Chapter 9 - THE RED PHONE
The prepaid phone changed everything.
Vivian had been planning.
Not imagining.
Not threatening.
Planning.
There were hotel searches.
Transportation notes.
Screenshots of Lily's birth certificate.
Photographs of Ethan's passport.
Messages to an unknown number.
Need a clean exit.
He'll be out of state.
Mother thinks I'm bringing Lily to her.
Ethan stared at Officer Ramirez.
“My mother knew?”
“She knew Vivian wanted to visit.”
“With Lily?”
“Apparently Vivian told her you approved it.”
Ethan stood so fast his chair scraped the floor.
“Call my mother.”
“She already spoke with Phoenix police.”
“What did she say?”
“That Vivian told her you were overwhelmed and considering having Lily stay there for several months.”
Ethan felt sick.
His mother hadn't questioned it because Vivian had spent months preparing everyone.
Little comments.
Little lies.
Ethan is exhausted.
Lily is struggling.
Maybe Arizona would help.
Maybe he needs time.
Vivian wasn't building one lie.
She was building a road.
And Ethan had almost let her finish it.
“What about Mexico?”
“We don't know.”
“Was she taking Lily there?”
“The ticket suggests that.”
“For what?”
“We're looking.”
The unknown number was eventually traced to a man named Daniel Price.
Not a trafficker.
Not a criminal.
Vivian's former boyfriend.
He lived in Mexico City.
The truth was somehow simpler and uglier.
She planned to leave Ethan.
And she planned to use Lily as leverage.
Ramirez explained the theory.
“She takes Lily while you're gone. Your mother believes it's authorized. Then Vivian disappears. She contacts you from outside the country and says she won't return Lily unless you agree to certain terms.”
“Money?”
“Possibly.”
“Or?”
“Maybe control.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“That sounds more like her.”
The prepaid phone also held videos.
Dozens.
Vivian had filmed Lily during meltdowns.
But the clips started after Vivian took away a toy.
After she canceled a call with Ethan.
After she whispered something too low for the phone microphone.
Then Lily cried.
Vivian recorded only the crying.
Evidence.
Manufactured one breakdown at a time.
One full-length video hadn't been edited.
Ethan watched it alone.
Lily sat at the kitchen table.
Vivian stood behind the camera.
“Say you're sorry.”
“No.”
“Say it.”
“No.”
“Why are you being difficult?”
“You're not my mommy.”
Silence.
Vivian's voice changed.
“What did you say?”
“You're not my mommy.”
“You think I want to be?”
Lily began to cry.
“My mommy loved me.”
“Your mommy is dead.”
Ethan stopped the video.
He couldn't breathe.
Ramirez reached for the phone.
“That's enough.”
“No.”
“Mr. Walker—”
“No. Play it.”
The video continued.
Lily wiped her eyes.
“I know Mommy isn't coming back.”
Vivian said nothing.
Lily whispered:
“But you don't get to be my mommy.”
The phone shook.
Vivian was angry.
“You know what? You're right. And when I'm done, I won't have to look at you anymore.”
The video ended.
Ethan stared at the black screen.
Then the phone rang.
Not his phone.
The prepaid one.
Ramirez and Ethan looked at each other.
The screen displayed:
DANIEL.
Vivian's ex-boyfriend.
Ramirez answered and put it on speaker.
“Vivian?”
“No. Police.”
Silence.
Then Daniel said something nobody expected.
“You found the phone.”
“Yes.”
“Then listen carefully.”
His voice trembled.
“Vivian isn't trying to get out of the country anymore.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she called me from jail.”
Ethan stood.
“She called you?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
Daniel took a breath.
May you like
“She told me if Ethan thinks Lily is safe now, he's stupid.”
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