Chapter 5 - sophies secret)
By morning, the police had secured the Reeves home.
Daniel returned with Detective Ortiz.
He did not want to go inside.
The kitchen looked almost exactly as he had left it.
His suitcase still lay near the back door.
The broken ceramic bowl had been photographed and bagged.
The pantry remained locked.
A forensic team collected residue from the floor, mop bucket, gloves, and cloth.
Daniel stood near the table.
This had been his safe place.
Sunday pancakes.
Sophies drawings on the refrigerator.
Emily dancing barefoot while she cooked.
Now every surface felt contaminated by something larger than chemicals.
Ortiz approached.
The pantry lock was installed recently.
Three weeks ago.
How do you know.
Your neighbor has a doorbell camera angled toward the side driveway. We can see your brother carrying a hardware bag into the house.
Daniel shut his eyes.
Eric had told him the lock was for pests.
Ortiz continued.
We also found your wifes phone.
Where.
Inside your mothers suitcase.
Daniel stared at her.
Margarets suitcase had been in the guest room.
Ortiz said.
The device was powered off.
Daniel looked toward the staircase.
My mother was staying here because she said Emily needed help while I traveled.
Ortiz said nothing.
Daniel understood the implication.
He had invited the threat into his own house.
Upstairs, investigators found Emilys missing laptop inside the linen closet.
Its drive had been damaged.
Not completely.
A technician believed data could be recovered.
Then Ortiz found something else.
A small notebook beneath Sophies pillow.
It was a childs drawing pad.
Most pages showed ordinary things.
A sun.
A dog.
A purple castle.
The last six pages were different.
One showed a woman with gray hair standing beside a locked door.
Another showed Emily sitting on the floor.
Another showed a man with a silver circle on his wrist.
Eric.
On the final page, Sophie had drawn Bunny beneath a bed.
A large black X covered the doorway.
Ortiz looked at Daniel.
Children often draw what they cannot explain.
Daniel swallowed.
She knew something was wrong.
She knew enough to hide the doll.
Ortiz nodded.
At the hospital, Sophie confirmed it.
Margaret had searched her bedroom twice.
The first time, Sophie had hidden Bunny inside a laundry basket.
The second time, she placed it beneath Emilys bed.
When Margaret asked where it was, Sophie said she did not know.
Daniel sat beside his daughter.
Why did you hide Bunny from Grandma.
Sophie played with the edge of the hospital blanket.
Because Mommy said the secret had to wait for you.
Daniel felt pain sharpen behind his ribs.
Did Grandma ask about the secret.
Sophie nodded.
What did she say.
She said Mommy was confused.
Anything else.
Sophie looked toward Emily.
Mom said I do not have to talk if I am scared.
Daniel nodded.
That is true.
Sophie continued.
Grandma said if I gave her Bunny, Mommy could eat.
Daniel stopped breathing.
Emily closed her eyes.
Daniel turned to her.
You did not tell me that.
Emily whispered.
I did not hear it.
Sophie looked between them.
I was in Grandmas room.
Daniel lowered his voice.
What happened.
Grandma asked where Bunny was.
And what did you say.
I said Bunny was sleeping.
Then.
Grandma said Mommy was making bad choices.
Sophies lip trembled.
She said Mommy could make everything better if I showed her Bunny.
Daniel fought to keep his voice calm.
Did you.
Sophie shook her head.
Then Uncle Eric came.
Emily looked sharply at her.
When.
When you were sleeping.
Daniel leaned closer.
What did Uncle Eric do.
Sophie rubbed her fingers together.
He had black stuff on his hands.
Daniel looked at Ortiz.
The residue.
Sophie continued.
He looked in my backpack.
Did he touch Bunny.
Sophie nodded.
Daniel felt rage rise.
Where was Bunny.
Under my blanket.
Did he find the card.
I do not know.
Did he open Bunny.
Sophie shook her head.
He pulled her.
Pulled what.
Her back.
Sophie pointed toward an imaginary seam.
Then Mommy woke up.
Emily whispered.
I remember Eric standing near the bed. He said he came to check on us.
Sophie nodded.
Mommy yelled.
Daniel asked.
What happened next.
Grandma took Uncle Eric downstairs.
Sophie hesitated.
Then she said.
Uncle Eric was mad at Grandma.
What did he say.
Sophies small brow furrowed.
He said.
She already knows too much.
The room became silent.
Ortiz wrote it down.
Daniel asked gently.
Anything else.
Sophie nodded.
Grandma said.
Not in front of the child.
Emily looked at Daniel.
He saw terror and certainty in her eyes.
Sophie had heard something they never intended her to understand.
Ortiz asked.
Did Uncle Eric come back.
Sophie thought.
At night.
What did he do.
He took the green bag.
Daniel frowned.
What green bag.
From the garage.
Emily looked at him.
We have no green bag.
Daniel did.
At least, he knew of one.
His fathers old canvas document bag.
Daniel had kept it in the garage cabinet for years.
He rarely opened it.
Arthur had used it for contracts and inspection papers.
Daniel stood.
Detective.
Ortiz followed him back to the house.
They opened the garage cabinet.
Empty.
Daniel stared at the space where the bag had been.
What was inside.
Ortiz asked.
Old company papers.
Anything important.
I never checked carefully.
Ortiz said.
Your brother did.
Daniel looked at her.
Why take it now.
Ortiz answered.
Because he knows the memory card survived.
Daniel understood.
If Arthur had hidden one copy, he might have hidden others.
And Eric was searching for them.
Daniel thought of his father.
Arthur distrusted digital archives.
He kept copies.
Suddenly Daniel remembered something.
A phrase his father used whenever Daniel misplaced important paperwork.
Never trust one drawer.
Daniel turned toward the workbench.
His father had built it.
Daniel pulled open the top drawer.
Tools.
Second drawer.
Cables.
Third drawer.
Empty.
He ran his hand along the back panel.
His fingers struck something solid.
A false wall.
Ortiz watched as Daniel removed two screws.
Behind the panel sat a yellow envelope.
May you like
Arthur Reeves had written three words on the front.
FOR DANIEL ONLY.
