Chapter 3: The Name on the Wall
I took Lily straight to my car.
She didn’t argue.
That scared me more than anything.
Normally, Lily filled every silence.
She sang badly on purpose.
She asked a hundred questions.
She complained about the radio.
Now she sat in the passenger seat with her hands folded neatly in her lap.
Like she was trying not to take up space.
“Chloe,” I said gently.
She looked at me.
“Can I ask you something?””
She nodded.
“Why did Mrs. Cole make you change names?””
Her fingers tightened.
“She said names were dangerous.””
“Dangerous?””
“She said people could use names to find us.””
I gripped the steering wheel.
“Who?””
She looked out the window.
“The man.””
I waited.
Finally she whispered:
“He asked questions.””
“What kind of questions?””
“Who was the oldest. Who cried easily. Who lived with only one parent.””
My heart sank.
“Why?””
“I don’t know.””
She swallowed.
“Mrs. Cole said he was important.””
I drove away from the neighborhood.
The perfect lawns disappeared behind us.
But the feeling followed.
At a red light, Lily suddenly grabbed my sleeve.
“Don’t go home.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“Don’t take me home.””
“Why not?””
“Because he knows where we live.””
The light turned green.
I didn’t move.
Cars behind me started honking.
I barely heard them.
“Who knows where you live?””
“The man.””
I finally drove.
I called Rachel again.
This time she answered immediately.
“Are you with Lily?””
“Yes.””
“Put her on.””
I glanced at Lily.
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Rachel,” I said.
“Something serious happened.””
“Daniel, you’re scaring me.””
“I think Brenda had someone else in that house.””
Silence.
Then:
“What do you mean?””
“I saw seven sleeping bags.””
Rachel breathed sharply.
“Daniel.””
“What?””
“Brenda’s sleepovers are always six girls.””
“I know.””
“No.””
Her voice changed.
“She stopped having them.””
“Why?””
“Because of something that happened years ago.””
I pulled over.
“What happened?””
Rachel hesitated.
“Daniel…”
“Tell me.””
“My friend’s daughter disappeared.””
The world seemed to narrow.
“Who?””
“She was staying at one of Brenda’s events.””
I looked at Lily.
She was staring straight ahead.
“What was her name?””
Rachel whispered:
“Chloe.””
I looked at the small shoes on Lily’s feet.
The cheap canvas sneakers.
The name tag.
The sleeping bag.
Everything connected.
“Rachel,” I said.
“Yes?””
“I think Lily is wearing Chloe’s shoes.””
The line went silent.
May you like
Then Rachel said something that made my blood run cold.
“Daniel, Chloe never came home.””
