Chapter 5: The Secret in the Notebook
I wanted to believe I misunderstood her.
I wanted the little girl to be wrong.
Because the alternative was impossible.
Emily wasn’t the person who needed saving.
She was the person who saved everyone else.
She was the one who stayed late at work to help children nobody else noticed.
She was the one who learned sign language before she could properly read because she wanted other deaf kids to feel understood.
Emily didn’t walk into danger.
She walked toward it.
I opened the notebook again.
The pages were filled with names.
Dates.
Addresses.
Some were crossed out.
Some had warning symbols beside them.
“What is this?”” I whispered.
Rick stood beside me.
“Daniel’s list.””
My stomach tightened.
“A list of what?””
“People he targeted.””
The little girl looked at the pages.
Then she pointed.
Her finger landed on one name.
Her mother’s name.
I looked closer.
Beside it was another name.
Emily’s.
The same date.
Tonight.
My chest tightened.
“Why were they together?””
Rick looked miserable.
“I don’t know.””
The diner lights suddenly came back on.
Everyone jumped.
The moment of darkness was gone.
But the fear remained.
Daniel stood in the middle of the diner.
Calm.
Relaxed.
Like he owned the place.
Two customers had hidden behind the counter.
The truck driver held his chair like a weapon.
Daniel ignored all of them.
His eyes were only on me.
“Sarah.””
I stepped forward.
“Where is my sister?””
Daniel smiled.
“That’s the first question you ask?””
“What else should I ask?””
“The girl.””
He pointed toward the child.
“You don’t even know who she really is.””
The girl moved closer to me.
Daniel laughed softly.
“She’s good at making people feel sorry for her.””
I felt anger rise.
“You hurt her mother.””
His smile disappeared.
“Her mother made choices.””
The little girl covered her ears.
I stepped between them.
“Don’t talk about her like that.””
Daniel tilted his head.
“You’re just like Emily.””
The name made my blood run cold.
“You knew her.””
“I knew her very well.””
Rick stepped forward.
“Stop.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You had one job.””
Rick looked down.
“And you failed.””
I noticed something.
Daniel wasn’t angry at Rick.
He was disappointed.
Like Rick was an employee who made a mistake.
That scared me more.
“Where is Emily?”” I asked again.
Daniel looked at the notebook in my hand.
“She left you a message.””
I froze.
“What?””
“Read the last page.””
I flipped through quickly.
The final page was folded.
My fingers shook as I opened it.
Only four words were written.
*Don’t believe the girl.*
I looked up.
The little girl stared at the page.
Her face changed.
Pain.
Confusion.
Fear.
Daniel smiled.
“There it is.””
I looked between them.
“What does this mean?””
Nobody answered.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered immediately.
“Hello?””
For a few seconds, there was only silence.
Then a weak voice.
A familiar voice.
“Sarah?””
My knees almost gave out.
“Emily?””
Everyone in the diner went silent.
My sister’s voice trembled.
“Listen to me carefully.””
I pressed the phone against my ear.
“Where are you?””
“Don’t tell anyone I called.””
My heart raced.
“Emily, what happened?””
A pause.
Then she whispered:
“The girl who ran into your diner…”
I looked at the child.
Emily continued.
“She’s not the victim.””
The little girl’s eyes widened.
Daniel smiled.
And then my sister said the words that shattered everything I thought I knew.
“She’s the reason all of this started.””
The call suddenly ended.
I stared at the phone.
The little girl looked at me.
May you like
And for the first time since she entered the diner…
she looked afraid of me.
