Chapter 3 - The Places Lily Knew
Daniel locked the bedroom door.
Claire objected immediately.
"You are not turning this house into a crime scene."
"Maybe someone else already did."
Lily sat cross-legged on the bed with her rabbit in her lap. Daniel kept his movements slow as he searched.
"Where are the others, sweetheart?"
"I only saw the lights."
"What lights?"
"Little red ones."
She pointed toward the ceiling vent.
Daniel dragged over a chair, removed the vent cover, and found nothing at first. Then his fingertips hit plastic.
Another camera.
C-3.
Claire stepped backward.
"Oh my God."
"Don't," Daniel snapped.
"Don't what?"
"Act surprised now."
"I am surprised!"
Lily began rocking slightly.
Daniel climbed down and forced himself to lower his voice.
"Lily, did the lady ever ask you questions?"
She nodded.
"What kind?"
"If you were alone. If Daddy was home. If Mommy was mad."
Claire pressed a hand to her mouth.
"And what did you say?"
"I wasn't supposed to answer."
Daniel stared at her. "Who told you that?"
Lily pointed to the framed photograph.
The girl in the yellow coat.
"Her."
Silence filled the room.
Daniel crouched until he was eye level with his daughter. "Lily, that is a picture. She can't talk to you."
"Not the picture." Lily frowned as if he were the child. "The real girl."
Claire made a small choking sound.
Daniel looked at her.
"You know her."
"No."
"Stop lying."
"I said no."
Lily slid off the bed and walked to her closet. She moved a stack of folded blankets, then pushed on the rear wall.
A thin panel shifted inward.
Daniel felt every hair rise on his arms.
"What is that?"
Lily squeezed into the narrow opening.
"She showed me."
Daniel rushed after her and pulled the panel wider.
Behind the closet was a dark service corridor barely three feet across, running between the bedrooms.
Old wiring. Dust. Exposed beams.
And fresh footprints.
Small footprints.
Child-sized.
At the far end, something moved.
A shadow slipped around the corner.
May you like
Lily whispered, "That's her."
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