Chapter 2 - THE FAMILY PORTRAIT
The party began at two in the afternoon.
By two-fifteen, Daniel already wanted to leave.
Margaret’s suburban home had been transformed into a pink and silver carnival. Balloons covered the porch. A rented inflatable castle filled half the backyard. A photographer moved from room to room capturing carefully staged moments.
Nearly every relative Daniel had avoided for the past year was present.
Margaret greeted Emily with extravagant affection.
“My beautiful birthday girl!”
She knelt and opened her arms.
Emily hesitated.
Then she looked up at Daniel.
“You don’t have to hug anyone,” he said.
Margaret’s smile tightened.
“What a strange thing to say.”
Emily eventually allowed Margaret to kiss her forehead, but she did not release Daniel’s hand.
Rebecca appeared from the kitchen wearing a white dress better suited for a bridal shower than a child’s birthday.
She looked at Claire.
“You came.”
Claire smiled politely.
“It’s my daughter’s birthday.”
“Of course.”
Rebecca leaned toward Daniel.
“I thought we agreed to keep today peaceful.”
“We agreed to nothing.”
She laughed as if he had made a joke.
Harold stood near the fireplace speaking to two uncles. He raised his glass when Daniel entered but made no effort to approach.
For twenty minutes, the party remained calm.
Emily opened gifts.
Children played in the backyard.
The photographer arranged family members beneath the birthday banner.
Then Margaret announced it was time for the family portrait.
She positioned Harold in the center, Rebecca on one side and Daniel on the other.
Emily stood in front of them.
Claire approached, but Margaret lifted one hand.
“Immediate family first.”
Claire stopped.
Daniel stepped out of position.
“My wife is immediate family.”
“We will take another photograph afterward.”
“No.”
Guests became quiet.
The photographer lowered his camera.
Margaret maintained her smile.
“Daniel, do not create tension over a photograph.”
“You created it.”
Claire touched his arm.
“It’s fine.”
“It isn’t.”
Emily looked from one adult to another.
Then she walked away from Margaret and stood beside Claire.
“Mommy is my family,” she said.
Several guests smiled.
Margaret did not.
The photographer quickly captured an image of Daniel, Claire and Emily together.
When the flash ended, Rebecca whispered something to her mother.
Daniel could not hear it, but Margaret’s expression changed.
A few minutes later, Rebecca announced a special game for the children.
She gathered them near the back door and handed each one a colored ribbon.
The game involved following clues through the house and yard to find small bags of candy.
Daniel watched Emily accept a yellow ribbon.
“I’ll go with you,” he said.
Rebecca blocked him playfully.
“No parents. That ruins the game.”
“Then Emily doesn’t play.”
“She’ll be with the other children.”
Daniel crouched beside his daughter.
“Would you rather stay with us?”
Emily looked toward the children, who were already laughing and comparing ribbons.
“I want candy.”
Claire smiled.
“Then one of us follows from a distance.”
Rebecca rolled her eyes.
“You two treat her like she’s made of glass.”
Daniel stared at her.
“She’s four.”
Rebecca turned away.
The children followed their first clue into the dining room.
Daniel remained close enough to see Emily.
For several minutes, nothing happened.
Then Harold approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“We need to talk.”
“Not now.”
“It concerns your company.”
Daniel looked toward Claire. She stood near the dining room doorway, watching Emily.
He allowed Harold to lead him ten feet away.
“What about my company?”
Harold lowered his voice.
“You received the notice from Caldwell Bank?”
“No.”
“You will.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why would Caldwell contact me?”
“The original property guarantee was never released.”
Daniel felt a knot form in his stomach.
“That guarantee expired when I repaid the loan.”
“You assumed it did.”
Before Daniel could answer, shouting came from the kitchen.
A tray of drinks had fallen.
Guests crowded around the mess.
Daniel turned toward the dining room.
Claire was no longer in the doorway.
He saw her near the kitchen, helping an elderly aunt who had slipped on the spilled punch.
“Where’s Emily?” he asked.
Claire looked up sharply.
“She was with the children.”
The dining room was empty.
Daniel ran through the back door.
Children were scattered across the yard, following clues.
Emily was not among them.
He found Rebecca beside the pool, speaking to the photographer.
“Where is she?”
“Who?”
“My daughter.”
“She was playing the game.”
“She’s gone.”
Rebecca frowned with exaggerated concern.
“Maybe she’s hiding.”
Daniel began searching.
He checked the inflatable castle, the garden shed and the side yard.
Claire moved through the house calling Emily’s name.
Margaret assured everyone that the child could not have gone far.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Daniel’s fear sharpened into panic.
He found Emily’s yellow ribbon near the basement door.
The door was locked.
“Who has the key?” he shouted.
Margaret appeared at the top of the stairs.
“That basement is always locked.”
“The ribbon is here.”
“It could belong to another child.”
“It has her name on it.”
Margaret came down slowly.
“The spare key is in the kitchen drawer.”
It was not.
Harold claimed he had not seen it.
Rebecca suggested Daniel had misplaced Emily himself.
Then a small sound came from behind the basement door.
Three soft knocks.
Daniel stepped back and kicked near the lock.
The frame cracked.
He kicked again.
The door burst inward.
The basement lights were off.
“Emily?”
“Daddy?”
Her voice came from the far corner.
Daniel found her sitting behind a stack of storage boxes.
She was not injured.
But she was crying.
He lifted her.
“Who brought you down here?”
Emily shook her head.
“Did someone lock the door?”
She pressed her face against his neck.
“Aunt Rebecca said Mommy was waiting.”
Daniel carried her upstairs.
Rebecca denied everything.
Margaret suggested Emily had become confused during the game.
Harold accused Daniel of breaking the door unnecessarily.
Claire took Emily into the guest bathroom to calm her.
Daniel remained in the hallway, staring at his sister.
“You don’t go near her again.”
Rebecca folded her arms.
“You really believe a four-year-old over me?”
“Yes.”
Her expression became almost amused.
“That will be expensive.”
“What does that mean?”
Before she could answer, Claire called him from the bathroom.
Emily stood beside the sink.
In her hand was a folded piece of paper she had found inside her candy bag.
Daniel opened it.
May you like
The message contained only six words.
YOUR MOTHER WILL LEAVE YOU TONIGHT.
