Chapter 5 - The Midnight Attack
The voice I had dreamed of hearing for ten years
I replayed the call seventeen times.
Dad?
One word.
That was all.
But it had been enough to destroy me.
For ten years, I had imagined what Emily's voice might sound like as a teenager.
Would she still laugh with her whole body?
Would she hate piano lessons?
Would she call me Dad or Daddy?
Would she remember the way I carried her down the stairs when she was four?
Would she remember me at all?
Now I knew.
She did not remember me.
Or at least, someone had taught her not to.
And she had warned me not to trust Lena.
I turned toward the woman sitting across from me.
Lena was pale.
"What did Emily mean?"
"I don't know."
"She said your name."
Lena looked down.
"There are things I didn't tell you."
"Start talking."
Lena took a breath.
"When Emily was transferred to Blackwood, Claire planned to take her somewhere safe."
"Where?"
"Switzerland."
I blinked.
"Why Switzerland?"
"Because Claire's family had property there."
I had never known.
"Why didn't she take her?"
"Because she died."
Silence settled over the room.
Lena continued.
"I moved Emily instead."
"Why?"
"Because Daniel found us."
I stared.
"Where did you take her?"
"Vermont first. Then Pennsylvania. Then Canada."
My fists tightened.
"Ten years."
"Every time Victor got close, we moved."
"And Emily?"
"She grew up believing her father was dangerous."
My voice cracked.
"Why?"
"Because that was the only way to keep her from trying to find you."
My heart broke.
"She thinks I abandoned her."
Lena did not answer.
That was answer enough.
A sharp crack came from downstairs.
Marcus stood.
"Stay here."
We heard glass break.
Then footsteps.
Multiple.
Marcus drew his weapon.
I grabbed the old revolver I'd inherited from my father.
Lena moved toward Maya.
The lights died.
Again.
Someone had cut the power.
A figure appeared at the end of the hall.
Black coat.
Mask.
The first shot missed.
Marcus returned fire.
The intruder disappeared.
Another figure entered through the kitchen.
Then another.
Three men.
I pulled Lena and Maya into the basement.
"There's an exit?"
"Behind the furnace."
We ran.
The basement door slammed shut behind us.
Something hit it from the other side.
Maya was crying.
I held her.
"It's okay."
She looked up.
"No."
"What?"
"That's what Mommy says when she's scared."
Another impact shook the door.
Then Maya whispered,
"Emily said you'd come."
My chest tightened.
"Emily spoke to you?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Yesterday."
I looked at Lena.
She seemed terrified.
"Where?"
Maya pointed to a drawer.
Inside was a small children's drawing.
Three people standing beside a red house.
A little girl.
A woman.
And a man.
The man's face had no eyes.
I stared at the picture.
On the bottom, written in child's handwriting:
MY DAD CANNOT SEE ME YET.
The basement door burst open.
Marcus fired.
The intruders retreated.
"Move!"
He pulled open the furnace panel.
A narrow tunnel led outside.
We crawled through.
Cold air hit my face.
We emerged behind the house.
A black SUV was waiting.
Lena stared at it.
"I know that car."
"Whose?"
She shook her head.
"Daniel's."
I looked toward the house.
Flames were beginning to rise from the roof.
Someone had set it on fire.
Marcus grabbed my arm.
"Sir, we have to go."
I looked at the burning building.
Ten years ago, I had lost Claire and Emily.
Tonight, someone had tried to make sure I lost them again.
We got into the SUV.
As we drove away, my phone vibrated.
A photograph had been sent.
Emily.
She stood in front of a brick building.
Alive.
A little older than I had imagined.
Beside her was a woman.
I zoomed in.
The woman was Claire.
My dead wife.
The message beneath the photograph contained only one sentence.
SHE DIDN'T DIE EITHER.
I stared at the screen until my hands went numb.
Then the driver turned around.
It wasn't Marcus.
It was Daniel.
May you like
He smiled.
And locked the doors.
