Chapter 7: The Girl Behind the Locked Door
"Sophie Carter.""
The name sat between us like a loaded weapon.
I remembered it.
Not clearly.
Just fragments.
A little pink backpack in the back of Daniel's SUV.
A child's drawing tucked inside his briefcase.
A question I'd asked him once.
"Whose is this?""
And Daniel's answer.
"An employee's kid. Don't worry about it.""
I had believed him.
For years.
Now I looked at Detective Harris.
"Who is Sophie?""
"We're still confirming her identity.""
"She's with Lily?""
"Yes.""
"Then take me to her.""
Harris shook his head.
"Mrs. Carter, you can't go inside.""
"My daughter is in there.""
"We have officers moving in.""
"I don't care.""
Michael caught my arm.
"Emily.""
I pulled away.
"You told me Lily was safe.""
"She is.""
"Then why is another child in an abandoned building with her?""
No one answered.
I grabbed my coat.
Harris stepped in front of the door.
"Mrs. Carter, please.""
"Move.""
His eyes softened.
"I understand what you're feeling.""
"No, you don't.""
"My daughter was six when I lost her.""
The words stopped me.
He looked away for a moment.
"When you get a chance to save your child, you don't think about procedure.""
I swallowed.
"Then let me go.""
Harris finally stepped aside.
"We're going together.""
The drive to the records facility took twelve minutes.
It felt like twelve years.
Michael sat beside me in the back seat.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, he said, "Sophie may be connected to Daniel's financial crimes.""
"She's a child.""
"That doesn't mean he couldn't use her.""
I looked out the window.
"What did my father know?""
Michael stared at his hands.
"More than he told either of us.""
The abandoned building appeared at the end of a deserted industrial road.
Two police cruisers were already there.
The warehouse doors stood open.
Officers moved inside.
Harris raised a hand.
"Stay behind me.""
We entered.
The smell hit first.
Dust.
Old paper.
Cold concrete.
Rows of metal shelving stretched into darkness.
Then we heard a child's voice.
"Lily?""
I ran.
"Emily!""
Lily came around a corner.
Her face was streaked with tears.
She ran straight into my arms.
I dropped to my knees and held her so tightly she squeaked.
"Mommy!""
"Are you hurt?""
She shook her head.
"Did anyone touch you?""
"No.""
"Where were you?""
She pointed behind me.
"Sophie found me.""
I looked up.
A girl stood near the shelves.
She couldn't have been more than ten.
Dark hair.
Blue sweater.
A pink backpack hanging from one shoulder.
The same backpack.
The one I'd seen years ago.
She stared at me cautiously.
I stood.
"Sophie?""
She nodded.
"Who brought you here?""
She looked toward the officers.
Then at Michael.
Finally, she looked directly at me.
"My dad.""
My heart stopped.
"Daniel?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
Harris crouched beside her.
"Who is your father, Sophie?""
She hugged her backpack.
"I don't know.""
I stared.
"What do you mean?""
She looked at Lily.
"Lily knows.""
Lily lowered her eyes.
I knelt beside her.
"Lily, sweetheart, what does she mean?""
My daughter whispered, "Dad told me never to talk about Sophie.""
A chill moved through me.
"Why?""
"Because he said you'd take her away.""
I looked at Michael.
He was staring at Sophie.
Then his expression changed.
"Emily.""
"What?""
He pointed at the girl's face.
"Look at her.""
I did.
Something about her eyes.
Something familiar.
Not Daniel.
Not me.
Someone else.
Harris pulled a file from a shelf.
"This was found next to the girls.""
He opened it.
Inside were birth certificates, medical records, and photographs.
My hands went cold.
The first photograph showed Sophie as a baby.
The second showed her at three.
The third showed her standing beside Daniel.
On the back, someone had written:
*Sophie Reed.*
I looked at Michael.
He had gone completely white.
"No," he whispered.
"What?""
He took the photograph.
"That's impossible.""
Harris asked, "Why?""
Michael stared at the child.
"Because Sophie is my daughter.""
The words barely registered.
Lily looked at me.
"Mom?""
I turned toward Michael.
"You said Lily was your daughter.""
He nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"Then how is Sophie yours?""
Michael's face collapsed.
"I don't know.""
A noise echoed from deeper inside the building.
Metal scraping against concrete.
Harris immediately drew his weapon.
"Everyone stay back.""
An officer shouted from the next aisle.
"Detective!""
Harris ran.
We followed.
At the end of the aisle was a small office.
The door was open.
Inside sat a single chair.
On it was Daniel's phone.
Beside it lay another envelope.
Harris picked it up.
There was a handwritten message on the front.
*FOR EMILY.*
I stared at it.
"Open it.""
Harris tore the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
He read it silently.
Then looked at me.
"Mrs. Carter...""
"What?""
He handed me the page.
I read the first sentence.
*If you found Sophie, then Daniel has finally lost control.*
My hands trembled.
The next sentence was worse.
*But you still don't know who Lily's biological mother is.*
I looked at my daughter.
May you like
Lily's face was suddenly terrified.
Then the lights in the entire building went out.
