Chapter 20 - Otis Frame Calls Caleb
At 2:11 a.m., Caleb’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered from the hospital hallway.
“Major Rourke?”
The voice was weak.
Older.
“Who is this?”
“Otis Frame.”
Caleb moved away from Lily’s room.
“Where are you?”
“Not safe.”
“Police are searching for you.”
“Some of them searched for me before.”
Caleb understood.
Otis did not know which officers belonged to Warren.
“Why call me?”
“Because the girl trusted you.”
Caleb’s throat tightened.
“What did you tell Lily?”
“The truth.”
“What truth?”
“That Warren paid people to hide deaths, destroy evidence, and steal land. I kept copies.”
“Where?”
Otis coughed violently.
“Not over the phone.”
“You rescued Lily.”
“Yes.”
“Why leave her?”
“I didn’t. Pike arrived. Then Warren’s men took me.”
“How did you escape?”
“They believed I died.”
“Where are you?”
Another long cough.
Then Otis named an abandoned hunting cabin two counties north.
Caleb contacted Detective Mills without ending the call.
State tactical officers moved toward the location.
Otis continued speaking.
“I did terrible things for Warren.”
“Then testify.”
“He will kill anyone near me.”
“He tried to kill my daughter.”
“I know.”
Caleb’s voice became cold.
“If you want to repay even one thing, stay alive long enough to put him away.”
Silence.
Then Otis said, “There is something you must know about Meredith.”
Caleb closed his eyes.
“What?”
“She tried to stop him before the fire.”
“She admitted she didn’t call police.”
“She did call.”
Caleb opened his eyes.
“Who answered?”
“Chief Bell.”
Millstone’s police chief.
A longtime friend of Warren.
Meredith told him Lily was in danger.
Bell called Warren instead of dispatching officers.
Warren then took Meredith’s phone and destroyed it.
Meredith had failed her daughter.
But she had not done nothing.
The system she trusted delivered her warning directly to the man she feared.
👉 Otis revealed Meredith had tried to call for help—but Millstone’s police chief warned Warren instead of saving Lily.
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