Chapter 3 - The Birdhouse
Ethan shoved his desk chair under the doorknob.
The handle stopped halfway.
Outside, Amanda went silent.
“Open the door.”
“No.”
“You're seven years old. You don't get to lock me out.”
Lily whispered, “Window.”
Ethan looked at her.
His room was on the second floor.
She rolled her eyes and pointed at the window overlooking the porch roof.
Dad had climbed onto that roof every December to hang lights.
“That's dangerous,” Ethan whispered.
“So is Mom.”
He hated that she was right.
Amanda pushed the door harder.
“Ethan, I am counting to three.”
Lily was already lifting the window.
Cold October air rushed inside.
“One.”
Ethan helped Lily onto the sill.
“Two.”
They stepped onto the porch roof.
The bedroom door shook.
“Three!”
Wood cracked behind them.
Ethan pulled the window down and guided Lily toward the gutter line.
“Sit and slide,” he whispered.
They moved on their bottoms toward the garage awning, exactly the way Dad had once shown Ethan in case of a fire.
Behind them, Amanda threw open the window.
“Are you insane?”
Lily shouted back, “We're getting chicken!”
Even Ethan couldn't believe she said it.
Amanda started climbing out.
They moved faster.
Ethan lowered himself from the awning onto a stack of bagged soil, then caught Lily when she jumped.
They ran into the garage.
The birdhouse hung over Daniel's workbench.
It was ugly.
Crooked roof. Too much glue. One side painted blue and the other side accidentally painted on Ethan's shirt.
Dad had refused to fix it.
“First builds should look like first builds,” he always said.
Ethan pulled it down.
Nothing.
“Check inside,” Lily said.
He reached through the round opening.
His fingers touched tape.
A small envelope was stuck beneath the roof.
ETHAN was written across the front in Daniel's handwriting.
His hands shook as he opened it.
Inside was a brass key and a folded note.
Buddy,
If you're reading this, something happened that I hoped would not happen.
First: you are not in trouble.
Second: none of this is your job to fix.
Third: take Lily with you if she is there. Do not leave her alone if she is scared.
The key opens locker 214 at the Northwood Bus Station.
Call Aunt Claire from the pay phone by the ticket desk. Her number is on the back of this note.
Do not use Amanda's phone.
I love you more than you know.
Dad
Lily read over his shoulder.
“Why does Daddy have a bus-station locker?”
Ethan didn't know.
A car door slammed outside.
Amanda had come down through the house.
Ethan shoved the note into his shoe.
“What do we do?” Lily whispered.
The garage door began rising.
Amanda stood on the other side.
She had her phone in one hand.
And she was smiling now.
“I just called the police,” she said.
Lily's mouth fell open.
May you like
Amanda looked straight at Ethan.
“I told them you attacked me.”
