Chapter 57
Monday late morning
Lunch hour was approaching, and Sabre was still in Department 1 arguing over visitation schedules and placement objections while parents shifted anxiously behind counsel tables.
When the judge finally took recess, Sabre stepped into the hall outside the courtroom. Ethan Vale was leaning against the wall reviewing notes.
“I want to see Bay today,” Sabre said quietly. She told him what she had recently learned. “I think she’s close to breaking. Are you able to get away?”
Vale gave a short look toward the department. “Not unless Judge Hammouri suddenly develops compassion.”
Sabre almost smiled. “She won’t.”
“Go without me. Bay is more likely to talk if I’m not there,” Vale offered.
“I don’t like giving into her pressure, but this can’t wait. I’ll call you after.”
Vale headed back inside court.
Sabre left the building and walked to juvenile hall. The clerk at the desk knew her, so check-in was easy. Sabre went directly to the interview room and waited.
Bay was brought in several minutes later. She stopped when she saw Sabre sitting alone.
“No Mr. Vale?”
“He’s tied up in court, but we can wait for him if you’d rather.”
“No.” The girl sat down across from her.
Something about Sabre being alone seemed to make her more nervous, not less. Interesting.
Sabre waited until the deputy closed the door. Then she said quietly, “We’re getting close.”
Bay’s eyes filled with fear.
“We know about Oceanside. We know she was there after her abduction.”
Bay looked away.
“We know about Riverside County.”
Bay’s fingers tightened together.
“And San Bernardino.”
That landed harder.
Sabre continued carefully. “And we found the apartment in El Cajon.”
Bay’s head came up fast. Panic flickered openly across her face.
“The back unit,” Sabre said. “We know about Todd replacing the window next door. And we know about the laundromat.”
Bay’s breathing quickened.
“He found you there,” Sabre continued softly.
“No,” Bay said. “He found us.”
“You mean you and Hannah.”
“No names.” Her response was sharp, but not a denial.
“You reacted,” Sabre said.
“You don’t know who she is.”
“I think I do.”
“No. You can’t.” She sounded almost desperate.
Sabre softened her voice. “We found old birth records in Riverside County and San Bernardino County. You stayed places long enough to build identities. You weren’t in school. Why did you need those?”
Bay went very still. Finally, she said, “You shouldn’t have found those.”
The non-denial hung in the room. Bay thought they still had time. Sabre also realized that the girl wouldn’t know, for sure, that Hannah and the guardian had moved from the El Cajon address.
“We know where they live, Bay. You need to start talking.”
Fear etched into Bay’s face now. Fear for herself or for them, Sabre didn’t know, but she watched it happen in real time.
Sabre changed direction before Bay could shut down completely. “You have to start trusting me and let me help you through this. We got the medical examiner’s report. Todd didn’t die from the stabbing.”
Confusion flooded Bay’s face. “What?”
“He died from blunt-force trauma to the back of the head.”
Bay stared at her. “I don’t understand.”
“Tell me exactly what happened that day.”
Bay shook her head slowly like she was trying to reorder the memory. “I stabbed him.”
“I know.”
“Did he fall?”
“No.”
“Did he hit his head?”
“No.”
“Did you hit him with anything?”
“No.”
“Was anyone else there?”
Bay’s eyes dropped.
“Bay, be honest. We need to know.”
“I already told you. She was there, but she left. Then I went after him with the knife.”
“Then explain the head injury,” Sabre pressed.
Bay’s breathing quickened now. “I can’t.”
“You said you ran.”
“I did.”
“Immediately?”
Bay nodded, then corrected herself. “Not right away. I mean, I ran out the door, but then I waited across the street.”
“For what?”
Bay looked at the table. “For him.”
“Him who?”
No answer.
“What were you waiting for?”
Bay swallowed. “I thought he’d come.”
Sabre kept her face neutral. “The man you lived with?”
Still silence.
“He didn’t come?”
Bay shook her head. “And neither did you.”
“So, what happened next?”
“I started walking.”
“Where?”
“Away.”
“And then?”
“The cops found me.”
“You never went back in after you stabbed him?”
“No.”
“You never saw Todd again after you left?”
“No.”
“And you didn’t know he was still alive?”
Bay looked genuinely shaken now. “No.”
Sabre sat back. Bay had believed she killed Todd, which meant he either fell and hit his head after she left, or whoever delivered the fatal blow either arrived after she fled or had been there unseen.
“Did he ever follow you before?” Sabre asked quietly.
Bay looked confused. “Who?”
“The man you waited for, your guardian.”
Understanding flickered. Then fear again. “He always came when I was in trouble.”
“But not this time,” Sabre said.