A Shred of Evidence (31 page)

E
llen Jones strolled with Julie Hamilton along the walking trail that wound around Bougainvillea Park, admiring the lush beauty of the flowering plants and leafy trees and pines—and trying not to react to Julie’s seeming naïveté regarding her husband’s emotional state. What would she do if the psychological evaluation indicated he needed to be confined? Was she capable of handling any more stress?

Ellen was glad that Julie had given her a different perspective on the events of Ross’s tragic past. She would have loved to confront Valerie Mink Hodges with this information.

“How come you never ask about my children?” Julie said.

“I’m afraid it might add to your grief.”

“It’s worse when we talk around them as if they never existed.”

Ellen put her hand on Julie’s arm. “I’m sorry. I’ve wanted to ask about them, but didn’t know if it would be too much for you.”

“I wish you could’ve met Nathaniel. He was a handsome little boy—auburn curls, the biggest blue eyes you ever saw. His laughter was adorable, downright contagious. It was impossible to be with him and not get caught up in his excitement about
everything
. He had a presence that drew you in. If it’s possible for a little boy to have charisma, he did. Part of it was because he was so darned cute. But it was more than that. If he had lived long enough to develop his personality, I’ll bet he would’ve been some public figure—or maybe a motivational speaker or even an evangelist.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Ellen said. “I have two sons and can hardly imagine what it would feel like to lose either.”

“I guess the best way to describe how it feels is
empty
. But even in the emptiness there’s something dark and heavy and oppressive that keeps reminding you every second that he’s never coming back.”

“Has your faith helped get you through?”

Julie’s face turned to stone. “I don’t have any faith.”

“I’m sorry, when you said Nathaniel could’ve been an evangelist, I just assumed—”

“I gave up on God and the Church the day we buried Nathaniel.”

“Why?”

“What was the point? After all Ross had been through, God didn’t protect Nathaniel or spare us the grief and guilt. I couldn’t very well walk away from God and stay in church. So we stopped going.”

“How do you deal with all the pain in your life?” Ellen said.

“I’ve gotten used to it.”

“And you don’t think God could help bear that burden?”

Julie looked at Ellen, her eyes piercing. “Why would I want His help when He’s the One who caused it?”

Ellen, just listen
. “Julie, what actually happened to Nathaniel? I only know what I read in the newspaper.”

Julie told Ellen what had transpired that afternoon, and how Nathaniel must have been hiding from Julie and fallen asleep under the car. “I can’t get the image out of my mind of my precious little boy dying in his daddy’s arms.” Julie wiped her cheeks. “It haunts me to this day.”

Ellen stopped and put her arms around Julie. “I’m so sorry. What a horrific experience.”

“I don’t know that I’ll ever get over it. It consumed my life for the past year—until Sarah Beth disappeared. Now my pain
vacillates between the two. And then when Ross tried to—” Julie’s voice failed.

Ellen squeezed Julie a little tighter and then let go and started walking again.
Lord, there’s nothing I can say
.

Will Seevers walked back into the police station, the lunch he’d barely had time to chew feeling like a brick in his stomach. He popped two Maalox into his mouth and nodded at the receptionist.

He walked toward his office when he saw Special Agent Newt Clifford come out of the meeting room and walk across the hall to the men’s room.

“Hey, Newt, did you finish with Ross Hamilton?”

“Not yet. We’re close.”

“Are you satisfied that you’re getting what you need?”

“Definitely.”

“Not going to give me a teaser?”

“I’ll need the rest of the day to process everything. Might be tomorrow before I reveal my findings.”

“Okay,” Will said. “Let me know where and when you want to meet.”

Will walked into his office and flipped the light switch. He heard footsteps behind him and turned just as Bryce Moore landed in the doorway

“When you said quick bite, you weren’t kidding,” Bryce said.

“Anything happen while I was gone?”

“McDaniel’s shrewd defense attorney arrived. He’s not going to let her answer many questions, but maybe he’ll talk her into dealing.”

“When do you want us to talk to her again?” Will said.

“The sooner the better.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

Will walked with Bryce into the interrogation room and extended his hand to the man seated next to Moira McDaniel. “I’m Police Chief Seevers.”

“Godfrey Hawkins, Ms. McDaniel’s attorney.”

Will sat at the table and glanced at Moira. She seemed even smugger than she had earlier.

Bryce sat next to Will, his elbows on the table, and his fingers linked together. “Let me get to the point, Mr. Hawkins. In addition to the tape you’ve already heard, my agents have searched Moira’s apartment and found a desk containing files that allude to various RISK safe houses. Being the clever organizer that she is, she chose to list the files with code names so the locations of the safe houses aren’t revealed. Make no mistake: our number one goal is to find Sarah Beth Hamilton. But we also want the locations of those safe houses. We can make things a lot easier for your client if she gives us what we want. Frankly, I have little interest in seeing her prosecuted. I’m more interested in gleaning useful information.”

Attorney Hawkins put his lips to Moira’s ear and she shook her head. He whispered something else and she pushed away from him, her arms folded in front of her.

“May I have a moment alone with my client?” Hawkins said.

Will and Bryce left the room and waited in the hallway.

“There’s no way that woman’s gonna deal,” Will said.

Bryce put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. “She will if she’s smart. It’s either that or prison.”

“People like her don’t fear prison as much as selling out a cause.”

There was a knock on the door. Will opened it and followed Mr. Hawkins back to the table, each resuming his place.

Mr. Hawkins took off his glasses and folded them. “Ms. McDaniel isn’t interested in dealing. She has nothing else to say.”

“You’re making a big mistake,” Bryce said to Moira. “Why be a martyr for a cause that’s doomed. We
will
find the safe houses.
And you
will
go to prison. The only way to redeem yourself is to cooperate.”

“Redeem myself?” she said. “You think betraying innocent children by returning them to abusive parents or passing them from one foster home after another as if they had no more value than a football is
redeeming
myself?”

“Moira, don’t say anything!” Hawkins cautioned.

“Let me tell you something, Special Agent Moore. These are little human beings we’re talking about. They aren’t resilient. They don’t adjust. The scars don’t just go away! The system failed them! What they have now are loving, stable homes! And I’m not about to take that away from them! If I have to stay in jail to keep them safe, then so be it!”

Hawkins sank into his chair and let out a loud sigh.

“Okay, Moira,” Bryce said. “Have it your way. Will you at least tell us whether or not Sarah Beth Hamilton is safe?”

“Why would I give DCF that satisfaction after they did nothing to help her? You figure it out.”

Ellen glanced at her watch. “You want to get a sandwich before I take you home? Ross will be home soon.”

“Truthfully, I’m not really hungry.”

“Me either,” Ellen said. “Why don’t we sit in the shade for a while?”

Ellen walked over to a park bench some distance from a duck pond that was partially hidden behind a live oak tree. “This place is lovely. I don’t know why I haven’t come here more often.”

“It is beautiful,” Julie said. “But Seaport has such horrible memories, all I can think about is getting away from here.”

Ellen sat quietly for a long time. “Julie, if you don’t mind my asking, how long had you been a Christian before Nathaniel died?”

“I got saved at youth camp when I was sixteen.”

“Did you have a close relationship with the Lord after that?”

“I thought so.”

“Did Ross?”

“Yes, why?”

“I’m just puzzled why you blame God for what appear to be human failings.”

“Call them whatever you want, but He had the power to stop them. Why didn’t He?”

Ellen paused for a moment, her eyes focused on a couple of Mallards in the pond. “We’ll never understand why. But He promises He will never leave us or forsake us, and that nothing can separate us from His love because of Jesus.”

“Well, I
chose
to separate us.”

“You can’t stop His love, Julie. No matter how hard you try His love for you is even stronger than yours for Nathaniel and Sarah Beth.”

“He sure has a weird way of showing it.”

Ellen hesitated, but felt impressed to share something. “A few years ago in the little community where we lived before moving here, a sixteen-year-old named Sherry Kennsington was kidnapped and murdered. It was a terrible ordeal for the entire community. I was newspaper editor then, and was in the thick of things. I wasn’t a Christian yet; I was an agnostic.

“At Sherry’s funeral, her best friend Taylor, who had also been kidnapped but survived, got up and gave a very moving account of how Sherry’s determination not to hate her kidnapper even in the face of death had dramatically changed Taylor’s perspective and caused her to accept Jesus.”

Ellen looked at Julie. “There’s a lot more to the story, but suffice it to say I was so stirred by the faith of those two young girls in the midst of such horrible circumstances that I began my own search for truth—and eventually chose to trust Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Then my husband did. And our two boys. And my daughter-in-law.”

“What’s your point?”

“Just that we rarely understand why terrible things happen—but can rest assured that God does. And that He’s faithful to His promise to cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. That’s you, Julie. He loves you, and nothing will ever change that. So why not fall into His arms of grace and let Him comfort you?”

Will Seevers led Attorney Hawkins and Moira McDaniel out of the interrogation room and down the hall toward the side entrance just as Special Agent Newt Clifford and Ross Hamilton came out of the meeting room.

Moira did a double take, then stopped and turned on her heel. “You lying piece of garbage! I hope you get what you deserve!”

Ross stared at her dumbfounded. “Who the heck are you?”

“Come on, Ross. This way.” Newt took him by the arm and led him in the other direction.

Will and Bryce escorted Moira to the side entrance and handed her off to FBI agents, and then went to Will’s office and shut the door.

“Did you see how she looked at Ross?” Bryce said.

“Probably recognized him from TV”

“Or in person when they made a deal.”

“I’m not convinced there was ever a deal,” Will said. “But if Moira knows for sure that Sarah Beth is safe, why doesn’t she just say so? You’d think she’d jump at the chance to throw it in DCF’s face.”

Bryce raised his eyebrows. “Maybe she’s playing both sides. If RISK cut a deal with Ross to turn his head while they abducted Sarah Beth, then RISK also erased any chance that he’ll be punished for abusing her. Maybe Moira thinks it’s sweet revenge to let him sweat it out as a suspect as long as possible.”

Will sighed. “You’ve got experience with this kind of stuff. I don’t. I’m anxious to hear what Newt has to say in his report.”

Ellen took hold of Julie’s hand and was relieved when she didn’t resist. “Would it be all right with you if I prayed?”

Julie nodded and tightened her grip on Ellen’s hand.

Ellen closed her eyes and sat quietly for a moment. “God of all comfort, please draw Julie and Ross close to Your heart. Be their strength, their comfort, and their healing. I pray that You would restore their hope, faith, and trust in You and each other. Help them believe that no matter what happens, You will use it for good in their lives. Father, give them grace to face the future one day at a time and to trust You with the outcome. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Ellen took her thumb and forefinger and dabbed her eyes. “You don’t have to face this alone.”

Julie nodded but seemed too overcome to say anything. She sat with her hands folded, her eyes closed, and seemed to be praying.

Ellen sat quietly and looked out at the pond. A couple with a small child was feeding the ducks. The little girl wore a pink sundress and matching bonnet. She threw something into the water that the ducks seemed happy to get, then jumped up and down and clapped. Ellen smiled. The child reminded her of Sarah Beth. She started to say something to Julie and then thought it might be too painful.

Ellen glanced at her watch and waited a few more minutes. “I should probably get you home. It’s almost one o’clock. Ross may already be there.”

Julie opened her eyes and looked over at Ellen. “Thanks for caring enough to listen and draw me out. I would never have realized how desperate I am for the Lord without your
willingness to risk stepping on my toes. For the first time in over a year, I feel His touch. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

“Me, too. The Lord obviously orchestrated this whole thing.”

Ellen got on her feet, Julie next to her, and headed toward the parking lot, amazed at how her perspective on the Hamiltons’ situation had changed.