Chapter 5 - The Locked Office
Two nights later, Chloe entered David’s office.
She waited until the house was quiet. Ethan followed her even though she had told him to stay in bed.
The office door opened with the code 0614, David’s birthday.
Inside, three computer screens glowed in the darkness.
One displayed live camera feeds from around the house. Chloe saw Sarah sleeping upstairs. She saw the empty kitchen, the hallway, and the closet where she and Ethan were standing.
She quickly moved away from the camera.
On the desk were two folders labeled Chloe and Ethan.
Inside Chloe’s folder, she found copies of her birth certificate, school records, passport application, and a document with Sarah’s signature.
The document stated that Sarah suffered from serious emotional problems and had voluntarily given David full authority to relocate with the children.
Chloe did not understand every word, but she recognized her mother’s name.
Ethan pointed toward an open drawer.
Inside were three passports.
One belonged to David.
The other two had Chloe’s and Ethan’s photographs.
There was no passport for Sarah.
Footsteps sounded upstairs.
Chloe grabbed David’s old emergency phone from the charging station. She had seen him use it during power failures. She pushed it into her pajama pocket, returned the folders exactly as she found them, and pulled Ethan into the hallway.
They reached their room seconds before David appeared.
“Why are you awake?” he asked.
“Ethan had a bad dream,” Chloe answered.
David looked at both children for a long moment.
Then he smiled.
“We’re going somewhere exciting soon,” he said.
“When?” Ethan asked.
“Very soon.”
After he left, Chloe locked the bedroom door.
May you like
She removed the emergency phone from her pocket and discovered it still had service.
There was only one number she needed to remember.
