Chapter 7 - DENISEDenise had not been there when Eli fell.
Phone location and a grocery receipt supported that.
She was at Martin’s Market.
Buying food for a cookout scheduled at Dad’s house the next day.
Time of checkout:
5:17 p.m.
That yellow coupon had printed from her transaction.
How did Eli get it?
Denise carried the groceries to Dad’s house.
The yellow coupon remained in the bag.
She went downstairs after Mark called her.
Eli was sitting against the wall.
One shoe off.
Breathing shallowly because of rib pain.
Denise said:
“He needs a hospital.”
Mark said:
“He’s fine.”
Charles said:
“He fell six steps, not off a roof.”
Eli asked Denise:
“Call my dad.”
She did not.
Why?
According to her later interview:
“Mark said Eli had stolen financial data and threatened the company.”
Threatened?
He had copied invoices.
But fear changes nouns.
Denise brought him water.
Found an ice pack.
Helped him put his injured wrist on a folded towel.
All of that looked caring.
Then she stayed while two men refused to let an injured fifteen-year-old leave.
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Care inside captivity is not the same as stopping captivity.
She would learn that later.
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