Chapter 7 - The Two Boys
Forensics dated carvings approximately seven months earlier.
Ethan had told truth about gray house.
At least partly.
Neighbors remembered boys.
One blond? Thomas was brown-haired maybe. Better one dark-haired boy and one smaller brown-haired boy. Thomas could resemble.
A retired neighbor remembered one child often staring toward road.
“He kept asking when his mother would come.”
Which boy?
She couldn't tell.
Then police found old grocery receipt.
On back, child handwriting:
CLAIRE — 202-555-0194.
Claire’s former number.
Thomas could have remembered.
Ethan could have copied.
Again ambiguity.
Claire became obsessed with finding gray-house owner.
Property belonged to shell LLC.
Attorney:
Samuel Crane.
Crane had represented Andrew years earlier.
Claire confronted him.
He refused privilege at first.
Court order followed due missing-child investigation.
Andrew had hired Crane one month before Thomas disappeared.
Purpose:
“contingency family relocation planning.”
Claire’s blood ran cold.
Was Andrew planning take Thomas?
Crane denied.
Andrew feared Claire would leave him and sought custody advice.
Nothing criminal.
Then Andrew made payment to private investigator to research Mara House.
Why?
He suspected vulnerable families connected to charity were being exploited.
By whom?
Crane claimed he did not know.
Then Claire found old voicemail from Andrew:
“If something happens to Thomas, don't assume whoever takes him wants ransom.”
She had never heard it.
Recovered from archived carrier storage attached to police request.
Why did Andrew say that?
Two days before disappearance, someone mailed photograph of Thomas leaving preschool.
Andrew concealed it.
Why?
He thought threat targeted him over business debt.
So Thomas may truly have been abducted.
Ethan might know kidnappers.
Claire softened toward him again.
He began living temporarily under child-services placement in guest wing, not formally as son.
He attended therapy.
He and Lily ate breakfast together.
He was gentle.
He gave her last pancake.
He apologized for lying.
“I shouldn't have used you.”
Lily asked:
“Did you?”
“What?”
“Use me?”
Ethan looked down.
“Yes.”
“Why me?”
“Because your mom always picks you up herself on Thursdays.”
Lily froze.
“How did you know?”
“I watched.”
“For how long?”
“Three weeks.”
“Why?”
“I needed to know she was really your mom.”
“You had pictures.”
“Pictures can lie.”
Lily studied him.
“What else did you watch?”
Ethan smiled faintly.
“Everything I needed.”
Then he stood.
As he walked away, a folded photograph fell from pocket.
Lily picked it up.
It showed Claire leaving mansion.
On back were handwritten notes:
THURSDAY — LILY 3:20.
CLAIRE ALONE.
SECURITY CHANGES 4:00.
May you like
And at bottom:
BEST WAY IN: LILY.
