Chapter 8: The Other Little Girl
The officers took Daniel into the living room and placed him in handcuffs.
He didn't resist.
He simply kept repeating that he wanted a lawyer.
Vanessa sat on the sofa, trembling.
Detective Harris instructed another officer to remain with her while he spoke to me.
“Mr. Cole, I need you to understand something. Your daughter's statement changes the direction of this investigation.””
“What direction?””
“We're no longer looking only at Elena's disappearance. We're investigating what happened to two children at the hospital seven years ago.””
I looked at the photograph.
Two newborn girls.
One had been given to me.
The other had vanished.
“Where is Lily Bennett?””
“We're trying to establish that.””
“Who are her parents?””
“The records list a woman named Claire Bennett. We haven't confirmed the father's identity.””
I picked up the photograph.
“Then find Claire.””
Harris nodded.
“We're already working on it.””
I glanced toward Vanessa.
“Does she know where the other baby is?””
The detective followed my gaze.
“That's what we're going to establish.””
He approached her.
“Mrs. Cole, I need you to answer some questions.””
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
“I want a lawyer.””
“You're entitled to one. But I'd still like to understand why Daniel Mercer brought you here.””
She looked at the floor.
“I didn't know he was coming.””
Daniel laughed from the other room.
“That's a lie.””
Vanessa flinched.
Harris turned toward him.
“Mr. Mercer, you can remain silent.””
Daniel leaned back in his chair.
“Ask her about the hospital.””
Vanessa started crying again.
I couldn't take it anymore.
“Stop playing games! Where is Lily?””
Vanessa looked at me.
Then she whispered, “I don't know.””
“Who took her?””
“I don't know.””
“Why was Sofia given to Elena?””
Vanessa covered her face.
Detective Harris waited.
Finally, Vanessa spoke.
“Because Daniel wanted a child.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“He couldn't have custody of his biological daughter. Claire had refused to let him near the baby.””
Daniel shouted from the living room.
“Don't say another word!””
Harris immediately moved toward him.
“Sit down!””
Vanessa continued, her voice barely audible.
“He paid someone at the hospital to change the records. Claire's baby was supposed to be taken somewhere else. Sofia was placed with Elena and Marcus.””
I felt sick.
“Why?””
“Daniel wanted to keep control of the situation. He believed Elena would never discover what happened.””
“But she did.””
Vanessa nodded.
“Years later, she found the original records.””
“How?””
“She worked with someone who had access to the hospital archives.””
“Who?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“Dr. Richard Hayes.””
Detective Harris wrote down the name.
“Was he involved in the switch?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
I looked at the DNA report.
“If Sofia is Daniel's biological daughter, why did he wait seven years?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Because he wanted you to raise her.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“He knew you would give her a safe home. He knew Elena would love her. He didn't want to be responsible for a child. He wanted to make sure she grew up believing she belonged to someone else.””
My stomach turned.
“So you and Daniel planned all this?””
Vanessa began crying harder.
“I wasn't involved at the beginning.””
“When did you become involved?””
“When Elena discovered the records.””
“And?””
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
“He told me that if Elena went to the police, both of us would lose everything.””
I shook my head.
“You helped him hide a child?””
“I was afraid.””
“You helped him take Elena!””
“I didn't know he was going to hurt her!””
Harris interrupted.
“Mrs. Cole, what exactly did you do on the night Elena disappeared?””
Vanessa stared at the carpet.
“I unlocked the back door.””
My hands clenched.
“You let him into our house.””
She nodded.
“Then what?””
“He confronted Elena. They argued. She told him she had copied the records and sent them to someone.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“Where did he take her?””
Vanessa began shaking.
“I thought he took her to the storage unit.””
Detective Harris leaned forward.
“You thought?””
“I never saw her again.””
“Did you hear from her?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Yes.””
My heart hammered.
“When?””
“About two months after she disappeared.””
I stepped closer.
“What did she say?””
Vanessa started crying.
“She called me.””
“What did she want?””
“She wanted me to help her get Sofia back.””
The words struck me like a physical blow.
“She wanted her daughter?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Daniel said he would kill her if I did.””
I stared at my wife.
“And you chose to keep Sofia from her mother?””
Vanessa couldn't look at me.
Harris asked, “Do you have the number Elena used?””
Vanessa nodded.
“It's in my old phone.””
“Where is that phone?””
“In my bedroom.””
An officer went upstairs to retrieve it.
While we waited, Rachel approached me.
“Marcus, there's something else.””
I looked at her.
She held the original envelope.
“Elena didn't just leave me those documents.””
“What else did she leave?””
Rachel reached inside and removed a small memory card.
“She said this contained the proof she couldn't put on paper.””
Detective Harris took it carefully.
“Do you know what's on it?””
Rachel shook her head.
“No. She told me to give it to you only if Sofia was ever in danger.””
Harris immediately contacted the technical evidence team.
I looked toward my daughter.
She was sitting beside Rachel, holding her pink blanket.
I walked over and knelt.
“Hey, sweetheart.””
“Are they going to find Mommy?””
I swallowed.
“I'm doing everything I can.””
She reached into her pocket.
Then she pulled out a small silver star.
It was attached to a tiny chain.
I recognized it.
Elena had worn a matching necklace for years.
“Where did you get that?””
“Mommy gave it to me.””
“When?””
Sofia looked at the necklace.
“She said if I ever saw the other little girl, I should give it to her.””
I stared.
“The other little girl?””
Sofia nodded.
“Mommy said she was my sister.””
My heart began pounding.
“Did Mommy tell you her name?””
Sofia looked at me.
“Lily.””
I turned toward Detective Harris.
He had heard everything.
“Sir,” I said, “we need to find Claire Bennett.””
Harris nodded.
“We have a lead. A woman matching her description has been living under a different name in another county.””
“Is she safe?””
“We don't know yet.””
Then the officer returned from upstairs carrying Vanessa's old phone.
“Detective, we found something.””
He handed Harris the device.
The screen was cracked, but one message thread remained visible.
There were dozens of messages from an unsaved number.
Most were short.
But one stood out.
If you tell Marcus where Lily is, Sofia will disappear next.
Harris looked at Vanessa.
“Who sent this?””
May you like
Vanessa began sobbing.
Then she whispered, “The man who has Lily.””
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