Chapter 1 - Mommy Gave Me This Through the Wall
Nobody at Richard Bennett’s table noticed Lily at first.
Twenty-four adults sat beneath crystal chandeliers while servants moved between silver platters, polished glasses and flower arrangements. Lily’s simple beige dress made her look almost invisible among evening gowns and black suits.
She stood beside Richard’s chair clutching a bread roll against her chest.
Then Richard saw the tears.
“Why are you hiding that bread?”
Lily’s small shoulders tightened.
Her eyes moved along the enormous table.
“For Mommy. She hasn’t eaten today.”
Richard slowly lowered his fork.
Several conversations died around him.
“Where is your mother?”
Lily looked toward dining-room doors.
Before she answered, a police officer entered.
Lily went rigid.
The officer approached calmly.
“Come with me, sweetheart.”
She shook her head.
Richard watched suspicion replace confusion.
The officer took Lily’s hand gently and began walking her away.
Three steps later Lily twisted around.
“Grandpa... don’t let them move Mommy again.”
Richard stood.
Several guests suddenly found their wine glasses fascinating.
The officer stopped.
“Who moved her?” Richard asked.
Lily raised one finger toward the far end of the table.
Not toward the officer.
Toward the guests.
Richard followed her gesture.
At that exact moment a champagne glass was set down.
But three people sat in the direction Lily indicated:
Richard’s eldest son Ethan.
His daughter-in-law Vanessa.
And family attorney Charles Hale.
Lily opened her fist.
A diamond wedding ring gleamed beneath the bread.
Richard recognized it instantly.
It had belonged to Emma Bennett.
Lily’s mother.
Richard’s daughter.
Emma had vanished eleven days earlier.
Police believed she had left voluntarily after an argument with family.
Richard had never believed it.
“Where did you get that?”
Lily sobbed.
“Mommy gave me this through the wall.”
Silence.
Then—
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
From the wall behind the far end of the table.
Lily began crying harder.
Officer Daniel Hayes instinctively moved her behind him.
Ethan stared toward the wall.
Vanessa went pale.
Charles stood abruptly.
Richard noticed.
“Sit down.”
Charles stopped.
Another three knocks came.
Richard walked toward wall.
“Emma?”
Nothing.
Then one muffled scrape.
Richard turned to Officer Hayes.
“Open it.”
Hayes shook his head.
“We need backup before anyone touches that wall.”
“You came here to remove my granddaughter.”
“I came because Child Services received a report that Lily was unattended.”
“From whom?”
Hayes hesitated.
“Anonymous caller.”
Richard looked around table.
Someone had summoned police at exactly the moment Lily appeared.
Someone had expected her to be taken away before she spoke.
Then Lily whispered:
“Mommy said the man with the silver watch keeps changing rooms.”
Richard’s eyes moved around table.
Three men were wearing silver watches.
Ethan.
May you like
Charles.
And Richard himself.
