backyard. "Detective?"
The rear gate stood open.
In the alley, they found a blue metal cash box under a hedge.
The lock had been smashed.
Empty.
Daniel stared at it. "She got here first."
Ortiz crouched beside the box. "Maybe not everything is gone."
She lifted the felt liner.
Underneath was a narrow folded receipt.
Self-storage facility. Unit 86. Paid annually.
Name: Margaret Mercer.
Ortiz smiled without humor. "Your mother planned for someone to search the obvious places."
Daniel's phone rang again.
Rachel.
He answered immediately. "Is Ethan okay?"
Silence.
Then Rachel whispered, "Daniel... Olivia is outside my building."
"Lock the door."
"I did."
A pounding sound came through the phone.
Olivia's voice followed.
May you like
"Rachel! Open the door! I am taking my son home!"
Then Ethan screamed.
