Family titles did not always care about genetics.
After Hannah died, Rebecca became one of the people Daniel trusted most.
That made what happened at the bus stop hurt differently.
“You knew Caleb was Luke’s brother.”
Rebecca removed her hat.
“I did.”
“Sit.”
They went to the kitchen.
Sophie stayed beside Daniel.
Rebecca did not attempt to send her away.
“Caleb transferred from Mercer County last summer,” Rebecca explained. “Same last name. Same hometown. I checked.”
“And?”
“I asked whether Luke Mercer was his brother.”
“What did he say?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
“He said they were not close.”
Daniel laughed without humor.
“Apparently close enough for Luke to send him to my child’s bus stop.”
Rebecca looked toward Sophie.
“We don’t know exactly what happened yet.”
“You keep saying we.”
“I’m speaking as a sergeant.”
“Then speak as Rebecca.”
She was quiet.
Daniel waited.
Finally she said, “I think Caleb got manipulated.”
“By Luke?”
“Yes.”
“And decided being manipulated gave him authority to detain me?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Rebecca sighed.
“I’m not defending what he did.”
“Then don’t soften it.”
“I’m trying not to make conclusions before I have records.”
Daniel leaned back.
“Fair.”
Rebecca took out a small notebook.
“Caleb accessed Sophie’s address through the department database this morning.”
Daniel went still.
Sophie did not understand the significance.
He did.
“Why?”
“That is one of the things Internal Affairs will ask.”
“He looked up my daughter?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“10:14.”
The bus arrived at 3:26.
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“He planned this.”
“Possibly.”
“Rebecca.”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t happen to see us.”
“No.”
That mattered.
Daniel looked toward the window.
Five hours before the school bus arrived, Officer Caleb Mercer had used a law-enforcement database to find Sophie’s address.
Then positioned himself near her stop.
That was not concern appearing in the moment.
That was a decision.
“Did Luke tell him to do it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Can you get his phone?”
“Not casually.”
Daniel nodded.
Of course.
“Then what?”
“He’s been placed on administrative duty effective immediately.”
“Not suspension?”
“Daniel.”
“He used police access to locate a seven-year-old child in his brother’s custody dispute.”
“Yes.”
“Then confronted her legal father.”
“Yes.”
“Turned off his camera.”
“We don’t know whether that was intentional.”
Daniel stared.
Rebecca corrected herself.
“His camera was not recording. We don’t yet know why.”
“That is the kind of sentence lawyers write when everybody in the room knows exactly why.”
Sophie looked between them.
Daniel noticed and stopped.
Rebecca did too.
She changed direction.
“Sophie.”