Chapter 5
Lila moved to a regular room that afternoon.
She was weak, tired, but getting stronger by the hour.
Jake never left her side.
He sat on the edge of her bed, telling her everything that had happened.
About the restaurant.
About Vanessa getting slapped.
About finding out Daddy was alive.
Lila listened with wide eyes.
“Vanessa is in trouble?” she said.
“Big trouble,” Jake said importantly. “The police took her. She’s going to jail.”
Lila thought about this.
“Good,” she said finally.
Daniel and I both smiled.
That evening, the hospital let Lila eat real food.
She ordered chicken nuggets and applesauce.
She ate every bite.
When visiting hours ended, Daniel told Jake he’d take him home to get some sleep.
Jake shook his head.
“I’m not leaving Lila.”
“Buddy, you need a real bed,” Daniel said. “A shower. Clean clothes. You can come back first thing in the morning, I promise.”
Jake looked at his sister.
Lila reached for his hand.
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’ll be here. Daddy will stay with me.”
Jake looked at me.
“Will you come home with me?” he said. “I don’t want to be alone in the house.”
I looked at Daniel.
He nodded.
“Please,” he said. “The house hasn’t been touched in three months. It’s probably a mess. And I don’t want him walking into an empty place after everything he’s been through.”
“Of course,” I said.
Daniel gave me the keys and the address.
A big house in Brentwood, just like he’d said.
I drove Jake there in my car.
He fell asleep on the way.
I had to carry him inside.
The alarm was beeping when I opened the door.
I punched in the code Daniel had given me.
The house was dark.
Cold.
Frozen in time.
A half-empty coffee mug sat on the kitchen counter.
The mail was stacked by the door.
Three months of dust on everything.
But there were toys everywhere.
A tiny soccer ball in the living room.
Dolls on the stairs.
Crayons and coloring books spread across the dining room table.
It was like the family had just stepped out for a minute.
Like they’d be back any second.
I carried Jake up to his room.
It was exactly how he’d left it.
Star Wars sheets.
Piles of books.
Legos everywhere.
I changed him into his pajamas—they still fit, barely—and tucked him in.
He grabbed my hand before I could leave.
“Emily?”
“Yeah, buddy?”
“Is Mommy ever coming back?”
I froze.
I didn’t know how to answer that.
“Would you want her to?” I said carefully.
Jake was quiet for a long time.
“I used to,” he said. “When we were in the warehouse, I cried for her every night. But then Lila got sick and she didn’t come. And Vanessa said she didn’t want us. And now I have Daddy.”
He squeezed my hand.
“I don’t need her anymore,” he said. “I have Daddy. And I have you.”
My throat tightened.
I leaned down and kissed his forehead.
“You have us,” I said. “Forever.”
I left the door cracked and walked through the rest of the house.
Sarah and Daniel’s bedroom was upstairs.
The bed was made.
Her jewelry was still on the dresser.
Her clothes were still in the closet.
But something was wrong.
I walked closer.
Her closet was half empty.
The expensive dresses were gone.
The designer shoes.
Her jewelry box was open—all the good pieces missing.
And on her nightstand—
A picture.
Daniel and Sarah on their wedding day.
Both smiling.
Young.
Happy.
But Sarah’s face had been scratched out.
Deep, angry gouges through the photograph.
I shivered.
I went downstairs and called Daniel.
“Hey,” he said. His voice was soft—Lila was probably asleep beside him. “Is Jake okay?”
“He’s out like a light,” I said. “Daniel—there’s something you should know. Sarah’s closet. Half her stuff is gone. The expensive things. And there’s a wedding photo on her nightstand. Her face is scratched out.”
Daniel was quiet.
“I saw it the first week,” he said. “I didn’t move anything. I was afraid if I touched her things, she’d come back and take the kids again before I found them.”
“Daniel—Linda called me ten minutes ago,” I said. “Wait—no. She called you?”
“No,” I said. “She texted me. From the number you gave her. She said she talked to her friend. Sarah’s in Atlanta. Living in an apartment under a fake name. She said she’s been there the whole time.”
Daniel breathed out hard.
“Did she give you the address?”
“No,” I said. “She said she needs more time. She’s scared Sarah will figure out she talked. She said she’ll text again tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow might be too late,” Daniel said. “If Sarah gets even a hint that the kids are with me—that Vanessa was arrested—she’ll run. She’ll go to Mexico. Or Canada. Somewhere I can’t reach her.”
“Then we go to the police,” I said. “Tell them what Linda said. Let them handle it.”
“The police move slow,” Daniel said. “By the time they get a warrant, get in touch with Atlanta PD, coordinate everything—she could be gone. Emily—I have to do this. I have to go to Atlanta. I have to find her myself.”
“Daniel, no,” I said. “That’s dangerous. You don’t know what she’s capable of. She already kidnapped your children once. Who knows what she’ll do when she’s cornered?”
“I’m not asking you to come,” he said. “I’ll go alone. First thing tomorrow. Megan can stay with the kids. She’s already offered.”
“Like hell you’re going alone,” I said. “If you’re going to Atlanta, I’m going with you. Two people are harder to fool than one. And besides—somebody has to keep you from doing something stupid that gets you arrested before you find her.”
Daniel laughed.
It was a real laugh.
“Okay,” he said. “Okay. We’ll go to Atlanta. Together. But Emily—thank you. For everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Good thing you’ll never have to find out,” I said.
I hung up and looked around the quiet house.
Somewhere in Atlanta, Sarah Carter was sleeping.
She thought she’d gotten away with it.
May you like
She thought her secret was safe.
She had no idea what was coming for her.
