What Lucy Knew
Chapter 08 - What Lucy Knew
Lucy Morgan had been missing for nine months.
Her grandmother, Evelyn Morgan, had been told by police that Lucy’s disappearance was probably connected to a custody dispute. In reality, Rourke’s network had used forged court documents to convince local authorities that Lucy had been removed for her safety.
At the hospital, Lucy asked for Sophie.
The girls met in a therapy room without cameras or police uniforms. For nearly a minute, neither spoke. Then Sophie placed Captain Blue between them.
Lucy touched the rabbit’s worn ear.
“You got out,” she said.
“You told me the number.”
Lucy nodded.
Before being moved from Claire’s house, Lucy had hidden an old emergency phone beneath Sophie’s mattress and taught her how to call 911. She also warned her not to trust the first police officer who arrived because Danner had come before.
“Wait for the lady officer,” Lucy had said.
She had seen Mara on television during a school safety campaign and remembered her face.
That was why Sophie had waited until Tuesday night. Claire always took sleeping medication on Tuesdays after remote sessions with Rourke. Sophie had called when Claire seemed unconscious, but Claire woke before police arrived.
Lucy described several adults, houses, and vehicles. She believed at least four other children had passed through the farmhouse. Some stayed only days before being taken away.
Reed asked whether she knew where Rourke lived.
Lucy drew a black boat.
“Doctor Evan sleeps where the floor moves.”
Rourke owned no registered boat, but financial records led detectives to a marina company controlled by one of his aliases. Security footage showed him boarding a forty-foot cabin cruiser the night Claire was arrested.
The boat left the marina before authorities arrived.
Coast Guard units searched the river and nearby coastline. Rourke had enough fuel to travel hundreds of miles.
Danner offered to cooperate in exchange for protection.
“He keeps a master ledger,” Danner said. “Names, payments, new identities. He calls it the family book.”
“Where?”
“On the boat.”
Reed leaned closer. “Where is he going?”
May you like
Danner looked at Mara.
“He has one final delivery scheduled. A child whose disappearance has not been reported yet.”
