Chapter 7 - Her Mother's Secret

Sarah called her mother immediately.

No answer.

She called again.

Nothing.

"Lily is with her," Sarah said.

Daniel was already grabbing his keys.

They drove across town in silence.

Sarah kept calling.

On the fifth attempt, her mother finally answered.

"Sarah?"

"Where's Lily?"

"She's asleep upstairs. Why?"

Sarah exhaled.

"Don't let anyone in. We're coming."

When they arrived, Margaret Bennett opened the door wearing a robe, confused and irritated.

"What is going on?"

Sarah held up a screenshot from the garage footage.

"You tell me."

Margaret's face drained of color.

Daniel shut the door behind them.

"Mom, why were you at Sarah's garage at two in the morning with Mark and Vanessa?"

Margaret sat down.

For a long moment she said nothing.

Then she whispered, "Because Mark told me Sarah was drinking again."

Sarah stared at her.

"Again? I don't drink."

"He said you'd been hiding it. He said he found pills. He said Lily wasn't safe."

"So you helped him plant pills in my car?"

"No! I didn't know that's what they were doing. He asked me to come over because he said you had collapsed. When I got there, you weren't home. Vanessa said you had gone for a walk."

Sarah's eyes burned.

"And you believed them?"

Margaret looked ashamed.

"Mark showed me messages."

"What messages?"

Margaret handed over her phone.

The texts appeared to come from Sarah's number.

I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.

LILY WOULD BE BETTER WITHOUT ME.

DON'T TELL DANIEL.

Sarah felt sick.

"I never sent these."

Daniel checked the contact details.

"Mom, this isn't Sarah's number. It's saved under her name, but one digit is different."

Margaret covered her mouth.

"Oh my God."

Upstairs, a floorboard creaked.

Sarah turned.

Lily stood halfway down the staircase in borrowed pajamas.

"Mommy?"

Sarah opened her arms.

Lily ran to her.

Then Lily whispered against her shoulder, "Grandma, is that the lady who came to my school?"

Everyone froze.

Margaret looked at her. "What lady?"

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Lily pointed at the screenshot of Vanessa.

"Her. She talked to my teacher and said she was my new mommy."