Where were they taking her when the car crashed?
Was Vine planning to kill her?
Too many questions.
His phone buzzed. Mark was uncharacteristically breathless. “I can’t believe it, but I’m happy that Evangeline Moffit is alive.”
“Yes, it is a great discovery.”
“I just got off a three-way call with San Bernardino and Long Beach. We are all working together now.”
“That’s good news as well. There’s some evidence from the crash that needs to go to our lab. There were three damaged phones—”
“Already at the lab. San Bernardino sent them. We’re trying to find any connection to Stan and/or Vine. The only bad news is they fear the damage is too extensive.”
“Well thanks for that information.” Ben glanced back toward Evie’s cubicle. Lainie had finished speaking to her sister and stood to confer with Dr. Hardin. He handed her some Kleenex. She blew her nose, and the two of them left the cubicle and walked toward the nurses’ station.
“I’ll let you go, Mark. Call you when I’m back in Long Beach.” He disconnected as Lainie approached him.
“Boy, that smells good.” She pointed at the In-N-Out bags, and for a second their gazes locked.
He smiled, glad to see some light back in her eyes. “It’s cold, but I’m sure it still tastes good.” He handed her a bag with a cold burger and soggy fries in it.
“I’m so hungry the temperature won’t matter.” The two of them took the food to the waiting room to scarf it down. While they ate, it did his heart good to see the change in her. She was animated, hopeful.
“Thanks for bringing the food,” she said, mouth full of her first bite.
“No problem. I was hungry as well. I only wish that I’d gotten here a little bit sooner. Maybe I could have stopped that guy.”
She shrugged and swallowed. “He wasn’t able to do what he came here for, so that makes me happy.”
“Shea and Collins will be here soon; I expect the San Bernardino County detective will be here first. They’ll probably want to fingerprint your sister, only to officially verify.”
She nodded. “I’m fine with that. I’m fine with just about everything right now. I’m just happy to know that Evie is alive. After my parents get here, I’m sure my focus will shift.” She glanced toward her sister’s cubicle. “Questions, I have so many questions. If Vine took her when Stan said he did, where did she go? Where did he keep her? Dr. Hardin said that when she was first admitted to the hospital, it appeared as if she’d been restrained for some time before the crash. A lot of her bruises were old, not from the crash.”
“I’ve been asking myself those same questions,” Ben said. “If we believe your brother-in-law, Vine took her and held her captive. Why were they on the move? Where were they taking her when they crashed?”
She nodded, chewing.
“What did your parents say when you told them?”
Lainie shook her head. “I didn’t have the words. I called Mike and asked that he bring them here. It’s too monumental to have them drive all this way.”
“I get it.”
“You must be thinking about Efren right now.”
Again, he held her gaze and saw compassion and understanding in her eyes. He could admit that it hurt right now. This was a miracle for sure, that Evangeline was alive. Was it possible Efren would be found alive through another miracle?
“I am. I pray continually. I have to rest in the knowledge that God is in control, no matter the outcome for Efren. It seems like ages ago when I spoke to your sister about him, and after all this time to—”
“You spoke to my sister?”
Ben swallowed. “I did. When Efren failed to check in, I met with her and asked if she’d heard anything from him. Despite what Stan told you, Efren knew him and your sister well.”
Anger built in her eyes, and it was justified. “When was this?”
“If we go by what Stan told you, the day before Vine took her.”
