Chapter 8: What Lily Remembered
The river was swollen from three days of rain.
Black water rushed beneath the bridge, carrying branches and trash toward the eastern edge of the city.
Aaron stood on the wet pavement while Sullivan searched the embankment with two patrol officers.
Emma sat in the back of the police SUV.
She hadn't spoken since they left Lakeview.
Aaron walked toward her.
She looked up.
"Where is my father?""
"I don't know.""
"Where is Lily?""
"I don't know.""
"Then what do you know?""
Emma stared through the windshield.
"Enough to ruin everything.""
Aaron opened the door.
"Then ruin it.""
She looked at him.
He sat beside her.
"My daughter is missing.""
"I know.""
"Someone tried to make me believe my father was dead.""
"I know.""
"Marcus has been lying to us for years.""
"I know.""
"Someone increased my life insurance.""
"I know.""
Aaron's voice cracked.
"And you knew pieces of all of this.""
Emma covered her face.
"I was trying to keep you alive.""
"By keeping me blind?""
"Yes.""
He stared at her.
"Why?""
She lowered her hands.
"Because the first time I tried to tell you, they came for Lily.""
"When?""
"Six months ago.""
Aaron went still.
"What happened?""
Emma looked toward the river.
"Lily came home from school and told me she had seen a man watching her.""
"Who?""
"She couldn't describe his face.""
"Then what?""
"That night, someone broke into the house.""
Aaron remembered.
Six months earlier, he'd been away on a business trip.
Emma had told him a window had broken during a storm.
He'd believed her.
"You told me it was the wind.""
"I lied.""
"Why?""
"Because there was a message written on Lily's bedroom wall.""
Aaron waited.
Emma whispered:
*Your husband knows what his father did.*
Aaron's chest tightened.
"I didn't know anything.""
"I know.""
"So why me?""
"Because they thought you did.""
A flashlight beam appeared in the darkness.
Sullivan approached.
"We found something.""
Aaron followed.
At the riverbank, an old storm drain opened beneath the bridge.
There were fresh footprints in the mud.
Small ones.
And larger ones.
Sullivan crouched.
"Lily's shoe size?""
"Three.""
She pointed.
"These are approximately that.""
Aaron's pulse jumped.
"She was here.""
"Recently.""
Nearby, they found a piece of blue fabric caught on a branch.
Emma recognized it immediately.
"That's James's coat.""
Aaron stared.
"You saw him?""
"No.""
"Then how do you know?""
"Because he wore that coat the night he came to me.""
"When?""
"Six years ago.""
Sullivan looked at the drain.
"There's a tunnel.""
Aaron started toward it.
Sullivan blocked him.
"We don't know where it goes.""
"My daughter could be down there.""
"We'll send a team.""
"No.""
"Aaron.""
"I'm going.""
Sullivan stared at him.
Then she sighed.
"Fine. But you stay behind me.""
The tunnel was narrow.
Water ran along the bottom.
The walls smelled of mud and rust.
Their flashlights bounced over old graffiti.
After fifty yards, they found a metal door.
Unlocked.
Inside was a small room.
A chair.
A table.
A portable lamp.
A child's drawing.
Aaron picked it up.
It showed three people holding hands.
A little girl.
A man.
A woman.
Above them, Lily had drawn a house.
Underneath, in purple crayon, were the words:
*MY REAL FAMILY.*
Aaron's heart broke.
Sullivan looked around.
"This was a hideout.""
Aaron noticed something on the table.
A cassette recorder.
He pressed play.
Static.
Then James's voice.
"If you're hearing this, Aaron, I'm sorry.""
Aaron froze.
James continued.
"I didn't abandon you.""
Aaron's eyes filled.
"I disappeared because I discovered the people I worked for were using children's foundations to move stolen money. When I tried to expose them, they threatened you.""
Aaron stared at the recorder.
"I made a deal. I disappeared. Another man took my identity.""
The tape crackled.
"I thought distance would keep you safe.""
Aaron whispered, "You failed.""
James continued.
"I was wrong about one thing.""
A pause.
"The danger didn't end when I disappeared.""
Aaron looked at Emma.
"The foundation continued.""
The tape clicked.
"And someone inside your family kept feeding them information.""
Aaron's breathing stopped.
The tape continued.
"Don't trust Marcus.""
Emma closed her eyes.
"He found me six years ago.""
Aaron turned toward her.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Marcus threatened Lily.""
The recording crackled again.
"Marcus isn't working alone.""
Aaron leaned closer.
James said one final sentence.
"The person you trust most is the one who gave them your address.""
The tape stopped.
Silence.
Sullivan looked at Aaron.
"Who has access to your address?""
Aaron thought.
Emma.
His mother.
Marcus.
His bank.
The school.
Then something struck him.
"The school.""
Sullivan frowned.
"Why?""
"Someone changed Lily's pickup authorization.""
"Yes.""
"Who has administrative access?""
"Several people.""
Aaron's eyes narrowed.
"Ms. Carter.""
Sullivan shook her head.
"Why her?""
"She knew me.""
"That proves nothing.""
"She told me the system was changed this morning.""
Sullivan nodded.
"Because she saw the document.""
Aaron remembered her expression.
The clipboard.
The shield.
The way she had looked at Lily.
"She wasn't surprised.""
Sullivan's face tightened.
"Let's go.""
They left the tunnel.
When they returned to the police SUV, Emma was gone.
The rear door hung open.
Aaron's heart dropped.
"Emma?""
Sullivan drew her weapon.
"Stay back.""
A phone lay on the seat.
Aaron picked it up.
A message was displayed.
*She came willingly.*
Then another.
*Because she knows where Lily is.*
Aaron's phone rang.
This time, it was a video call.
He answered.
The screen showed a dim room.
Lily sat on a chair.
Her wrists were free.
She was crying.
Aaron's voice broke.
"Lily.""
"Dad.""
"I'm here.""
A man stepped into the frame.
Marcus.
He looked directly into the camera.
"You should have listened.""
Aaron clenched his jaw.
"Where is Emma?""
Marcus smiled.
"Safe.""
"Where?""
"With the person who started all of this.""
Aaron felt cold.
"Who?""
Marcus stepped aside.
A woman appeared behind him.
Gray hair.
Trembling hands.
Aaron recognized her immediately.
His mother.
But she wasn't tied up.
May you like
She was holding a gun.
And she was pointing it at Emma.
