Chapter 6: The Name on the List
Officer Grant grabbed my arm.
“Stay down.””
The room disappeared into darkness.
I could hear Daniel breathing beside me.
Then came the sound of something heavy falling upstairs.
Bang.
Lily screamed again.
“Mommy!””
I instinctively moved toward the stairs.
Daniel caught me.
“Don't.””
“She needs me.””
“I'll get her.””
“No!””
Another crash.
Then silence.
Officer Grant whispered, “I need to check the upper floor.””
Daniel nodded.
“I'm coming.””
They disappeared up the stairs.
Eleanor stayed beside me.
“Don't move.””
“I can't just sit here.””
“You can if it keeps you alive.””
A minute later, Daniel shouted.
“Claire!””
I ran upstairs.
He was standing in the hallway.
Lily was gone.
My knees nearly buckled.
“Where is she?””
Daniel turned toward the open front door.
“She was in the kitchen.””
“What?””
“I told her to stay there.””
I couldn't breathe.
Officer Grant came running from the living room.
“There's no sign of forced entry.””
I grabbed Daniel's shirt.
“You said you were protecting her.””
“I know.””
“You said you would never send her away.””
“I know.””
“Then where is our daughter?””
His face broke.
“I don't know.””
Eleanor appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Check the hidden room.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because whoever took her knew about it.””
We ran back downstairs.
The basement room was empty.
But the desk drawer was open.
A small red envelope lay inside.
Daniel picked it up.
His hands shook.
“What is it?””
He opened it.
A single card fell out.
On the front was a gold bird.
On the back:
*You were warned.*
Then a second message appeared beneath it.
*Ask Celia where she sent Anna.*
Daniel stared at the words.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“I know where Anna went.””
Eleanor stepped forward.
“Daniel.””
He looked at her.
“I found the records six months ago.””
“What records?””
“The St. Aldwyn's records.””
“Then why did you lie?””
“Because I was scared.””
“Of what?””
He looked at the photograph of Anna.
“That she wasn't the first.””
My stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel opened another drawer.
Inside was a thick ledger.
He placed it on the desk.
“This is what my father kept hidden.””
He opened it.
Page after page contained names.
Children.
Dates.
Payments.
Schools.
I recognized the pattern immediately.
Every few years, another child from a wealthy family appeared on the list.
Then disappeared from public records.
Some had been marked transferred.
Some deceased.
Some had no explanation at all.
I turned the pages faster.
Then I stopped.
My own surname appeared.
*Mercer.*
Beneath it:
*Anna Mercer — age 8.*
*Lily Mercer — age 6.*
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“Why is Lily already on here?””
Daniel didn't answer.
I turned the page.
There was a date beside Lily's name.
Next fall.
And underneath it, in red ink:
*Placement confirmed. Deposit received: $12,000.*
I stared at Daniel.
“You knew.””
He shook his head.
“I knew about the deposit. I didn't know this existed.””
“You signed the payment.””
“I thought I was buying time.””
“You were buying her a place.””
“Yes.””
“For them.””
“No.””
“Then who?””
He looked toward Eleanor.
She had gone completely pale.
“Eleanor?””
She whispered, “I know that handwriting.””
“Whose?””
“My husband's.””
I looked at her.
“Your husband?””
“My late husband.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“But your husband died fifteen years ago.””
“Yes.””
Eleanor touched the page.
“He died fifteen years ago.””
She pointed to the red ink.
“But this was written last month.””
Silence filled the room.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A distorted voice spoke.
I could hear only fragments.
Daniel's face changed.
“Where is she?””
The voice replied.
Daniel gripped the phone.
“If you touch my daughter—”
The caller interrupted.
Daniel went silent.
Then he whispered, “What do you want?””
I watched his expression collapse.
He listened for several seconds.
Then the call ended.
I stepped toward him.
“Where is Lily?””
He looked at me.
“They want me to come to St. Aldwyn's.””
“Why?””
His eyes filled with tears.
“They said they'll release Lily when I bring the original ledger.””
I looked at the book on the desk.
Then at the empty staircase.
And finally at Eleanor.
She was staring at one specific name in the ledger.
Her finger trembled as she pointed to it.
“Daniel…”
He turned.
“What?””
She swallowed.
“Your father didn't write this.””
Daniel frowned.
“Then who did?””
Eleanor looked at me.
“Someone who knew Lily would be born.””
My blood went cold.
“What are you saying?””
She turned the ledger toward us.
At the bottom of the page, beneath Lily's name, was a handwritten note:
*Mother: Claire Mercer.*
I stared at it.
The ink was dated *seven years ago*.
One year before Lily was born.
May you like
And beneath my name was another sentence.
*She will never remember where she came from.*
