Chapter 7: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
“Come inside, Chloe.””
The voice drifted through the cabin door.
I knew it.
Not because I had heard it often.
Because I had heard it once.
On a recording.
Eleanor.
Mark’s mother.
A woman who had supposedly died eleven months earlier.
I stood frozen in the rain.
Beside me, Zoe whispered, “That’s impossible.””
The police officers raised their weapons.
“Everyone stay back!””
But I couldn't.
“Lily!””
A small hand appeared against the upstairs window.
“Mommy!””
I took one step forward.
An officer grabbed my arm.
“Ma’am, stay behind the vehicle.””
“That’s my daughter!””
“We're going in.””
“Then let me come.””
“No.””
A gunshot exploded from inside the cabin.
Lily screamed.
I stopped breathing.
The officers rushed the door.
“Police! Drop your weapon!””
Nothing.
Then the front door opened.
Megan stepped into the doorway.
Her hair was wet.
Her face was strangely calm.
She raised both hands.
“I don't have a weapon.””
The officers shouted at her to get on her knees.
Megan obeyed.
I stared at her.
“Where is Lily?””
She looked directly at me.
“Upstairs.””
“Is she hurt?””
“No.””
“Where's Michael?””
Megan smiled faintly.
“He's waiting for you.””
The officer beside me stepped forward.
“Hands behind your back.””
Megan turned her wrists.
As they cuffed her, she kept watching me.
“You really should have listened to Mark.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did you do to my daughter?””
“Nothing.””
“Why did you take her?””
Megan's smile disappeared.
“Because she knows what you don't.””
Then the upstairs window shattered.
I screamed.
“LILY!””
The police stormed inside.
I ran after them.
The cabin was chaos.
Furniture overturned.
Glass everywhere.
A hallway stretched toward the back.
“Clear!””
“Left side clear!””
“Upstairs!””
I heard footsteps pounding overhead.
Then silence.
I ran up the stairs.
“Lily!””
A bedroom door stood open.
The room was empty.
There was only a stuffed rabbit on the floor.
Bunny.
I dropped to my knees.
“No.””
Zoe came up behind me.
“Chloe…”
I picked up the rabbit.
It was warm.
Still warm.
“She was here.””
The officer searched the room.
“Window's broken from the inside.””
I looked down.
There was blood on the floor.
Not much.
A few drops.
My heart stopped.
“That's Lily's.””
The officer crouched.
“We don't know that yet.””
I looked around.
Then I saw the wall.
Someone had written a message in red.
*SHE REMEMBERED.*
Zoe covered her mouth.
“What did she remember?””
A floorboard creaked behind us.
We spun around.
Mark stood at the top of the stairs.
He was soaked.
His face was pale.
I rushed toward him.
“Where is Lily?””
“I don't know.””
“You were supposed to be watching the back.””
“I was.””
“You lost her?””
“I didn't see her leave.””
I slapped him.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
Mark didn't defend himself.
“You knew about the trust.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Megan controlled it.””
“Yes.””
“You knew your father left eight million dollars to our daughter.””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me.””
“I was trying to keep you safe.””
“From eight million dollars?””
“No.””
“Then from what?””
Mark looked toward the empty bedroom.
“From my family.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Your family kidnapped our daughter.””
“I know.””
“You lied to me.””
“I know.””
“You let me believe Megan's behavior was some stupid family argument.””
“I know.””
“You watched Lily get hurt.””
His eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
I stepped closer.
“Why?””
Mark looked at me.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“That they'd kill you.””
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
“Who?””
“My father.””
“He's dead.””
“Yes.””
“And Eleanor?””
“Dead.””
“Then who is giving orders?””
Mark's expression changed.
“I don't know.””
A voice came from downstairs.
“You always did lie badly, Mark.””
Megan.
We looked over the railing.
She stood in the living room, still handcuffed.
An officer stood behind her.
She was smiling.
“You know exactly who.””
Mark went rigid.
“Megan, stop.””
She laughed.
“Tell her.””
“Shut up.””
“Tell Chloe what happened after Dad died.””
I looked at Mark.
“What happened?””
Megan's eyes gleamed.
“He didn't die.””
My blood turned cold.
“What?””
Mark shook his head.
“Megan—”
“Our father disappeared.””
She leaned toward me.
“His body was never identified.””
I stared at her.
“Then whose funeral did I attend?””
“An empty coffin.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Mark whispered, “Megan.””
She continued.
“Dad planned everything. The trust. The recordings. The cameras.””
“Why?””
“To find out who would betray him.””
I looked at Mark.
“And you?””
Megan smiled.
“Mark failed the test.””
“Enough.””
“You stole the evidence.””
“Enough!””
“You hid the money.””
“I never touched it.””
“You lied to Chloe.””
Mark's face crumpled.
Megan turned toward me.
“And now your daughter knows where he is.””
My voice barely worked.
“Where?””
Megan looked upstairs.
“Ask Lily.””
I felt something cold move through my chest.
“She isn't here.””
Megan smiled.
“She is.””
“What?””
Megan looked at the wall behind me.
I followed her gaze.
There was a narrow wooden panel.
Almost invisible.
I touched it.
It moved.
A hidden doorway opened.
Behind it was a narrow staircase leading down.
The smell hit me first.
Damp concrete.
Mold.
And something metallic.
Blood.
I looked at Mark.
He whispered:
“No.””
Then a child's voice came from below.
“Mommy?””
I ran down.
The hidden staircase opened into a room beneath the cabin.
Lily was sitting on the floor.
Her hands were tied with a scarf.
Her face was wet with tears.
“Mommy!””
I dropped beside her.
“Oh God.””
I pulled her into my arms.
She clung to me.
“I knew you'd come.””
“I've got you.””
“Mommy, don't let Daddy take me.””
I looked over her shoulder.
“Daddy isn't taking you anywhere.””
She shook her head.
“Not Daddy.””
“Then who?””
She pointed behind me.
“Grandpa.””
I turned.
The room was empty.
Except for a chair.
And an old television.
The screen flickered.
Then a man's face appeared.
Gray hair.
Deep-set eyes.
A familiar mouth.
I had seen him in family photographs.
Mark's father.
Daniel Hale.
Alive.
He looked directly into the camera.
“Hello, Chloe.””
Mark entered the room behind me.
He stopped dead.
“Dad.””
Daniel smiled.
“I knew you'd come.””
May you like
The screen went black.
Then the door behind us slammed shut.
