Page 12 of Silent Echo

“Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention. I did track down the woman who tagged the bookstore in the picture. I found her on Facebook. Unfortunately, her Facebook privacy settings didn’t let me see much. I sent her a Facebook message telling her what happened and asking her to contact me, but I haven’t heard from her.”

“I wish you hadn’t done that.”

Charlotte bit her lip. “I know. I realized too late that all I may have done is alert Penelope to the fact that I had seen that picture.”

“If you’re right and this woman is alive and has your son, she’s fabricated some story to explain how she came to have him. He’s not a baby, so she would worry that he might tell someoneshe’s not his mother. Please don’t do anything else. Let us handle things from here on in.”

As Charlotte drove home, she felt hopeful for the first time in almost a year. Regardless of how young Agent Preston was, Charlotte was grateful that her case had been assigned to her. If anyone could empathize, it was another mother—especially one with a son close to Sebastion’s age.

When she walked into the house, Harper was doing her homework at the kitchen table, and Eli was chopping vegetables. She’d lied to him and told him she was meeting with Patricia about her new client. She didn’t want to listen to him lecture her again. Why was he so opposed to turning over every leaf? She couldn’t understand it.

“Hey, guys,” she said, walking over to Harper and kissing her on the head. “Smells good,” she told Eli, forcing herself to sound amicable.

“I’m making your favorite. Teriyaki chicken stir fry.”

“Great. I’m gonna go change.” She still barely had an appetite, but now it was more from anticipation and nerves than grief. She played scenarios over in her mind. If Penelope had Sebastion, that hopefully meant no harm would come to him. Charlotte knew that Penelope wasn’t married, but maybe she had been at some point. Who knew, she could have lost a child and was in some sort of delusion about Sebastion. You heard stories all the time about women kidnapping pregnant women and stealing their babies. Had she planned it or had it been a crime of opportunity? Charlotte felt like she would go crazy until she could do something. She had prepared to fly down to Florida and confront the bookstore lady, insisting that she give her the name of the woman throwing the party. But if Agent Preston believed her, waiting and following her lead would be much better.

It took all the acting skills Charlotte could muster to get through dinner and small talk with Eli and Harper. Shevolunteered to clean up, and instead of joining Eli in the living room after dinner, she pled a headache and went upstairs.

She climbed into bed and prayed that tomorrow would bring good news.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Charlotte had just dropped Harper off at school when she got the call. “Hello?”

“Agent Preston here. I have some information.”

Her heart began to beat faster. “Yes.”

“I was able to get a warrant for Ms. Watson’s cell phone. The day the bus accident occurred, she called an Uber after she called you and your husband.”

“I knew it! Where did she go?”

“We don’t have that information yet. We’re working on obtaining that information from the company and getting the driver’s name. Her phone was active for two days after the accident.”

“So, she’s alive!”

“Well, we can’t know for certain yet. She might have lost her phone, and someone else picked it up and used it, although it’s unlikely since it would have been password-protected. But if we find the Uber went to her address, or if the Uber driver can confirm that she was with your son, we’re in business.”

“Even without either of those, you have enough to dig further, right?”

“Definitely. I’m working on getting a warrant to look into Ms. Watson’s financials. We can see if there’s activity in her bank accounts. And I’ll go to Florida to speak with the bookstore owner and the woman who hosted that party.”

“Great. I’ll book my ticket and meet you there.”

“Hold on. I need you to stay home. I’ll keep you updated every step of the way, but I can’t have you there.”

“But—”

“Charlotte. I get that this must be killing you. But the last thing we need is for you to jeopardize the investigation. I will do everything in my power to return your son to you. You have to trust me. Please.”

“Okay, when are you leaving?”

“I’m flying out this afternoon.”

She ended the call and drove home. She called Eli on the way and breathed a sigh of relief that it didn’t go to voicemail.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

---