Chapter 2: The Voice on the Drive
Lily was asleep before we reached my apartment.
I carried her inside without waking her.
Her rabbit dangled from one hand, its long ears brushing against my leg with every step.
I tucked her into bed.
She stirred.
“Mommy?””
“I'm here.””
“Don't go.””
I sat beside her.
“I won't.””
She opened her eyes just enough to look at me.
“Promise?””
I brushed her hair away from her forehead.
“Promise.””
When she fell asleep again, I stayed there for another minute.
Then I walked into the living room and closed the bedroom door.
Zoe was standing beside my coffee table.
The flash drive sat between us.
Neither of us touched it.
Finally, I said, “Tell me what you found.””
Zoe lowered herself onto the couch.
“Mom asked me to help clean the storage room last weekend.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with Mark?””
“His old phone was in one of the boxes.””
“Why was Mark's phone at Mom's house?””
“He left it there after we helped Dad move some furniture last year.””
I stared at her.
“Does it still work?””
“No. The battery is dead.””
“Then how did you get the recording?””
Zoe hesitated.
“There was a backup.””
My stomach turned.
“A cloud backup?””
“Something like that.””
“Zoe.””
She rubbed her hands together.
“I wasn't looking for anything private. I swear.””
“I believe you.””
“I found a folder with Mark's name.””
“What was in it?””
“Photos. Notes. Voice recordings.””
My mouth went dry.
“And you listened?””
“Only one.””
“Why?””
“Because I recognized Megan's voice.””
The room seemed to shrink.
I sat across from her.
“Play it.””
Zoe didn't move.
“Are you sure?””
“No.””
She looked at me.
I corrected myself.
“But play it anyway.””
She opened her laptop.
The small speakers clicked.
A waveform appeared.
Then static.
A door closing.
A man's voice.
Mark.
“I told you not to do that again.””
My heart stopped.
Megan answered.
“She grabbed my arm.””
“She is five.””
“She scratched me.””
“Because you took her rabbit.””
There was a pause.
Then Megan laughed.
“You're making this sound much worse than it was.””
My fingers dug into the couch cushion.
Zoe looked at me.
I shook my head.
“Keep playing.””
Mark spoke again.
“You scared her.””
“She needs to learn.””
“No.””
His voice was sharper now.
“No, Megan. She doesn't.””
Megan sighed.
“You're getting sentimental.””
“She's a child.””
“And?””
“And you don't touch her.””
Silence.
Then Megan said, “You promised Mom you wouldn't make this a family issue.””
Mark replied, “It becomes a family issue when you hurt my daughter.””
My breath caught.
For one brief second, relief flickered inside me.
There he was.
The Mark I knew.
The father who once sat beside Lily's hospital bed all night when she had a fever.
The man who built her a bookshelf because she said princesses needed somewhere to keep their books.
The husband who used to kiss my forehead before leaving for work.
Maybe I had misunderstood tonight.
Maybe there was an explanation.
Then Megan spoke.
“You're acting like I murdered someone.””
Mark sighed.
“She was crying.””
“She always cries.””
“She was terrified.””
“She'll get over it.””
“No.””
Mark's voice dropped.
“She won't.””
Another pause.
Then Megan said quietly, “You're going to tell Chloe?””
Mark didn't answer.
“Mark?””
Still nothing.
Megan laughed.
“You're not.””
“Just stop.””
“You won't tell her.””
“I said stop.””
“You never tell her anything that might upset the family.””
My skin went cold.
The recording crackled.
Then Mark said something that made my breathing stop.
“She can't know.””
Zoe paused the audio.
Silence filled the room.
I stared at the laptop.
“What did he mean?””
“I don't know.””
“Play it.””
“Chloe—”
“Play it.””
Zoe pressed the button.
Megan's voice returned.
“You're scared of her finding out.””
“I'm trying to protect my family.””
“Which one?””
Mark didn't answer.
Megan continued.
“You know Mom will blame you.””
“I know.””
“And Dad will say you should have handled it.””
“I know.””
“So?””
Mark exhaled.
“So I'll deal with it.””
“How?””
“I'll make sure it doesn't happen again.””
Megan laughed.
“You said that last time.””
I froze.
Zoe froze.
The audio continued.
Mark's voice was almost a whisper.
“You promised me.””
“I promised you what?””
“That you wouldn't touch her again.””
Megan's tone changed.
“You're making this a bigger deal than it is.””
“No. I'm saying if Chloe finds out—”
“She won't.””
“And if she does?””
Megan laughed softly.
“Then you'll do what you always do.””
“What does that mean?””
“You'll choose your family.””
The recording ended.
The laptop screen remained open.
I couldn't move.
Zoe reached across the table and closed it.
“Chloe…”
I looked at her.
“How many times?””
“I don't know.””
“How many times did Megan hurt Lily?””
“I don't know.””
“You said this was proof.””
“It proves Mark knew.””
“That isn't an answer.””
Zoe's eyes filled with tears.
“I found another file.””
My stomach dropped.
“What file?””
“A note.””
“What kind of note?””
“Something Mark wrote.””
She pulled out her phone.
“I took a picture of it.””
She turned the screen toward me.
It was a photograph of a handwritten page.
I recognized Mark's handwriting immediately.
The words were short.
Talked to Megan again.
She says she understands.
Need to keep Chloe away from family arguments.
Lily is asking questions.
If Chloe learns what happened in the basement, everything changes.
I stared at the last sentence.
“What happened in the basement?””
Zoe looked away.
“I don't know.””
“Zoe.””
“I don't know.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I found the note after I heard the recording.””
I stood.
My chair scraped the floor.
“What basement?””
“Your in-laws' basement.””
My pulse began racing.
“Why would Mark write that?””
“I don't know.””
“What happened there?””
“I don't know.””
I walked to the window.
Across the street, someone's Christmas lights were already hanging.
Red.
Green.
Gold.
Perfect little circles of light.
My reflection stared back at me.
I looked exhausted.
Older.
Almost unfamiliar.
Then my phone buzzed.
I turned.
A message from Mark.
*Can we talk?*
Another message appeared.
*I need you to trust me.*
I stared at the screen.
Zoe stood behind me.
“Don't answer.””
The phone buzzed again.
This time, it wasn't a message.
It was a photo.
I opened it.
My blood went cold.
It was Lily.
Taken months ago.
She was standing in the basement of Mark's parents' house.
Beside her was Megan.
And in the background, barely visible beneath the stairs, was a dark red stain on the concrete floor.
A fourth message appeared.
*You need to ask Zoe what happened that night.*
I looked up.
Zoe's face had gone completely white.
“Why,” I whispered, “does Mark know you have the recording?””
Zoe didn't answer.
May you like
Instead, she looked toward the front door.
Someone had just knocked.
