Chapter 8: What Happened Seven Years Ago
Daniel shut every curtain in the house.
No lights.
No television.
No phones except the one in his hand.
Eleanor sat at the kitchen table with the ledger open.
I stood across from her.
“Start talking.””
She nodded.
“Seven years ago, Daniel's father was still alive.””
“I know.””
“He was investigating a private network that moved children between wealthy families and institutions.””
My stomach twisted.
“You mean kidnapping?””
“Yes.””
Daniel slammed his palm against the counter.
“And my father knew?””
“He knew something was happening.””
“Why didn't he go to the police?””
“He tried.””
“And?””
“He was stopped.””
“By whom?””
Eleanor looked at me.
“People with money. People with influence. People who could make records disappear.””
I stared at her.
“Why Lily?””
“We don't know.””
“Then find out.””
She turned a page in the ledger.
“Your pregnancy was unusual.””
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“You disappeared from public life during the final months.””
I shook my head.
“I was working from home.””
“According to your records.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
Eleanor pulled out another document.
It was a hospital discharge form.
My name was printed at the top.
But the signature wasn't mine.
“That's not my signature.””
Daniel leaned closer.
“I know.””
Eleanor placed another page beside it.
“This is the original.””
The two documents were nearly identical.
Except the original listed a different attending physician.
*Dr. Mara Voss.*
I felt dizzy.
“I've never heard of her.””
“You have.””
“No.””
Eleanor looked at Daniel.
“Tell her.””
Daniel hesitated.
“She was my mother's doctor.””
I looked at him.
“Your mother?””
“She died when I was eleven.””
“Then how could she have delivered Lily?””
“She couldn't.””
Eleanor shook her head.
“She worked for your family long before Lily was born.””
I stared at the paperwork.
“What was she doing?””
“Research.””
“On what?””
“Memory.””
The room went silent.
Daniel whispered, “No.””
Eleanor nodded.
“Your father funded a private medical program.””
“Why?””
“He believed trauma could be treated by altering how memories were stored.””
I felt my skin prickle.
“Are you telling me someone erased my memories?””
“We don't know.””
I remembered the hospital.
The white curtains.
The crying baby.
The gold bird.
Then a voice:
*You won't remember this.*
I grabbed the edge of the table.
“I remember.””
Daniel rushed toward me.
“What?””
“I remember her.””
“Dr. Voss?””
I nodded.
“She was holding Lily.””
Eleanor leaned forward.
“What did she say?””
I closed my eyes.
“She said… Lily wasn't supposed to be mine.””
Daniel went completely still.
“What?””
I opened my eyes.
“She said the baby belonged to the program.””
Eleanor's face went pale.
“What program?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel took my hand.
“Claire, think.””
“I am.””
“Anything else?””
I remembered another detail.
A second baby crying somewhere behind a wall.
A man saying, “Take the Mercer child.””
And then Daniel's voice.
My husband's voice.
“No.””
I opened my eyes.
“Daniel was there.””
He stared at me.
“I wasn't.””
“You were.””
“I was in Richmond that night.””
“You came into the room.””
“No.””
“You held my hand.””
He stepped back.
“Claire, I swear to you, I wasn't there.””
I looked at Eleanor.
She had tears in her eyes.
“Daniel was there,” she whispered.
Daniel turned.
“You saw me?””
“No.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because I was the one who called you.””
He stared at her.
“You called me?””
“From the hospital.””
Daniel's face changed.
“I never got that call.””
“You did.””
“No.””
“I left three messages.””
He shook his head.
“I don't remember.””
I looked between them.
Two people.
Both missing the same night.
Both missing the same memory.
Then my phone buzzed.
A video had arrived.
The sender was unknown.
I opened it.
Lily sat on a wooden bench.
She was wearing her school uniform.
Her cheeks were wet.
A woman stood behind her.
Dr. Mara Voss.
Lily looked directly into the camera.
“Mommy?””
I covered my mouth.
She whispered:
“Daddy said I wasn't supposed to tell you.””
Daniel moved closer to the screen.
“Lily, baby, I'm here.””
She continued.
“Aunt Celia brought me here before.””
Daniel froze.
“What?””
Lily looked over her shoulder.
“She's here now.””
The camera moved.
Celia stepped into frame.
She looked directly at the lens.
Then she smiled.
“Hello, Claire.””
The video ended.
Daniel stared at the black screen.
“No.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He was already reaching for his keys.
“She lied.””
“About what?””
“Celia wasn't just helping them.””
May you like
He looked at me.
“She was working for them.””
