Chapter 3: The Grandmother’s Secret
The police wanted Elina arrested immediately.
I wanted the same thing.
But Detective Harris stopped me before I left the hospital.
“David, listen to me.””
I turned around.
“What?””
“We need evidence.””
“My son is evidence.””
“He’s a witness,” Harris corrected.
“A terrified child. If we rush this, she could walk.””
I hated that he was right.
But every second felt unbearable.
Because whoever sent that message knew about Mia.
And they were close.
Too close.
When I returned home, the house looked different.
It was the same place.
Same walls.
Same furniture.
But it no longer felt like my home.
It felt like a crime scene.
Mia sat with my sister Emma in the kitchen while officers searched the living room.
I walked upstairs to Leo’s room.
The door was half open.
Inside, everything looked untouched.
His superhero posters.
His stuffed animals.
His little bed.
Then I noticed something.
A photograph on his nightstand.
It was taken three days before he disappeared.
Leo stood between Sarah and Elina.
Everyone smiled.
Everyone except Elina.
She wasn’t looking at the camera.
She was looking at Leo.
I picked up the frame.
Something was written on the back.
A date.
And one sentence.
*The replacement begins soon.*
My hands went numb.
“David?””
I turned.
Detective Harris stood behind me.
“What did you find?””
I showed him.
His expression changed.
“Where did this come from?””
“Leo’s room.””
He studied the handwriting.
“This matches the notes we found eight months ago.””
“What notes?””
He looked at me carefully.
“Notes from the disappearance investigation.””
My heart raced.
“You never told me.””
“Because we thought they were meaningless.””
He reached into his folder.
There were copies.
The first note said:
*He will be happier when he is with her.*
The second:
*A mother’s love should never end.*
The third:
*One child was taken. Another can replace him.*
I felt sick.
“Elina wanted Mia?””
Harris didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Downstairs, my phone rang.
The number was blocked.
I answered immediately.
“Elina?””
Silence.
Then a whisper.
“David.””
My grip tightened.
“Where are you?””
“You ruined everything.””
My eyes moved toward the living room.
“You kidnapped my son.””
A soft laugh came through the phone.
“No.””
The answer was calm.
“I saved him.””
My anger exploded.
“You locked a six-year-old under my house!””
“He was supposed to understand.””
“Understand what?””
Another silence.
Then:
“That Sarah is gone.””
The room felt colder.
“What does Sarah have to do with this?””
Elina’s voice softened.
“She promised me.””
I frowned.
“Who promised you?””
“She said she would come back.””
My blood ran cold.
Because Sarah had been dead for two years.
Elina continued.
“She told me she needed a new family.””
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Then Detective Harris looked at me.
“David…”
His voice was low.
“We found something in Elina’s car.””
“What?””
He hesitated.
“A birth certificate.””
I frowned.
“For who?””
He looked at the paper.
May you like
Then at me.
“It has your name on it.””
