Chapter 6: The Nanny's Secret
I couldn't move.
Margaret's hands were steady.
Too steady.
Sarah stared at her.
“Margaret?””
Margaret's expression was nothing like the frightened nanny I had known.
“I'm sorry.””
I stepped in front of Sarah.
“Where is Lily?””
“Safe.””
“Put the gun down.””
“I can't.””
“You've been protecting my daughter for three years.””
“I have.””
“And now you're working with Ethan?””
Margaret's eyes flickered.
“No.””
A second door opened behind her.
Ethan walked inside.
He had blood on his sleeve from where I had struck him.
He looked at Margaret.
“Good.””
I felt Sarah's hand tighten around my arm.
“You kidnapped Lily.””
Ethan shook his head.
“I moved her somewhere safe.””
“You call this safe?””
“Safer than your house.””
I lunged.
Margaret raised the gun.
“Daniel, stop!””
I froze.
Ethan walked closer.
“You want to know what happened that night?””
“Yes.””
“You're going to hear it from the person who was there.””
He looked at Margaret.
She lowered her eyes.
“I was driving.””
Sarah whispered, “No.””
Margaret's face crumpled.
“I was supposed to meet you that night.””
Sarah stared at her.
“Why?””
“Because I knew Ethan was following you.””
I turned toward her.
“You knew?””
“I tried to warn you.””
“You were driving the other car.””
“Yes.””
“Why did you hit Sarah?””
“I didn't.””
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Margaret continued.
“Your car went off the road because Ethan forced you toward the cliff.””
Sarah covered her mouth.
“I saw him.””
“You saw him?””
“Before the crash.””
Margaret looked at Ethan.
“He pulled Sarah from the wreck after it went over.””
Sarah's eyes widened.
“He found me?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't he call for help?””
Margaret's voice became barely audible.
“Because he thought you had the documents.””
“What documents?””
Ethan stepped forward.
“Enough.””
Margaret flinched.
I looked at him.
“What documents?””
Sarah suddenly looked at me.
“The company records.””
I shook my head.
“What records?””
“Evidence Ethan was laundering money through Sarah's business.””
Ethan laughed.
“You really don't remember?””
“I remember everything.””
“Then you remember where you hid them.””
Sarah's expression changed.
“No.””
Ethan stepped closer.
“You survived the crash, Sarah. You disappeared before anyone could find you. You spent months recovering.””
He pointed at me.
“And while you were gone, Daniel became mine to manipulate.””
I felt sick.
“What did you do?””
“I sent Rebecca information.””
Rebecca.
I turned toward her.
She stood near the wall, crying.
“You knew.””
She nodded.
“I knew enough.””
Ethan continued.
“Rebecca was supposed to keep you distracted until the insurance money came through.””
I stared at my wife.
“You married me for the insurance.””
Rebecca whispered, “At first.””
Sarah looked at her with disgust.
“And later?””
Rebecca's tears fell.
“I loved him.””
I almost laughed.
“You loved me?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you threaten my daughter?””
Rebecca looked at Lily's empty wheelchair.
“I never wanted her hurt.””
Ethan suddenly turned toward her.
“You were supposed to make the girl disappear.””
Rebecca recoiled.
“No.””
“You promised.””
“I changed my mind.””
Ethan raised his voice.
“You changed your mind after she called Sarah ‘Mommy.’”
Rebecca covered her face.
I looked at Margaret.
“Where is Lily?””
Margaret finally lowered the gun.
“There's a safe room beneath the farmhouse.””
I started toward the door.
Ethan blocked me.
“Not yet.””
I stopped.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flash drive.
“Sarah's documents are on this.””
Sarah stared at it.
“Where did you get that?””
Ethan smiled.
“From the place you thought nobody would ever look.””
He tossed it onto the floor.
I picked it up.
“What do you want?””
Ethan's smile vanished.
“I want the original files.””
“Where?””
He looked directly at Sarah.
“You buried them.””
Sarah shook her head.
“I don't remember.””
Ethan leaned closer.
“Then maybe your daughter can help you remember.””
A scream came from somewhere beneath the barn.
Lily.
Sarah ran toward the sound.
I followed.
But when we reached the hidden stairway, we found the door locked.
And from the other side came Lily's trembling voice.
“Daddy… Mommy…”
Then another voice whispered beside her.
“Tell your father what you found.””
Lily began to cry.
“I found a box.””
My heart stopped.
“What box?””
May you like
She answered through the door.
“The one with Mommy's name on it.””
