Chapter 1 - The Early Return
Daniel Mercer was supposed to be away for another six days.
His company had sent him to Denver to negotiate a difficult construction contract. The trip had already lasted two weeks, and everyone expected the meetings to continue.
Then the client unexpectedly accepted Daniel’s final proposal.
He changed his flight without telling anyone.
Daniel imagined surprising Elena with dinner from her favorite Italian restaurant. She had been recovering from a severe respiratory infection, and although she was no longer in danger, her doctor had ordered weeks of rest.
Daniel worried about leaving her alone.
Mia, their twenty-four-year-old daughter, had offered to stay at the house.
“Mom won’t have to lift a finger,” Mia had promised. “I’ll handle food, medication, cleaning, everything.”
Daniel had wanted to believe her.
Mia had struggled since graduating from college. She changed jobs constantly, spent money carelessly, and blamed every setback on someone else. Still, Daniel hoped responsibility might help her mature.
He transferred eight hundred dollars into the household grocery account and gave Mia access to Elena’s emergency card.
“For necessities only,” he had said.
Mia had rolled her eyes.
“I’m not twelve.”
When Daniel’s taxi stopped outside the house, he noticed three delivery boxes stacked beside the front steps. None contained food or medicine. The labels displayed names of luxury clothing stores.
Inside, the house was strangely silent.
“Elena?”
No answer.
He rolled his suitcase through the hallway and entered the kitchen.
The refrigerator door stood partly open.
At first, Daniel thought someone had forgotten to close it. Then he looked inside.
One bottle of water.
Half a jar of mustard.
Two eggs.
Nothing else.
The pantry contained crackers, an expired can of soup, and a nearly empty bag of rice.
Daniel heard a faint sound behind him.
Elena sat in a wooden chair near the kitchen island, wrapped tightly in a gray blanket. Her skin was pale. Her lips were dry, and her hands trembled in her lap.
Daniel dropped the handle of his suitcase.
“When did you last eat?”
Elena tried to smile.
“I had some crackers this morning.”
“This morning?”
She looked away.
May you like
Daniel knelt beside her.
“Elena, where is Mia?”
