Chapter 2 - Someone Behind the Door
Claire grabbed Lily tighter.
“Who’s in there?”
Silence.
Walter stepped toward her.
“Claire, take the child and leave.”
That frightened her more than anything.
Walter never asked anyone to leave.
He ordered them.
He controlled them.
Now he sounded desperate.
Claire backed toward the porch steps.
“Stay away from us.”
Another creak came from behind the door.
Then something metallic scraped against wood.
Walter turned sharply.
“Don’t.”
Claire noticed it.
He wasn’t speaking to her.
He was speaking to whoever was inside.
“Who is in there?”
Nobody answered.
Claire pulled out her phone.
Walter lunged.
“Give me that.”
She stepped away.
“I’m calling the police.”
His expression hardened.
“You’ll regret involving them.”
“My baby was chained outside in January.”
“You don’t understand what you’re looking at.”
Claire stared at him.
“Then explain it.”
Walter glanced at the wooden door again.
That was when it opened two inches.
Claire saw a hand.
A man’s hand.
A dark wedding band.
Then the door slammed shut.
Claire’s heart stopped.
She knew that ring.
She had bought it seven years earlier.
“Ethan?”
Walter closed his eyes.
Claire stared at the door.
Her husband was supposed to be in Boston for a three-day consulting conference.
He had kissed Lily goodbye that morning.
He had hugged Claire in the kitchen.
He had promised to call after his flight landed.
“Ethan!”
The door opened.
But no one stepped out.
Instead, Claire heard the back window of the storage room slide upward.
She ran around the side of the porch.
Too late.
A man in a dark coat was disappearing through the neighboring yard.
She saw only his back.
But she saw the ring again.
Claire stopped running.
Her knees weakened.
“No…”
Walter stood behind her.
“You didn’t see anything.”
Claire turned.
“My husband was in there.”
“You’re upset.”
“Why was Ethan hiding while our daughter was chained outside?”
Walter didn’t answer.
Claire looked at Lily.
Her daughter pressed her face against Claire’s shoulder.
Then Claire noticed something tucked beneath Lily’s coat.
A small black plastic device.
She pulled it free.
It was a wireless microphone.
Walter’s confidence disappeared.
Claire stared at it.
May you like
Someone hadn’t only chained Lily outside.
Someone had been recording what happened.
