Chapter 8: The Truth Beneath the Floorboards
Thomas Cole’s confession changed everything.
Police searched Brenda’s house again.
This time they didn’t look for evidence.
They looked for people.
The hidden room was only the beginning.
Behind the bookshelf was a narrow staircase.
Below it was a basement nobody had known existed.
And inside that basement…
they found names.
Hundreds of them.
Written on the walls.
Children’s names.
Dates.
Notes.
Like someone had been keeping records.
Detective Hill called me after midnight.
“Daniel.””
I knew from his voice.
“Did you find Chloe?””
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
“Is she alive?””
“Yes.””
The relief lasted one second.
Then I heard his next words.
“But Daniel…”
“What?””
“She isn’t eight anymore.””
The next morning, I saw Chloe.
She was sitting in a hospital room.
Older.
Different.
But alive.
She was seventeen.
Seventeen years of a life stolen from her.
She looked at me through the glass.
Then looked at Lily.
And started crying.
Lily cried too.
Because somehow, despite everything, children recognized pain.
The doctors explained that Chloe had been hidden after her disappearance.
Brenda had convinced everyone she was gone.
But she had kept her.
Controlled her.
Used her to help create the “perfect” replacements.
The other girls weren’t chosen randomly.
They were chosen because they reminded Brenda of Chloe.
Because Brenda was obsessed with recreating something she had destroyed.
I sat beside Lily that afternoon.
“She’s safe now,” I said.
Lily nodded.
“But what about the other girls?””
I looked at her.
“What other girls?””
She stared at me.
“The ones who didn’t get away.””
My heart sank.
“What do you mean?””
“Mrs. Cole said some girls failed.””
Detective Hill overheard.
“Failed how?””
Lily looked down.
“They forgot who they were.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Detective Hill left the room.
Ten minutes later, he returned.
His face was pale.
“We found something.””
“What?””
“A storage unit.””
“What’s inside?””
He looked at Lily.
“School records.””
My stomach tightened.
“Of who?””
He answered quietly.
“Girls who were reported missing.””
The storage unit contained boxes.
Hundreds of documents.
Photos.
Clothing.
Personal items.
Everything Brenda had collected.
But one thing confused investigators.
There were seven sleeping bags.
Not six.
Not eight.
Seven.
Detective Hill called me back to the station.
“We need Lily to identify something.””
I didn’t want her involved.
But she insisted.
“I know.””
I looked at her.
“Know what?””
“Who the seventh girl was.””
The storage unit was cold.
Too cold.
Lily walked slowly between the shelves.
She stopped at a box.
A label was attached.
CHLOE.
Inside were drawings.
Letters.
Photos.
And one final item.
A small pink jacket.
Lily touched it.
Then stepped back.
“That’s not Chloe’s.””
Detective Hill frowned.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
“Whose is it?””
Lily looked at the jacket.
Then whispered:
“Mine.””
Everyone froze.
“Lily,” I said softly.
“That’s impossible.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“She had this before I came.””
Detective Hill looked confused.
“Before you came where?””
Lily looked up.
“At Brenda’s house.””
My blood turned cold.
“What are you saying?””
May you like
She pointed at the box.
“She already knew me.””
