Chapter 1 - The Window Above Lily
Lily was making her doll dance across the pink velvet sofa when the first crack appeared.
The four-year-old smiled at the blonde doll in her hands.
“You’re cute.”
Anna entered the mansion sunroom carrying a silver tea tray.
Then the room jolted.
Anna looked up.
Her face changed instantly.
“Lily!”
She threw the tray aside.
Porcelain exploded across the marble floor as Anna lunged toward the sofa.
The enormous glass pane behind Lily shattered.
“Get down!”
Anna covered the little girl with her own body.
Glass rained across the cushions.
Lily screamed and wrapped both arms around Anna’s neck.
Seconds later Victor ran through the open doorway.
“Lily!”
He dropped beside the sofa and pulled his granddaughter into his arms.
A bright red scratch crossed Lily’s forearm, but she was conscious.
Claire appeared behind Victor.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
“Grandpa…” Lily sobbed. “Anna saved me.”
Victor looked toward the housekeeper.
Anna remained kneeling among shattered porcelain and glass, breathing hard.
Then Lily added:
“But she knew it was going to break.”
Anna went still.
Victor slowly looked at her.
“What does she mean?”
Anna opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Lily pointed toward the broken window.
Victor examined the frame.
Among the jagged edges was something that did not belong.
A perfectly straight line.
Too clean.
Too deliberate.
“This wasn’t an accident.”
Anna looked toward Claire.
Claire stopped breathing.
Then Lily pointed upward.
“Camera.”
A small security camera faced the sunroom.
Claire looked at it.
Her knees buckled.
She collapsed onto the floor, trembling.
Victor turned sharply.
“Claire?”
“Don’t.”
Claire’s voice barely existed.
“Don’t watch it.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“Why?”
Claire stared at the camera.
“Because if that camera recorded what happened before the glass broke…”
May you like
She swallowed.
“…you’re going to think I tried to kill Lily.”
