Chapter 1 - The Name Richard Wouldn’t Say
For half a second after Richard spoke, Ethan could hear nothing except Lily’s breathing against his chest.
“She’s not the child you should be protecting.”
Claire was still on the floor beside the shattered display cabinet, one arm wrapped around her side. But even she had stopped crying.
That frightened Ethan more than Richard’s words.
Lily tightened both arms around his neck.
Ethan stepped toward the doorway.
“My daughter was being dragged across the floor.”
Richard did not move.
“I can see that.”
“And you told Claire to do it?”
“No.”
Lily lifted her face immediately.
“He did.”
Richard’s eyes moved to her.
Ethan’s grip tightened.
“Don’t look at her. Look at me.”
Richard obeyed.
“I told Claire to get back what Lily took.”
Claire whispered, “Richard—”
“Enough.”
“What did she take?” Ethan demanded.
Richard hesitated.
That hesitation told Ethan the object mattered more than whatever explanation he had prepared.
Lily suddenly pressed one hand against the front of her pink dress.
Ethan felt something stiff beneath the fabric.
“Lily?”
She shook her head.
“Sweetheart, did you take something?”
Her eyes filled again.
“I didn’t steal it.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“She gave it to me.”
“Who?”
Lily glanced at Richard.
Then Claire.
“Emily.”
Richard went pale.
Claire closed her eyes.
Ethan knew no Emily.
“Who is Emily?”
Richard answered quietly.
“The child I was talking about.”
There it was.
First answer.
Richard had not meant Lily wasn’t Ethan’s child.
He meant there was another child.
But that only made his statement worse.
Ethan carried Lily to the sofa and knelt without putting her down.
“What did Emily give you?”
Lily slowly reached inside the small pocket sewn into her dress.
A folded cream envelope emerged.
Across the front, in uneven handwriting:
FOR MR. ETHAN BENNETT ONLY.
Below it:
PLEASE DON’T LET THEM SEND ME BACK.
Ethan looked at Richard.
“Where is she?”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t know.”
Claire pushed herself upright.
“She wasn’t supposed to contact him.”
“Who is she?”
Richard finally answered.
“Emily Carter. Nine years old.”
“And why would a nine-year-old know my name?”
Richard looked toward the envelope.
“Because your wife knew hers.”
Ethan went still.
His wife, Anna, had been dead for almost three years.
Richard continued.
“Anna was trying to help Emily before she died.”
Ethan looked at Lily.
“How did Emily give this to you?”
“At Grandma’s garden party.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
Richard’s face changed.
“Yesterday?”
Lily nodded.
“She was behind the hedge.”
Claire suddenly stared at Richard.
“You told me she hadn’t been near this house.”
“I was told she hadn’t.”
Ethan unfolded envelope.
Inside was a child’s drawing.
A white two-story house.
A red front door.
Three stick figures.
One little girl stood outside.
Another was drawn behind an upstairs window.
Across the bottom Emily had written:
THEY KEEP SAYING I’M CONFUSED.
I’M NOT.
On the back was a phone number and four words:
ASK ABOUT ROOM ELEVEN.
Ethan looked up.
Richard’s composure finally broke.
“Where did she get that?”
“You tell me.”
“I’ve never seen it.”
Claire moved toward them.
Ethan immediately stood, Lily secure against him.
“Stay away.”
Claire stopped.
Richard stared at the drawing.
Then whispered:
“Room Eleven was closed eight years ago.”
Ethan’s voice lowered.
“What was it?”
Richard looked directly at him.
“A bedroom at Haven House.”
“What is Haven House?”
Richard took several seconds to answer.
“A children’s transitional residence funded by the Bennett Foundation.”
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
His family foundation.
A house he had never heard about.
“And Emily?”
Richard looked at the words on the envelope.
“She lived there.”
“Then why does she think someone is still in Room Eleven?”
Richard did not answer.
But Lily did.
“Because she heard her.”
Ethan looked down.
“Heard who?”
May you like
Lily’s voice became almost inaudible.
“The girl everyone says was never there.”
