Chapter 11 - Someone Was Watching Noah
Rachel could barely breathe.
"Who took that picture?"
Nobody answered immediately.
The photograph had clearly been taken from inside a parked vehicle across the street from Noah's elementary school.
The angle was deliberate.
Professional.
Officer Hale immediately contacted the Crimes Against Children Unit.
"I need every surveillance camera within three blocks of Lincoln Elementary for the past two months."
The detective on the other end asked why.
Hale answered with only one sentence.
"Because I believe Rachel Carter's children have been under surveillance."
Rachel felt Noah's small hand slip into hers.
"When was this taken?"
Kevin examined the metadata.
"Three weeks ago."
Rachel shook her head.
"That's impossible. I walked him home every day."
Kevin zoomed in further.
"No."
He pointed toward the corner of the image.
"You didn't."
Everyone leaned closer.
Barely visible in the reflection of a storefront window stood a tall man wearing a dark hoodie.
Only part of his face appeared.
But one detail was unmistakable.
A silver watch with a cracked leather strap.
Eric Whitmore.
Officer Hale immediately called the holding facility.
"Don't move Eric anywhere."
"Why?"
"We have new evidence placing him near Noah before the custody order."
The dispatcher paused.
Then replied quietly.
"Marcus..."
"What?"
"Eric Whitmore is no longer in his holding cell."
The room froze.
"What do you mean?"
"He was released."
Officer Hale's expression darkened.
"Released by who?"
Another pause followed.
"We're trying to figure that out."
Every detective in the room understood the implication.
Someone hadn't merely forged court documents.
Someone now possessed enough influence to make a key suspect disappear from police custody without authorization.
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And if Eric was free...
He almost certainly knew the investigation had uncovered the hidden files.
