Chapter 6: The Missing Minutes
I read the note three times.
Someone had worked in my house for three weeks and quit without telling me why.
Someone had seen something frightening enough to leave.
And someone knew what had happened before Patricia started recording Monday's video.
Detective Harris photographed the note and placed it with the other evidence.
"Do you recognize the handwriting?"" she asked.
"No.""
"Do you remember employing anyone recently?""
"We had a temporary housekeeper last month. Vanessa said she wasn't a good fit.""
"Do you know her name?""
I searched my memory.
"Emily. Emily Brooks, I think.""
Detective Harris wrote it down.
"Do you have her contact information?""
"Vanessa handled the arrangements. I may have an old message somewhere.""
"Please don't contact her yet. We'll see whether we can identify and interview her through the proper channels.""
I nodded, though every instinct told me to pick up the phone and demand answers.
Across the room, Lily was drawing on a sheet of paper a nurse had given her. She had drawn a house with a blue roof, a yellow sun, and three stick figures.
One figure stood outside the house.
Two stood inside.
I sat beside her.
"That's a pretty picture.""
She covered it with her hand.
"It's not finished.""
"What are you going to add?""
She hesitated.
"A door.""
I watched as she drew a thick black rectangle around the smallest figure.
"What's that?""
"The dark room.""
My throat tightened.
"Is that where Mommy put you?""
Lily nodded.
"Sometimes she says I have to stay until I stop crying.""
I kept my voice gentle.
"What happens when you stop crying?""
"She opens the door.""
"And if you don't stop?""
Lily pressed the pencil so hard that its tip snapped.
"She says she'll leave me there until Daddy forgets about me.""
I took the broken pencil from her hand.
"Listen to me, Lily. I will never forget about you. Nothing you do could make me stop loving you.""
She stared at my face as if she were trying to decide whether I meant it.
Then she climbed into my lap and held on.
Detective Harris gave us time before returning with an update.
"Hospital security has confirmed that Vanessa and Patricia are still downstairs. We've made arrangements to interview them separately.""
"Have they said anything about the recordings?""
"Both have denied wrongdoing. Your wife says the videos show ordinary discipline. Your mother-in-law claims she was documenting behavior problems.""
I shook my head.
"She was laughing while Lily begged to call me.""
"I've seen the preliminary description. We'll review the original files carefully.""
"Can you arrest them?""
"That's not a decision I can make based on one conversation. We need to establish what happened, preserve the evidence, and consult with the appropriate authorities. Your children's immediate safety comes first.""
It wasn't the answer I wanted.
I wanted someone to walk downstairs and make Vanessa explain every bruise, every threat, every frightened apology.
But the detective was right.
Anger wasn't evidence.
I needed the truth.
A nurse entered and told me Noah was being taken for additional imaging. I kissed his forehead before the medical team wheeled him away.
His tiny fingers curled around mine.
"I'll be right here, buddy," I whispered.
When the doors closed, I turned back toward Lily.
She had stopped drawing.
"Daddy?""
"Yes?""
"Can we go somewhere else when Noah gets better?""
The question caught me off guard.
"Somewhere else?""
"Somewhere Mommy doesn't know.""
I sat beside her.
"We'll make a safe plan. You don't need to worry about that right now.""
She nodded, but her eyes were already filling again.
"I don't want to sleep in the pantry anymore.""
I felt my breath leave my lungs.
I had suspected the pantry was a place Vanessa used to frighten her.
Now I knew Lily had been describing something real.
I held her close until she stopped trembling.
Then my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered quietly.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through, thin and uncertain.
"Mr. Carter? My name is Emily Brooks. I think you received my note.""
I stood and walked a few steps away from Lily, keeping her within sight.
"Yes. I did.""
"I wasn't sure you'd believe me.""
"Tell me what happened.""
She hesitated.
"Is your daughter safe?""
"She's with me at the hospital.""
"And the baby?""
"He's being examined.""
Emily let out a shaky breath.
"Thank God.""
I closed my eyes briefly.
"Emily, what did you see in my house?""
"I can't explain everything over the phone. I don't know who's listening to Vanessa's messages anymore.""
"Then meet me at the hospital.""
"No."" Her answer came too quickly.
"I can't come there. Your wife knows where you are.""
"Emily, my children need help.""
"I know. That's why I'm calling.""
Her voice cracked.
"On Monday, I came back to the house because I'd left my bag in the laundry room. I heard Vanessa arguing with her mother. They were in the nursery.""
I gripped the phone.
"What were they arguing about?""
"Your son. Vanessa was angry because he wouldn't stop crying, and Patricia kept telling her to be careful.""
"What happened next?""
"I heard a crash. Then Noah screamed.""
My stomach clenched.
"Did you see Vanessa hurt him?""
"I saw her come out of the nursery carrying him. He was crying so hard he could barely catch his breath. She told me he had slipped while Lily was trying to help.""
"Was Lily in the nursery?""
"No.""
The answer came without hesitation.
"I saw Lily in the hallway. She was crying. Vanessa told me to take her to the pantry and keep her there until she calmed down.""
I could barely speak.
"Did you?""
"No. I told Vanessa I wouldn't lock a child in a cupboard. She threatened to fire me, so I left.""
"Why didn't you call the police?""
"I should have. I know that now. But Vanessa told me she had connections, and she said she'd accuse me of stealing if I interfered. I was scared.""
I looked at my daughter.
She was watching me, clutching her stuffed puppy.
"Emily, do you have proof?""
"I took a photograph before I left. I also saved a voice message Vanessa sent me that afternoon.""
"What does it say?""
Emily was silent for a moment.
Then she spoke so softly I almost couldn't hear her.
"She told me that if I ever talked about what happened to Noah, she'd make sure Lily was the one who went to prison when she grew up.""
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"She's four years old.""
"I know.""
Emily began to cry.
"Mr. Carter, there's something else. The reason Vanessa wanted me gone wasn't just because I refused to lock Lily in the pantry.""
"What was it?""
"She found out I'd seen a second phone in her bedroom. She told her mother that the recordings on it could ruin everything.""
I glanced at Detective Harris.
She had heard enough to understand that the call mattered. She motioned for me to put the phone on speaker, then quietly identified herself.
Emily fell silent.
"Ms. Brooks," the detective said, "I'm Detective Harris. We'd like to arrange a formal interview and discuss the evidence you mentioned.""
"I'll cooperate," Emily whispered.
"But you need to find that phone before Vanessa does something with it.""
"Where is it?""
Emily took a shaky breath.
"Last time I saw it, Vanessa had hidden it inside a box of old family photographs.""
I thought of the recordings, the threats, and the photograph Vanessa had sent me of Lily beside Noah's playpen.
"Where was the box?""
Emily answered with four words.
"In Lily's bedroom closet.""
May you like
Then, after a long pause, she added something that made my blood run cold.
"There's a recording on that phone that shows what happened to Noah before Monday. And if Vanessa realizes you've found it, she'll destroy the only evidence that can prove Lily never touched him.""
