Chapter 12: Where Is My Daughter?
The room disappeared around me.
I heard Emily saying Lily's name.
I heard Rebecca stand.
I heard Robert ask what happened.
But all I could see was Margaret.
She wasn't shocked.
That was the first thing I noticed.
Everyone else panicked.
Margaret didn't.
I crossed the room.
"Where is she?""
Margaret frowned.
"What?""
"Lily.""
"I don't know.""
"Look at me.""
"Daniel—"
"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?""
Emily grabbed my arm.
"Anna's talking.""
I forced myself to turn.
Emily put the phone on speaker.
Her sister was crying.
"I went upstairs for maybe two minutes.""
"Was the door locked?"" Emily asked.
"Yes.""
"Did anyone come inside?""
"I don't think so.""
"Anna, think.""
"I heard the doorbell earlier.""
My heart stopped.
"When?""
"About twenty minutes ago.""
"Who was it?""
"Nobody was there.""
Rebecca looked at Margaret.
Margaret looked away.
I stepped toward her.
"Who did you call?""
"No one.""
"Give me your phone.""
"Absolutely not.""
Rebecca moved fast.
She grabbed Margaret's handbag from the chair.
Margaret lunged for it.
"Give me that!""
Robert stepped between them.
"Enough.""
Rebecca dumped the bag onto the table.
Keys.
Wallet.
Tissues.
A second phone.
Nobody spoke.
I stared at it.
"Whose phone is that?""
Margaret's face went pale.
Emily picked it up.
No passcode.
The recent calls were visible.
One number appeared again and again.
The last call had been less than an hour earlier.
Rebecca whispered, "Call it.""
I did.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Then someone answered.
"Margaret?""
A woman's voice.
I didn't recognize it.
"Who is this?""
Silence.
Then the call ended.
I immediately called Anna.
"Check outside. Is Lily's backpack gone?""
I heard footsteps.
Then Anna gasped.
"Yes.""
"What about her shoes?""
"Her pink sneakers are gone too.""
That mattered.
Someone hadn't grabbed Lily in panic.
Someone had prepared her to leave.
"Anna, call the police now.""
Margaret snapped, "Don't.""
Every face turned toward her.
I felt something inside me go cold.
"Why not?""
She realized her mistake.
"I just mean you'll frighten Lily.""
"Where is she?""
"I don't know.""
Rebecca picked up the second phone.
She scrolled through the messages.
Then stopped.
"Oh my God.""
"What?""
She handed it to me.
Most of the conversation had been deleted.
But one message remained.
*If they turn against me, bring the child to the old place.*
Sent yesterday.
From Margaret.
Emily covered her mouth.
I looked at my mother.
"The old place.""
Margaret shook her head.
"I didn't mean Lily.""
"Then which child?""
Silence.
Rebecca suddenly whispered, "I know.""
She grabbed her coat.
"The farmhouse.""
"What farmhouse?""
"Helen's records mentioned it.""
Margaret stepped in front of her.
"No.""
Rebecca stared at her.
"You kept it?""
"It doesn't belong to you.""
"Where is it?"" I demanded.
Rebecca was already moving toward the door.
"About twenty minutes north.""
We called the police from the car.
Emily gave them everything.
Lily's age.
Her clothes.
The possible location.
The unknown woman.
I drove.
Rebecca sat beside me.
Emily was in the back calling Anna repeatedly.
Robert followed in his truck.
Margaret stayed at the lake house.
At least, that was what she claimed she would do.
"Who owns the farmhouse?"" I asked.
Rebecca stared ahead.
"Elizabeth did.""
My hands tightened around the wheel.
"Your biological mother?""
"Yes.""
"Why would Margaret have access?""
"Because after Elizabeth died, there was a dispute over the property.""
"Who is the woman on the phone?""
"I don't know.""
Rebecca looked at me.
"But Margaret never does anything herself if she can convince someone else they're helping.""
Twenty-three minutes later, we saw the farmhouse.
Faded white siding.
Overgrown grass.
A red barn leaning behind it.
A gray car was parked outside.
Emily grabbed my shoulder.
"Daniel.""
A small pink backpack sat on the porch.
Lily's.
I stopped the car.
Emily was out before I'd fully parked.
"Wait!""
We ran toward the house.
The front door opened.
A woman stepped outside.
Maybe sixty.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
She raised both hands.
"Don't come closer.""
"Where's Lily?"" Emily shouted.
"She's safe.""
"Bring her out!""
The woman looked behind her.
"I was told you were unstable.""
I stared at her.
"Margaret told you that?""
Her face changed.
"You aren't Daniel?""
"I'm her father.""
The woman went pale.
"She said you weren't coming.""
Rebecca stepped beside me.
The woman's eyes widened.
"Rebecca?""
Rebecca stopped.
"You know me?""
The woman stared at her.
Then whispered, "I'm Susan.""
Rebecca's face changed.
"Helen's neighbor.""
Susan nodded.
"Margaret told me Lily needed somewhere safe until the family calmed down.""
Emily shook with anger.
"You took my daughter from my sister's house.""
"Margaret said she had permission.""
"Where is Lily?""
Susan pointed inside.
"Living room.""
Emily ran past her.
I followed.
"Lily!""
A tiny figure appeared from behind the couch.
"Mommy?""
Emily dropped to her knees.
Lily ran into her arms.
I nearly collapsed.
"Mommy!""
"I've got you.""
Emily held her tightly.
"I'm here.""
Lily reached for me.
"Daddy!""
I wrapped both of them in my arms.
For several seconds, nothing else mattered.
Then Lily whispered against my chest:
"Grandma said you'd come.""
I pulled back.
"What?""
"Grandma said this was the last test.""
Rebecca stepped into the room.
"What test?""
Lily pointed toward a small table.
A sealed envelope sat there.
My name was written across it.
Susan looked confused.
"Margaret told me not to touch that.""
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Margaret standing beside a much younger woman.
Elizabeth.
And between them stood Robert.
All three were smiling.
On the back was a date.
Two years before Robert supposedly met Margaret.
Underneath, Margaret had written:
*Ask your father which sister he loved first.*
I slowly looked toward the doorway.
Robert had just arrived.
He saw the photograph in my hand.
And stopped.
Rebecca noticed his expression.
"Dad?""
Robert's eyes filled with tears.
Rebecca took the photograph from me.
She looked at the date.
Then at him.
"Why were you with Elizabeth?""
Robert couldn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Dad.""
His shoulders dropped.
"Tell us.""
Finally, he whispered:
"Because Margaret wasn't the first sister I fell in love with.""
Rebecca went completely still.
May you like
Robert looked directly at her.
"Elizabeth was.""
