Chapter 2: The Name Mom Buried
The bedroom window opened with a soft click.
Cold air rushed across my face.
I climbed onto the sill, still clutching the phone.
Below me, two men stood beside a black SUV.
One looked up.
"Emily!""
I almost screamed.
"It's okay," he called.
"We're here to get you.""
Behind me, Dad pounded on the door again.
"Don't listen to them!""
I flinched.
The man below raised his hands.
"Emily, I'm Agent Cole. Look at me.""
I looked down.
He had a badge in one hand.
"Your mother is alive.""
That was all I needed to hear.
I climbed out.
Agent Cole caught my arm as I dropped onto the grass.
"You hurt?""
I shook my head.
Then I touched my cheek.
He saw the red mark.
His expression hardened.
"Did your father do that?""
I couldn't answer.
I didn't need to.
Two agents rushed past us into the house.
The front door burst open.
Voices filled the rooms.
"Hands where I can see them!""
"Down on your knees!""
"Don't move!""
I stood barefoot in the yard, watching my home become a crime scene.
Then Mom appeared at the doorway.
Her hair was wet.
Her face was bruised.
She looked smaller than she'd ever looked to me.
"Emily.""
I ran to her.
She caught me so tightly I could barely breathe.
"I'm sorry," she whispered into my hair.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Her arms tightened.
"I wanted to.""
"Then why didn't you?""
She pulled back.
Her eyes went to the phone in my hand.
Her face changed.
"Where did you get that?""
"Beneath my mattress.""
Mom stared at it.
"Emily...""
"You told me to call Ryan if Dad hurt us.""
She looked toward the house.
Dad was being led outside between two agents.
For the first time in my life, I saw fear in his eyes that wasn't meant for me.
It was meant for someone else.
Ryan.
Mom took my hand.
"Not here.""
Agent Cole approached.
"Mrs. Walker, we need to move.""
Mom nodded.
"Can I take my daughter?""
"She's already cleared.""
Mom looked at me.
"Come on.""
We were taken to a government building forty minutes away.
No one told me where we were going.
No one let us use our phones.
The windows were dark.
Every time I asked a question, Mom said the same thing.
"You're safe.""
I hated those words.
Because every time adults told me I was safe, something terrible happened next.
We entered a small room with gray walls.
A woman placed a cup of water in front of me.
"My name is Agent Harper.""
I didn't touch it.
"Where's Dad?""
Harper glanced at Mom.
"Your father has been detained.""
"For what?""
"Domestic assault is one matter.""
She paused.
"The other matter is much larger.""
I looked at Mom.
"What did he do?""
Mom lowered her eyes.
"He didn't do what you think.""
"Then what did he do?""
She squeezed her hands together.
"Your father was never supposed to find us.""
The room became very quiet.
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
Mom finally looked at me.
"Emily, do you remember when you were six and we moved from Ohio?""
"Yes.""
"Do you remember what I told you?""
"That Dad got a new job.""
"He didn't.""
I frowned.
"Then why did we move?""
Mom's lips trembled.
"Because we were hiding.""
Agent Harper leaned forward.
"Your mother entered federal witness protection seven years ago.""
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because my brain didn't know what else to do.
"Witness protection?""
Mom nodded.
"Against who?""
She looked at the ceiling.
"Someone who was supposed to be dead.""
I felt the room getting colder.
"Who?""
Before she could answer, the door opened.
Agent Cole stepped inside.
"Sarah, we have a problem.""
Mom stood.
"What happened?""
"Your husband knew about the safe house.""
"He couldn't.""
"He did.""
Cole put a folder on the table.
"We found these in his office.""
Mom stared at the folder.
"How?""
"He had photographs.""
He opened it.
The first picture showed me walking into school.
The second showed Mom buying groceries.
The third showed our house.
I stopped breathing.
"How long?""
Cole looked at Mom.
"At least eight months.""
Mom covered her mouth.
I stared at the photographs.
"Then why didn't he kill us?""
No one answered.
I looked at Mom.
"Why?""
She whispered, "Because he was looking for something.""
"What?""
She didn't respond.
I grabbed the folder.
"Mom.""
She finally said it.
"The phone.""
I looked down at the black phone in my hand.
"What's on it?""
"Nothing.""
"There's one number.""
"I know.""
"Who is Ryan?""
Mom's face went white.
Agent Cole closed the folder.
"That's what we need to find out.""
The phone suddenly vibrated.
All three adults froze.
I looked at the screen.
There was no incoming call.
No message.
Just a notification.
A photo had appeared.
I opened it.
It showed me standing in the government building hallway.
Someone had taken it only seconds earlier.
Beneath the picture were six words:
*YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE CALLED HIM.*
Mom grabbed my wrist.
"Give me the phone.""
I pulled it away.
"Why?""
"Emily, give it to me.""
"No!""
The lights flickered.
Agent Cole reached for his weapon.
Then every monitor in the room went black.
A second later, the phone rang.
Ryan.
Mom stared at the screen.
She whispered one sentence.
"That's impossible.""
I answered.
"Hello?""
Ryan didn't say hello.
He said,
"Emily, listen carefully. Your mother has lied to you about why she entered witness protection.""
I looked at Mom.
Ryan continued.
"And your father isn't the person you're supposed to be afraid of.""
The call ended.
Then the locked door behind us opened by itself.
A man stepped into the room.
May you like
Mom screamed.
"Ryan?""
