Chapter 1
My wife told me my children were “playing hide-and-seek” while I was away on a business trip. Then my neighbor sent me a video of my two babies locked inside a dog kennel in the middle of a thunderstorm.
I was in Chicago when I called home that Friday night.
The rain was pounding so hard outside my hotel window that I could barely hear my wife, Rachel.
“How are Emma and Noah?” I asked.
“They’re fine,” she said quickly.
“Can I talk to them?”
There was a pause.
“They’re playing hide-and-seek.”
Something in her voice bothered me.
My daughter Emma was four.
My son Noah had just turned three.
They usually fought over the phone whenever I traveled.
“Put them on anyway.”
Rachel laughed.
“Michael, relax. They’re having fun.”
Then I heard what sounded like a child screaming in the background.
I sat up.
“What was that?”
“Thunder.”
Before I could answer, she ended the call.
Thirty seconds later, my phone buzzed.
It was a text from our neighbor, Mrs. Carter.
Michael, I’m sorry, but you need to see this right now.
There was a video attached.
I pressed play.
At first, all I saw was rain blowing across my backyard in Nashville.
Then Mrs. Carter zoomed toward the covered patio.
My stomach dropped.
The large dog kennel near the garage door was locked.
Inside were Emma and Noah.
Emma had both arms wrapped around her little brother.
Noah was crying so hard his entire body was shaking.
Neither child had a jacket.
Rain was blowing through the side of the kennel.
Then Rachel walked into the frame holding an umbrella.
Emma reached through the bars toward her.
“Mommy, please let us inside.”
Rachel looked down at my children.
“You should have listened the first time.”
Mrs. Carter whispered behind the camera, “Oh my God.”
Then Rachel turned toward the house.
Emma screamed, “Daddy said you’re not allowed to lock us up anymore!”
My blood went cold.
Anymore?
I immediately called Rachel back.
She answered with an irritated sigh.
“What now?”
I forced my voice to stay calm.
“Are the kids still playing hide-and-seek?”
“Yes.”
I stared at the video.
May you like
Then another message from Mrs. Carter appeared.
There’s something else you need to know. I’ve recorded her doing this three times.
