Chapter 10 - THE PRINCIPAL’S SECRET
Mark Dalton had approved Rachel’s early pickup from school.
He told the office that Michael had been injured.
No one called Michael to confirm.
Dalton admitted Rachel paid him.
He claimed he believed she was helping Ava escape an abusive home.
Officer Ruiz placed the pantry video before him.
His face changed.
“I did not know about this.”
“What was in the syringe?” she asked.
“A sedative.”
“You brought a sedative into a children’s hospital.”
“Rachel said Ava would panic during the transfer.”
“What transfer?”
The forged court order granted temporary custody to Northfield Family Solutions.
A judge’s signature appeared at the bottom.
The signature was false.
Dalton planned to remove Ava through the service elevator and deliver her to a driver.
He did not know the driver’s identity.
Michael watched through the observation window.
Another adult had accepted a story because money made it convenient.
Dalton provided the location of the scheduled handoff.
Police surrounded an underground parking structure.
The vehicle never arrived.
Rachel had realized Dalton was caught.
She sent Michael another message instead.
A photograph showed David sitting in a chair with blood on his shirt.
Rachel stood behind him holding the blue journal.
The message read,
David lied to both of us.
Bring Ava’s trust key to Laura’s old lake house.
Michael recognized the property.
Laura’s family owned a cabin near Lake George.
They sold it after her death.
At least, Michael believed they had.
Ruth shook her head.
“Laura placed it inside Ava’s trust.”
“David’s company has been managing it.”
Rachel had taken David hostage.
The partners were turning on each other.
Michael did not know whether the blood was real.
He did know Rachel possessed the journal.
Police had held the original as evidence.
The one in the photograph was a copy.
Ava revealed that Laura made two journals.
The blue one contained the crimes.
The red one contained account codes and personal letters.
Ava had hidden the red journal somewhere else.
Rachel believed Michael had it.
The trust key was inside that second book.
Michael looked at his daughter.
“Where did you hide it?”
Ava touched Baxter’s collar.
A small brass key was sewn beneath the leather lining.
“The journal is with Mom.”
May you like
“Where?”
“At the lake.”
