Chapter 5: The Room Upstairs
Aaron drove straight to the police station.
Not because he trusted Detective Reed.
Because he didn't.
He parked across the street instead of entering.
For ten minutes, he watched officers come and go through the glass doors.
Then he called the non-emergency line and asked for a different detective.
Twenty minutes later, a woman walked across the street toward his car.
Detective Maya Sullivan was in her early forties, Black, sharp-eyed, wearing a navy coat over plain clothes.
She stopped beside the driver's window.
"Mr. Blake?""
Aaron lowered the window.
"Detective Sullivan?""
"Yes.""
"Are you working with Reed?""
"No.""
"Good.""
She studied his face.
"You look like you haven't slept.""
"I haven't.""
"What happened?""
Aaron handed her the envelope.
She looked inside.
Her expression changed when she saw the motel photograph.
"Where did you get this?""
"My wife.""
"Is Lily safe?""
"I don't know.""
Sullivan's gaze sharpened.
"That's the wrong answer.""
"I know.""
"Then let's get the right one.""
Aaron told her everything.
The school.
The custody form.
The attempted transfer.
Marcus.
The motel.
The photograph.
The messages.
When he finished, Sullivan sat silently for several seconds.
"Did you sign any document related to Lily's safety plan?""
"No.""
"Did you increase your life-insurance policy?""
"No.""
"Do you have access to your wife's passwords?""
"No.""
"Does Marcus?""
Aaron frowned.
"I don't know.""
Sullivan looked at the documents.
"There's something missing.""
"What?""
"The person who benefits.""
"Emma.""
"No.""
She tapped the insurance policy.
"Emma is listed as the beneficiary. But there's a secondary beneficiary.""
Aaron looked.
His heart stopped.
The name wasn't Marcus.
It wasn't Emma's mother.
It wasn't anyone Aaron recognized.
*Brookhaven Children's Foundation Trust.*
Aaron stared.
"Why would my life insurance go to a children's charity?""
"I don't know.""
"Can you find out?""
"I can try.""
She took photographs of the documents.
Then she looked at him.
"Where is Lily now?""
"At home.""
"With Emma?""
"Yes.""
"And Marcus?""
"I think so.""
Sullivan's face tightened.
"We need to get her.""
Aaron started the car.
"Let's go.""
"Wait.""
He looked at her.
"If this is what it appears to be, walking into that house could make things worse.""
"My daughter is inside.""
"I know.""
"Then I'm going.""
Sullivan nodded.
"But you're not going alone.""
They drove separately.
When Aaron reached the house, the front door was open.
The porch light flickered.
"Emma?"" he called.
No answer.
He entered.
The living room was empty.
A lamp lay broken on the floor.
A dining chair had been knocked sideways.
Aaron's pulse surged.
"Lily!""
He ran upstairs.
Sullivan followed.
The hallway was dark.
Aaron opened Lily's bedroom.
Empty.
Her purple backpack was gone.
Her bed was untouched.
He turned toward the master bedroom.
The door was open.
Emma's jewelry box sat on the floor.
Drawers had been pulled out.
Clothes scattered everywhere.
Sullivan moved toward the closet.
"Mr. Blake, don't touch anything.""
Aaron barely heard her.
He saw something on the carpet.
A tiny silver bracelet.
Lily's bracelet.
He picked it up before Sullivan could stop him.
"No.""
His voice cracked.
"No, no, no.""
Sullivan took the bracelet.
"Where did she get this?""
"I gave it to her.""
Aaron looked around.
"Emma!""
A sound came from upstairs.
A soft knock.
Three times.
Aaron froze.
Sullivan raised a finger to her lips.
They listened.
Three more knocks.
Not from the hallway.
From above them.
Aaron looked up.
"The attic.""
Sullivan drew her weapon.
"Stay behind me.""
They climbed the narrow stairs.
The attic door was locked.
Sullivan tried the handle.
"Step back.""
She forced the door open.
The attic smelled like dust and cedar.
Boxes lined the walls.
A single lamp burned near the far corner.
And someone was sitting on the floor.
Emma.
Her wrists were tied.
Her mouth was covered with tape.
Aaron rushed forward.
Sullivan stopped him.
"Wait.""
She checked the room.
Then she approached Emma and removed the tape.
Emma gasped.
"Where's Lily?""
Emma's face crumpled.
"He took her.""
"Who?""
"Marcus.""
Aaron felt something inside him break.
"Where?""
Emma shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Sullivan cut the restraints.
"Why did he take her?""
Emma looked at Aaron.
Then at Sullivan.
Her voice trembled.
"Because Lily saw what happened in Room 17.""
Aaron's blood ran cold.
"What happened?""
Emma swallowed.
"He didn't try to kidnap Lily.""
Aaron stared.
"Then what was she doing there?""
Emma's eyes filled with tears.
"He took her there to show her something.""
"What?""
Emma reached into the pocket of her torn sweater.
She pulled out a small key.
On the key was a metal tag.
*17.*
Aaron stared at it.
"That's the motel room.""
Emma nodded.
"He told me if Lily ever remembered that night, everything would come apart.""
Sullivan stepped closer.
"Everything?""
Emma looked at her.
"Yes.""
"What exactly did Lily see?""
Emma's lips trembled.
Then she whispered the sentence that made Aaron realize the worst part hadn't happened yet.
"She saw who killed her father.""
Aaron stared at her.
"My father?""
Emma nodded.
"Your father, James Blake.""
Aaron went completely still.
His father had died eleven years earlier.
A heart attack.
At least, that's what everyone had told him.
Emma looked down at the key.
"But Lily didn't see him die.""
She raised her eyes.
"She saw him alive.""
And somewhere downstairs, Aaron's phone began to ring.
May you like
The caller ID showed a number he had not seen in eleven years.
*Dad.*
