Chapter 6 - Richard Whitmore's Last WarningSarah carried the envelope into the mansion's library.
Daniel followed.
Outside, the police continued their search. The birthday guests had been interviewed and allowed to leave as appropriate, while officers began examining the property and contacting anyone who might have seen Mia.
Renee remained nearby with Zoe.
The little girl had stopped crying but refused to let go of her mother's hand.
Sarah sat at Richard Whitmore's old mahogany desk.
The envelope was yellowed with age.
On the front, written in strong black handwriting, were five words.
FOR THE DAY SHE RETURNS.
Daniel stared at them.
“My father wrote that.”
Sarah opened the envelope.
Inside were three pages and a photograph.
The photograph showed a younger Evelyn standing outside a brick building beside a woman Sarah didn't recognize.
Both were smiling.
Behind them hung a sign.
Hawthorne Family Center.
Sarah turned the photograph over.
A date had been written on the back.
June 14, 2004.
Daniel frowned.
“That's more than twenty years ago.”
Sarah unfolded the letter.
Richard's handwriting was immediately recognizable.
If this letter has been opened, then something I feared has happened.
Evelyn has spent most of her life believing that love gives her ownership over other people.
I once mistook her control for devotion.
That mistake cost another family dearly.
Sarah glanced toward Daniel.
He looked bewildered.
She continued reading.
Richard described a serious dispute involving a family-assistance program that Evelyn had managed through one of the Whitmore charitable foundations.
The program was supposed to provide temporary housing and counseling to vulnerable parents.
Instead, according to Richard, Evelyn had used confidential information about several families to pressure them into surrendering decisions about their children.
There had been complaints.
One family had pursued legal action.
Richard claimed he had discovered manipulated financial records and documents containing accusations against parents that were unsupported by the center's actual case notes.
He had begun investigating.
Then he became ill.
I cannot prove every suspicion. Some records disappeared before I could preserve them.
But if Evelyn ever begins discussing a child's safety as though she alone has the right to decide, do not dismiss it.
She has done this before.
Daniel lowered himself into a chair.
“I never knew.”
Sarah looked at him.
“Did your father tell you anything?”
“He said Mom had made mistakes with the foundation. I thought he meant financial mistakes.”
The final paragraph contained a name.
Margaret Vale.
Richard wrote that Margaret had worked as the center's records administrator and might know where surviving documents were stored.
Sarah read the line twice.
“Do you know her?”
Daniel shook his head.
Helen, standing near the doorway, answered.
“I do.”
Sarah looked up.
“She used to come to the mansion.”
“When?”
“Years ago. Before Mr. Whitmore got sick.”
“Why?”
Helen hesitated.
“She argued with Mrs. Evelyn in the front hall. I heard her say that children weren't property.”
Daniel stood.
“What happened afterward?”
“Mrs. Evelyn told me Margaret had stolen foundation money. She said I should never speak to her again.”
Sarah examined the photograph.
Margaret Vale appeared around thirty in 2004.
She would be in her fifties now.
Detective Brooks entered the library.
“We've recovered the estate's gate logs,” she announced.
Sarah rose.
“Did Mia leave?”
Brooks paused.
“A service vehicle departed at approximately two forty-six this afternoon. The driver used a valid contractor pass.”
“Who was driving?”
“We're identifying the vehicle. The gate camera captured part of the registration.”
Sarah gripped the desk.
“What kind of vehicle?”
“A dark blue van.”
Helen gave a small gasp.
Sarah turned.
“Helen?”
The housekeeper was staring at the photograph.
“That's the vehicle,” she whispered.
“What vehicle?”
“The one that delivered the furniture yesterday.”
May you like
Then Helen looked at Evelyn's picture.
“And I know who arranged it.”
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