Chapter 3 - The Missing Hours
Natalie had left Eli with Linda on Friday afternoon.
She was scheduled to work a double shift at a Dallas hotel.
Linda complained that Natalie relied too much on babysitters and insisted that family should help.
Natalie reluctantly agreed.
For years, Linda had criticized nearly every choice Natalie made.
Her job.
Her divorce.
Her apartment.
Even the way she raised Eli.
Rachel was worse.
She smiled during insults and called them advice.
On Saturday morning, Natalie texted to check on Eli.
Linda replied that he was playing in the yard.
At noon, Natalie called.
No answer.
At one thirty, Rachel sent a message saying Eli was taking a nap.
At three, firefighters found him unconscious inside the shed.
The timeline contained almost three missing hours.
Detective Harris asked to examine Linda’s phone.
She refused without a warrant.
Rachel claimed her phone had fallen into a sink.
But the nurse standing near the doorway noticed something else.
Rachel still wore a smartwatch.
Its screen displayed recent notifications.
When Harris asked about it, Rachel quickly covered it with her sleeve.
Natalie watched her.
She had known Rachel since childhood.
Rachel was never careless with technology.
She was hiding something.
Harris obtained a warrant before sunset.
By then, someone had remotely erased Rachel’s phone.
But the smartwatch had preserved part of a voice message.
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Only seven words remained audible:
“Keep him there until he tells us.”
