Chapter 9 - They arrived at the hospital at 2:17 a.m.The building was nearly empty.
Too empty.
Ethan knew immediately something was wrong.
Security cameras were disabled.
Phones were disconnected.
The elevators had been locked.
“Back entrance,” Daniel said.
They entered through the loading dock.
Ethan carried Lily.
Daniel led the way.
They reached the third floor.
A corridor.
A locked door.
Behind it, voices.
Sarah.
And Marcus.
“You're running out of time.”
Sarah's voice shook.
“Lily doesn't remember.”
“She will.”
“She won't.”
Marcus laughed.
“Everyone remembers when the pain is strong enough.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
Daniel looked at him.
“Wait.”
“No.”
“Wait.”
A crash came from inside.
Sarah screamed.
Ethan kicked the door open.
Marcus turned.
He held a knife against Sarah's throat.
Lily screamed.
“Mommy!”
Marcus smiled.
“Perfect.”
He dragged Sarah backward.
“Ethan, don't!”
Daniel stepped forward.
Marcus looked shocked.
“Daniel.”
“Marcus.”
For a second, nobody moved.
Then Marcus laughed.
“You survived.”
“I did.”
“You should have stayed dead.”
“Probably.”
Marcus pressed the knife harder.
“Where's the ledger?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Marcus looked at Lily.
“Ask your daughter.”
Daniel's expression changed.
Lily stood beside Ethan.
She was shaking.
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Lily.”
She looked at him.
“Do you remember me?”
She slowly nodded.
Marcus smiled.
“What do you remember?”
“A red door.”
His smile vanished.
“What else?”
“A bird.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“The painting.”
“Yes.”
“Where was it?”
Lily closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“At Mr. Mercer's house.”
Ethan froze.
Marcus smiled.
“There it is.”
Ethan felt the room spin.
His own house.
The ledger had been there all along.
Marcus released Sarah and lunged toward Lily.
Daniel tackled him.
Gunfire erupted.
Glass shattered.
Security rushed into the corridor.
Ethan grabbed Sarah.
“Run!”
They fled.
Down the stairs.
Through the loading dock.
Into the street.
Sirens filled the night.
Marcus was arrested.
But Ethan knew the story wasn't over.
Because when they reached home, Sarah looked at him.
“There's something you don't know.”
“What?”
“Your father didn't hide the ledger in your house.”
Ethan stared.
“Then where?”
Sarah looked toward the living room.
“At the place Lily goes every morning.”
Ethan frowned.
“School?”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
“The sidewalk.”
Ethan's heart stopped.
“What?”
“Your father told Daniel that if anything happened to him, the truth should stay where nobody would ever think to look.”
Sarah pointed toward the front window.
“Right across from your house.”
Ethan looked outside.
Mrs. Green's blue house stood silently under the streetlights.
Then he remembered something.
Mrs. Green had lived there for forty years.
Long before Ethan moved into the neighborhood.
And every morning, she watched Lily leave for school.
Every morning.
Without fail.
Ethan suddenly felt a chill.
“What are you telling me?”
May you like
Sarah whispered:
“Mrs. Green was there the night Daniel disappeared.”
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