Chapter 9: The Woman Who Took Lily
I couldn't feel my fingers.
The surveillance photograph showed Evelyn walking into Daniel's office building with Lily beside her. My stepdaughter wore her yellow raincoat and carried the pink rabbit she'd refused to leave behind.
The timestamp was less than ten minutes old.
“Call the police,” I said.
Michael already had his phone to his ear.
“I'm reporting a possible child abduction. We have a six-year-old girl, Lily Mercer, last seen with a woman named Evelyn Price. We need officers dispatched immediately.””
My mother began sobbing.
Ethan stood so quickly that he knocked over a chair.
“She's taking Lily to get the evidence.””
“How do you know?”” I demanded.
“Because Evelyn knows Lily saw things. If Daniel believes Lily has the recording or knows where the documents are, he'll do anything to get control of her.””
I grabbed my coat.
“I'm going there.””
Michael caught my arm.
“Sarah, listen to me. We are not going to rush into an unknown situation. The police are responding, and we need to give them everything we know.””
“That's my daughter!””
“I understand. But if Evelyn is dangerous, you walking into that building alone could make things worse for Lily.””
I hated that he was right.
Every part of me wanted to run to Daniel's office and tear the building apart until I found her.
Instead, I forced myself to breathe.
“Then tell them what she looks like. Tell them about the red purse and the gold bird necklace. Tell them she may have the silver key.””
Michael relayed the details.
Ethan paced across the room.
“There's something else. Evelyn used to work in a storage facility outside the city. Daniel kept old business records there.””
“Why would she take Lily to his office?””
“Because the clock in his office has the hidden compartment. If she has the key, she can open it.””
My stomach tightened.
“Then she knows where the document is.””
“Maybe. But she may also be trying to destroy it.””
Michael ended the call.
“Officers are on their way to the building. We're going to provide them with the evidence and let them handle the approach.””
I looked at the photograph again.
Lily's face was turned toward Evelyn.
She wasn't crying.
That frightened me more than tears would have.
Because I knew my little girl. When she was afraid, she became very quiet. She held her rabbit tightly and watched the adults around her, trying to understand what she was allowed to say.
I had seen her do that when Daniel shouted during our marriage.
I had promised myself I would never let her feel trapped like that again.
My phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered without speaking.
A woman's voice came through.
“Sarah?””
“Evelyn?””
She gave a soft laugh.
“You sound surprised.””
“Where is Lily?””
“She's safe.””
“Put her on the phone.””
“Not yet.””
My hand tightened around the device.
“If you've hurt her—”
“I haven't touched her. I'm the only reason she's still alive.””
The words were so shocking that I couldn't respond.
Evelyn continued.
“Daniel is not the man you think he is. You should have listened to Rebecca.””
“Rebecca is dead.””
“Yes,” Evelyn said quietly.
“And if I had spoken sooner, perhaps she wouldn't be.””
My anger flared.
“You were there the night she died.””
“I was.””
“Did you kill her?””
Silence.
Then Evelyn said, “I didn't mean for her to die.””
I felt the room spin.
“What did you do?””
“I made a mistake. A terrible mistake. But Daniel made sure everyone believed it was an accident.””
Michael motioned for me to keep her talking while he alerted the police that I was receiving a call.
“Why take Lily?”” I asked.
“Because Daniel has been searching for Rebecca's evidence for six years. Lily found the bottle. She found the phone. She remembers things he thought she was too young to understand.””
“She's a child!””
“I know that.””
“Then let her go.””
“I will. But first, you need to hear the recording.””
My heart pounded.
“Where is it?””
“Daniel's office. There's a room behind the old records cabinet. Rebecca discovered it years ago. The signed agreement is there, too.””
“Then why don't you bring the evidence to the police?””
“Because Daniel has people watching me. If I walk out of that building with the documents, I won't make it to the street.””
“Then give them to the officers already on their way.””
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“You still believe the police can protect everyone.””
“I'm not interested in your excuses. You have Lily. You have five minutes to explain what happened to Rebecca and let my daughter go.””
“Your daughter,” she repeated.
There was something strange in her voice.
“Do you know why Daniel wanted you out of the house so badly?””
“Because he wanted Vanessa.””
“No. Vanessa was convenient. He wanted you out because you were about to discover what Rebecca had left behind.””
I swallowed.
“What did Rebecca leave?””
“A recording of Daniel discussing a payment. A payment made before her death. A payment to a doctor who later helped him manufacture your medical records.””
My skin went cold.
“Dr. Keller?””
“Yes.””
“Was he involved in Rebecca's death?””
“I can't prove that.””
“Then what can you prove?””
Evelyn took a shaky breath.
“I can prove Daniel knew Rebecca was planning to expose him. I can prove he paid me to retrieve her documents. And I can prove your mother was there when Rebecca collapsed.””
I looked at my mother.
She had gone completely still.
“Did my mother kill Rebecca?””
“No,” Evelyn said.
“But she left Rebecca alone when she needed help. And Daniel used that guilt to control her for years.””
My mother covered her mouth.
I wanted to hate Evelyn. I wanted to believe she was manipulating us, inventing a story to escape responsibility.
But the evidence was becoming impossible to ignore.
“What happened that night?”” I asked.
Evelyn's voice cracked.
“Rebecca confronted Daniel about the missing money. She had the recording. He came to the apartment to retrieve it.
Your mother arrived shortly afterward. They argued. Rebecca collapsed, and Daniel told everyone it was a medical emergency.””
“Was it?””
“I don't know what caused her collapse. I know Daniel refused to let me call an ambulance until he had taken the documents.””
My stomach turned.
“And you helped him?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I was afraid of him. Because he knew things about my past that could destroy me. Because I thought I could bargain my way out.””
Her voice dropped.
“By the time help arrived, Rebecca was dead.””
I closed my eyes.
Six years.
Six years of believing Rebecca's death was an unavoidable tragedy.
Six years of raising Lily without knowing that the people around us might have concealed what happened.
“Evelyn,” I whispered, “where is Lily right now?””
“In Daniel's office.””
“Is Daniel there?””
“No.””
“Then let her go.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because I opened the hidden compartment, Sarah. And the document inside proves something even worse than what I've told you.””
“What does it prove?””
Evelyn went silent.
Then I heard a child's voice in the background.
“Mommy Sarah?””
Lily.
I nearly collapsed with relief.
“Baby! Are you okay?””
“I'm okay,” she whispered.
“But the lady says Daddy is coming.””
A door slammed in the background.
Evelyn gasped.
Then a man's voice thundered through the phone.
“Give me the recording!””
Daniel.
Lily screamed.
“Mommy!””
The call ended.
I stared at the dead screen, unable to move.
Michael was already shouting into his phone, giving the officers the latest information.
Ethan grabbed his jacket.
“I'm going.””
This time, I didn't stop him.
Neither did Michael.
We followed the officers toward the building, my heart pounding with every step.
When we reached the entrance, a uniformed officer hurried toward us.
“Stay behind the perimeter!””
“Where is my daughter?”” I demanded.
“We're securing the building now.””
Then a crash echoed from somewhere above us.
A second later, the fire alarm began screaming.
Smoke poured from a stairwell.
And through the glass doors, I saw Daniel emerge from the elevator carrying a metal box.
He looked directly at me.
Then he smiled.
“Sarah,” he called, “if you want Lily back, you're going to have to decide what matters more.””
He lifted the box.
“The truth about Rebecca.””
May you like
Then he pointed toward the smoke-filled corridor.
“Or your daughter.””
