Page 109 of He Sees You
A girl, maybe thirteen, dark hair like Juliette's.
She's wearing Juliette's dress—the yellow one Patricia bought for Easter.
I remember Juliette saying she lost it, Patricia flying into a rage about carelessness, making Juliette stand in the corner for three hours as punishment.
But she hadn't lost it.
They'd given it to another girl, a temporary replacement, a practice run.
The girl in the photo has bruises on her arms.
Fresh ones.
Richard's work, probably—he always grabbed too hard when he was excited.
My hands shake as I set these aside.
Evidence.
All of it evidence that should have put them away for life if anyone had been looking.
The third drawer is locked differently, with a combination rather than a key.
I try Richard's birthday, Patricia's, their anniversary.
Nothing.
Then, on instinct, I try my adoption date—the day they acquired me.
The lock clicks open.
Richard's posthumous joke—using the day he acquired me to lock away his darkest secrets.
Inside is a single manila folder labeled "Insurance."
The first document is a contract.
Sterling's signature at the bottom, dated twenty-five years ago.
He's agreeing to provide "safe passage" through his jurisdiction in exchange for monthly payments of $10,000.
More than his annual salary every month.
But it's the addendums that reveal the true horror.
Sterling didn't just look the other way.
He actively participated.
Arrest records destroyed for men who asked too many questions.
Witnesses intimidated into silence.
Missing person reports that were never filed.
Three girls who tried to escape in 1998—Sterling is the one who brought them back.
Their names are listed: Maria Santos, Jennifer Wu, Ashley Brennan.
