Chapter 5: The Seventh Sleeping Bag
The police took over the investigation before sunset.
Brenda’s house was surrounded by vehicles.
Neighbors watched from behind curtains.
The same people who had waved at Brenda every morning now whispered about her.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about one thing.
The photo.
Chloe Harris had been alive.
At least in that picture.
Which meant everyone had been wrong.
Or someone had made sure they stayed wrong.
Lily sat beside me in the police station waiting room.
She held my hand.
“Am I in trouble?”” she asked.
The question broke something inside me.
“No.””
“But I lied.””
“You were scared.””
She looked down.
“I didn’t know what else to do.””
A detective approached us.
His name was Marcus Hill.
“Daniel?””
I stood.
“Yes?””
“Can I ask you a few questions?””
I nodded.
He glanced at Lily.
“Your niece mentioned a man.””
“Yes.””
“We found evidence that someone else was inside Brenda Cole’s home last night.””
My stomach tightened.
“What kind of evidence?””
“Footprints.””
“Whose?””
“We don’t know yet.””
Detective Hill looked at Lily.
“But we found something else.””
“What?””
He placed a small plastic bag on the table.
Inside was a nametag.
My blood went cold.
It said:
LILY.
I looked at my niece.
She started crying.
“I told you.””
“What?””
She grabbed my hand.
“Mrs. Cole said if anyone found the tags, they would know.””
“Know what?””
She whispered:
“Which girl was chosen.””
The room went silent.
Detective Hill exchanged a look with another officer.
“Chosen for what?””
Lily didn’t answer.
She looked terrified.
Then her eyes moved toward the hallway.
A man was standing there.
Gray jacket.
Watching us.
My heart stopped.
“Is that him?”” I whispered.
Lily looked.
Her face drained of color.
Slowly, she nodded.
“That’s the man.””
Detective Hill immediately turned.
The hallway was empty.
Gone.
But on the floor where he had been standing was a folded piece of paper.
The detective picked it up.
Opened it.
His expression changed.
“What does it say?”” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
He handed me the paper.
Three words were written in black ink.
Not a threat.
Not a warning.
May you like
A message.
*Chloe is coming home.*
