Chapter 6: The Hidden Room
The officer’s words followed me long after Ryan disappeared from the hallway.
“We found something in your husband’s house that changes everything.””
I couldn’t stop thinking about them.
“What did you find?””
The officer looked at Maya.
Then at me.
“We need to speak somewhere private.””
Maya immediately grabbed my hand.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“Sweetheart?””
“Don’t leave.””
My heart broke.
The officer noticed.
“We can speak here.””
He pulled a chair closer.
“Mrs. Carter, when we searched the home, we found a locked storage area.””
I frowned.
“Storage area?””
“Yes.””
“We don’t have one.””
The officer looked at his notes.
“That’s why we found it concerning.””
I felt a chill.
“What was inside?””
He paused.
“Items belonging to Maya.””
I looked at my daughter.
She went pale.
“What kind of items?””
The officer carefully chose his words.
“Personal belongings. Medical information. Notes.””
My stomach dropped.
“Notes?””
“Yes.””
Maya started crying.
The officer looked at her.
“Do you know what I’m talking about?””
She nodded slowly.
“I thought he threw them away.””
I moved closer.
“What notes?””
Her voice became small.
“The ones I wrote.””
“About what?””
She looked at me.
“About when it hurt.””
I felt like the room was spinning.
“Maya…”
“I wrote down the days.””
The officer opened a folder.
“He kept them.””
I stared.
“Why?””
Nobody answered.
Because we all knew the answer was terrifying.
Ryan wasn’t ignoring Maya’s pain.
He knew.
He had been watching it happen.
The officer continued.
“We also found messages between Mr. Carter and another person.””
My heart tightened.
“Another person?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
The officer looked at the file.
“A woman named Claire Whitmore.””
I didn’t recognize the name.
But Maya did.
Her face changed.
“You know her?””
She nodded.
“She came to our house.””
“When?””
“Before.””
I sat closer.
“What did she do?””
Maya looked terrified.
“She told Ryan I was making things difficult.””
The officer wrote something down.
“Did she ever hurt you?””
Maya didn’t answer.
I already knew.
The officer looked at me.
“We need to protect Maya while we investigate.””
I nodded immediately.
“Whatever she needs.””
Later that evening, Maya finally slept.
I sat beside her bed, watching her breathe.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Ryan.
A new number.
*You’re making a mistake.*
I stared.
Another message came.
*You have no idea what Maya is capable of.*
My hands tightened around the phone.
Then one final message appeared.
*Ask her why she never told you about the night in the basement.*
I froze.
Basement.
Our house didn’t have a basement.
At least, that was what I thought.
I looked toward the hospital bed.
“Maya?””
Her eyes opened slowly.
“Mom?””
I sat beside her.
“Ryan mentioned something.””
Her face changed.
“What?””
“The basement.””
She stopped breathing for a second.
Then tears filled her eyes.
“I didn’t want you to know.””
My voice shook.
“Why?””
She looked at me.
“Because that’s where he kept the things he didn’t want you to find.””
The room went silent.
“What things?””
Maya reached under her pillow.
Slowly.
Carefully.
And pulled out a small piece of paper.
“I took this before we left.””
I unfolded it.
Three words were written in Ryan’s handwriting.
*Maya’s punishment schedule.*
My hands went cold.
And beneath the words was a list of dates.
May you like
The first date was three weeks before Maya ever told me her stomach hurt.
The last date was tomorrow.
