Chapter 7: My Daughter Had Disappeared
For three seconds, I couldn't understand what Vanessa was saying.
Emma was gone.
My four-year-old daughter, who had spent the previous night clinging to me because she was afraid of her own bedroom, had disappeared while I was trying to uncover the truth about my dead wife.
I ran out of Michael's house without saying goodbye.
"Daniel!"" Michael shouted behind me.
"Wait!""
I didn't stop.
I called Rebecca as I reached my car. The call went straight to voicemail. I called again, then sent three messages asking her to tell me where Emma was.
Nothing.
Vanessa called a second time.
"Where are you?"" I demanded as soon as I answered.
"At home.""
"Who took Emma?""
"I told you, Rebecca came to collect her.""
"Why did you let them leave?""
"Because Rebecca said she wanted to take Emma somewhere quiet! I thought you had agreed to it!""
"I never agreed to anything.""
"Daniel, please, I don't know what's happening.""
Her voice cracked on the last word.
I had heard that sound before. It was the voice she used when she wanted me to believe she was frightened, overwhelmed, and desperately trying to do the right thing.
This time, I wasn't sure whether the fear was real.
"Listen carefully," I said.
"If you've done anything to Emma, I will find out.""
"How can you say that to me?""
"Because my daughter is missing.""
I ended the call.
As I drove, I contacted the local police and reported Emma missing, giving them her description, what she had been wearing, and the circumstances of her disappearance. I told them about the custody arrangements, the security footage, and my concerns about Vanessa. I also gave them Rebecca's name and address.
The officer on the phone told me not to confront anyone or attempt to handle the situation alone.
I promised I wouldn't.
Then I drove home.
Vanessa was standing in the hallway when I arrived. She had wrapped a cardigan around herself, and her hair hung loose around her face. The front door stood open behind her.
"Where is she?"" I asked.
"I don't know.""
"Show me your phone.""
Her eyes widened.
"What?""
"Show me the messages between you and Rebecca.""
"Daniel, this is insane.""
"Show me.""
For a moment, she looked as though she might refuse.
Then she thrust her phone toward me.
The conversation was short.
Rebecca had messaged her at 9:14 a.m.
I'm taking Emma for a little while. She needs a break from all this tension.
Vanessa had replied.
Where are you taking her?
Rebecca's answer was:
Somewhere safe.
There were no further messages.
I checked the timestamps.
Rebecca had sent her last message at 9:19 a.m. It was now 10:07.
"Did you speak to her after that?""
"No.""
"Did she call?""
"No.""
"Did you try to contact her?""
Vanessa shook her head.
I looked at her.
"You didn't try to call my daughter?""
"Rebecca said she needed space. I thought you would be with them.""
"I was with Michael.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
Only slightly, but enough.
"You told Michael about the recordings?""
I stared at her.
"My daughter is missing, and you're worried about the recordings?""
"I'm worried about everything!""
She snatched her phone back.
"You have turned this house upside down. You have accused me of things I never did. You have dragged Michael into this, and now Rebecca has taken Emma somewhere without telling either of us where she's going.""
I stepped closer.
"Did you tell Rebecca to take her?""
"No!""
"Did you tell her where to go?""
"No!""
"Then why did you ask me whether I told Michael about the recordings?""
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Then she looked toward the stairs.
"I need to sit down.""
She walked into the living room and lowered herself onto the sofa.
I remained standing.
For months, I had interpreted her tears as proof of her sincerity. Her composure as proof of her innocence. Her anger as proof that she had been unfairly accused.
Now I understood that none of those things proved anything.
"Vanessa," I said, "I want you to tell me exactly what happened the last time you saw Emma.""
She pressed her fingers against her temples.
"She was upstairs. I was in the kitchen. Rebecca rang the bell, and I let her in.
She said she wanted to take Emma to the park. Emma came downstairs with Bunny, and they left.""
"What time?""
"Just after nine.""
"Did Emma seem frightened?""
Vanessa looked up sharply.
"No.""
"Did she say anything?""
"She asked Rebecca whether they were going somewhere quiet.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did Rebecca say?""
"She said yes.""
"And then?""
Vanessa looked away.
"Emma asked whether she could bring Bunny.""
I felt a painful pressure in my chest.
"That's all?""
"Yes.""
I studied her face.
Then I asked, "Did Rebecca say anything about Rachel's recording?""
Vanessa went completely still.
The silence lasted only a second.
But it was enough.
"What recording?"" she asked.
I didn't answer.
Instead, I took out my phone and showed her the note Michael had given me.
If Daniel ever learns what happened in Room 312, tell him to look at the original recording.
Vanessa read it.
Her face drained of color.
"Where did you get that?""
"Michael.""
She stood abruptly.
"He had no right to give you that.""
"Why?""
"Because it belongs to Rachel.""
"That's exactly why I want it.""
Vanessa backed away from the phone.
"Daniel, you don't understand what you're doing.""
"Then explain it.""
She shook her head.
"Not here.""
"Where?""
"Not while Emma is missing.""
I laughed once, without humor.
"You don't get to decide when I learn the truth.""
Vanessa looked toward the hallway camera.
Then she whispered, "Rachel didn't want you to hear the recording.""
I felt the room tilt.
"How do you know?""
She swallowed.
"Because she told me.""
"What did she say?""
"She said if you ever listened to it, you would never be able to look at me the same way again.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because she knew what happened that night.""
Before I could ask another question, my phone rang.
It was Rebecca.
I answered immediately.
"Where is Emma?""
"Daniel, listen to me. I'm so sorry.""
"Where is she?""
"I don't know.""
My heart seemed to stop.
"What do you mean, you don't know?""
"I took her to the park. She wanted to see the ducks, so I sat on a bench while she played beside the pond. I turned away for a moment to answer a call, and when I looked back, she was gone.""
I gripped the phone so tightly that my fingers hurt.
"How long ago?""
"About twenty minutes.""
"Why didn't you call me immediately?""
"I did. You didn't answer.""
I checked my phone.
There were two missed calls from Rebecca.
I had been driving.
"Did you see anyone near her?""
"There was a man walking a dog. A woman pushing a stroller. I don't know, Daniel. I was only looking away for a few seconds.""
"Which park?""
"Willow Creek.""
I turned toward the door.
"Stay there. Don't leave. The police are coming.""
I ended the call and ran outside.
Vanessa followed me.
"Daniel, wait!""
I turned.
"Stay here.""
"I'm coming with you.""
"No.""
"She's my daughter too!""
The words escaped before she could stop them.
We both went still.
My daughter.
Not her daughter.
Emma was Rachel's daughter, and Vanessa had spent months trying to make the little girl forget that.
I looked at her.
"You don't get to call her that.""
Vanessa's face crumpled.
Then she said something that made me hesitate.
"Daniel, if she's gone to the place Rachel used to take her, you won't find her at the park.""
I stared at her.
"What place?""
Vanessa looked toward the street.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely afraid of what she was about to say.
"The old house.""
"What old house?""
"The house where Rachel grew up.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Rachel's childhood home had been sold years before I met her. Her parents had moved into a smaller apartment after her father died, and the old house had passed to another family.
Emma had never been there.
Or so I thought.
"Why would Emma go there?"" I asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"Because Rachel used to take her there when she was little. She said there was a hiding place in the garden. A place where nobody could find you.""
My phone rang again.
This time, the number was unknown.
I answered.
A small voice came through the speaker.
"Daddy?""
I stopped breathing.
"Emma?""
"Daddy, I found Mommy's house.""
I closed my eyes.
"Sweetheart, where are you?""
"I don't know.""
Her voice trembled.
"There's a big tree. And a little door.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She had gone completely pale.
"Emma, listen to me. Stay where you are. Don't open any doors. Daddy is coming.""
Then I heard another voice in the background.
A woman's voice.
Soft.
Familiar.
"Emma, sweetheart, give me the phone.""
Emma gasped.
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Then I looked at Vanessa.
"Who was that?""
She didn't answer.
"Who was with my daughter?""
Vanessa's lips parted.
But before she could speak, my phone received a message.
It was a photograph of Emma standing beside an old wooden gate.
Behind her was a house I had never seen.
May you like
Beneath the photograph were six words.
Come alone if you want her back.
