Chapter 13 — THE WOMAN BEHIND THE TRIGGER
“Daddy… I killed her.”
Emma's tiny voice seemed to freeze the entire world.
I stared at my four-year-old daughter.
Rachel covered her mouth.
Mercer stopped beside the car.
For several seconds, none of us moved.
Then I crouched in front of Emma.
“Sweetheart, look at me.”
She wouldn't.
Her eyes were fixed on the photograph.
“Emma.”
Slowly, she looked up.
“You didn't kill anyone.”
Her lower lip trembled.
“I did.”
“No.”
“I pushed her.”
“Who?”
“Lily.”
Rachel suddenly knelt beside us.
“Emma, sweetheart, tell us exactly what happened.”
Emma squeezed her stuffed rabbit.
“She was crying.”
“When?”
“In the house.”
“What house?”
“The big house.”
“The Bennett estate?”
Emma nodded.
My heart began pounding.
“You've been there?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“I don't know.”
“You've never been there with me.”
Emma looked confused.
“Yes, Daddy.”
“You have?”
She nodded.
“Aunt Rachel took me.”
I looked at Rachel.
She immediately shook her head.
“No.”
Emma looked at her.
“You did.”
Rachel's face collapsed.
“I never took you there.”
“You did.”
“When?”
Emma pointed toward the photograph.
“When I was little.”
“You were four.”
Emma shook her head.
“Before that.”
I felt cold.
She was remembering something from infancy.
Or something someone had implanted in her memory.
I didn't know which possibility frightened me more.
“What happened to Lily?”
Emma stared at the ground.
“She wanted to go home.”
“Where was home?”
“The blue house.”
“What blue house?”
“I don't know.”
Rachel suddenly whispered,
“The Cross estate.”
I looked at her.
“You know it?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Outside Boston.”
Mercer interrupted.
“That property was demolished.”
Rachel shook her head.
“No.”
Mercer looked at her.
“It was.”
“They told everyone that.”
“Why would they lie?”
“Because there's a basement.”
I stared at her.
“A basement?”
Rachel nodded.
“Under the old house.”
“What happened there?”
She swallowed.
“That is where they kept the children.”
My stomach twisted.
I picked up Emma.
“We're not going anywhere near that place.”
Rachel looked at me.
“We have to.”
“No.”
“If Lily is alive—”
I froze.
“You just said she was dead.”
“I said she disappeared.”
“Emma said she killed her.”
“Emma was four.”
“She's four now.”
Rachel stared at my daughter.
“Exactly.”
Silence.
Then Emma whispered:
“Lily wasn't dead.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
“She got up.”
Rachel's eyes widened.
“What did she do?”
“She ran.”
“Where?”
“Outside.”
“Then what?”
“A man caught her.”
“What man?”
Emma closed her eyes.
“The man with Daddy's face.”
I felt my blood run cold.
“Daniel.”
Emma nodded.
“He took Lily away.”
I looked at Rachel.
“You knew.”
She shook her head.
“I didn't know she survived.”
“Then why did you say she disappeared?”
“Because that's what I was told.”
“By whom?”
“Your father.”
I stared at her.
“My father told you Lily disappeared?”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
Rachel began crying.
“Because he wanted you to stop looking.”
I didn't understand.
“Why would my father want me to stop looking for her?”
“Because Lily wasn't the only child Daniel wanted.”
I tightened my arms around Emma.
“Who else?”
Rachel whispered,
“You.”
I stared at her.
“When you were seven, Daniel tried to take you.”
The room went silent.
“What happened?”
“Your father stopped him.”
“Then why did my father die?”
Rachel looked at me.
“Because Daniel never stopped.”
A sudden noise came from the driveway.
We all turned.
The black SUV was gone.
Another vehicle sat across the street.
A dark sedan.
Engine running.
Mercer immediately stepped forward.
“Get inside.”
I pulled Emma close.
The sedan's window lowered.
A man looked toward us.
Then he raised his phone.
He took a photograph.
Mercer grabbed my shoulder.
“Move.”
We rushed inside.
I locked the door.
“Who was that?”
Mercer shook his head.
“Daniel's people.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they don't come alone.”
He pulled the curtains closed.
“We have to leave.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere safe.”
I looked at Rachel.
“She knows where safe is.”
Rachel shook her head.
“There isn't anywhere safe anymore.”
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Daniel's voice returned.
“You're asking Emma questions.”
I said nothing.
“You shouldn't.”
“What did you do to Lily?”
A long pause.
Then he laughed.
“You're finally asking the right question.”
“Where is she?”
“Alive.”
My heart slammed.
“Where?”
“Closer than you think.”
“Give her to me.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
“Lily isn't the child you think she is.”
“What does that mean?”
“She remembers everything.”
I looked at Emma.
Daniel continued.
“And soon she will remember you.”
The call ended.
I lowered the phone.
Rachel whispered,
“What did he say?”
I looked at her.
“He said Lily is alive.”
Rachel began shaking.
“Then we have to find her.”
I nodded.
But before we could move, Emma spoke.
“Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“I know where she is.”
I stared at her.
“Where?”
May you like
She pointed toward the wall.
“Under the house.”
