Chapter 8 - The Second Destination.
The question changed the shape of the entire day.
Havenridge was four hours away in Kentucky.
A passport had nothing to do with a residential school in Kentucky.
I asked the officer to photograph the application materials if they were in the folder.
He said the passport itself was there, but the application was not.
Rebecca folded her arms.
"Lily was going to need a passport eventually."
"Children don't secretly get passports eventually."
"I planned a honeymoon trip for the three of us next year."
"Then why didn't I know?"
"Because it was supposed to be a surprise."
Gavin laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
"Rebecca, stop lying."
She turned on him.
"Excuse me?"
"You asked Mom for the name of that school in Switzerland."
The room went silent again.
I stared at him.
"What school?"
Gavin rubbed both hands over his face.
"I thought it was for one of her clients."
Rebecca took a step toward him.
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
"You asked me to translate the admissions page because part of it was in French."
My heart began pounding.
"When?"
"About two months ago."
Rebecca shook her head.
"It was research."
"For whom?"
She did not answer.
Hannah unlocked Rebecca's phone using the six-digit passcode Lily suddenly supplied from the doorway.
"It's her birthday backward."
Everyone turned.
Marisol had returned with Lily and two juice boxes.
Rebecca's face tightened.
"Lily, you are not supposed to repeat private information."
Lily immediately shrank behind Marisol.
I held out my hand.
"Come here, sweetheart."
She ran to me.
Hannah searched Rebecca's email while I kept Lily close.
Within a minute, she found a folder labeled Future Options.
Inside were messages to Havenridge.
There were also messages to an international boarding program near Lausanne.
The emails referred to a prospective student named L.H., age six.
Rebecca had asked whether a stepparent could sign enrollment papers if the biological parent provided a notarized travel authorization.
She had also asked whether extended family contact could be limited.
My vision narrowed.
"You were considering sending her out of the country."
Rebecca spoke through clenched teeth.
"I was considering every option because you wouldn't consider any."
"She is six."
"And she controls your entire life."
The words came out before Rebecca could stop them.
Lily heard every syllable.
Her face crumpled.
I lifted her into my arms.
Rebecca realized too late what she had revealed.
"That isn't what I meant."
"Yes, it is."
I carried Lily toward the door.
Rebecca followed me.
"Ethan, where are you going?"
"Somewhere my daughter doesn't have to hear you describe her as a problem."
Hannah suddenly called my name.
She had opened an audio file attached to one of Rebecca's emails.
The filename was intake_behavior_sample.m4a.
"This was sent to Havenridge three weeks ago."
I stopped.
Hannah pressed play.
Lily's small voice came through the phone, crying.
Then Rebecca's voice followed, calm and unmistakable.
May you like
"Keep crying, Lily."
"It will help them understand why you can't stay with your father anymore."
