Chapter 2 - Emily’s Warning
Rachel touched Emily’s shoulder.
Her daughter woke with a sharp breath and grabbed Rachel’s wrist.
For one second, Emily looked terrified.
Then recognition returned.
“Mom?”
Rachel placed a finger to her lips. “I’m here. Are you hurt?”
Emily shook her head quickly.
“Why are you on the floor?”
Emily glanced toward the hallway. Her face was pale in the dim kitchen light.
“Dad said my room had a leak.”
“A leak?”
“He made me sleep here. He said workers were fixing it.”
Rachel listened.
A man inside the bedroom muttered something. Another answered. Neither voice sounded like a plumber.
“When did they arrive?” she asked.
“After dinner.”
“Did you see them?”
Emily nodded. “They carried black boxes.”
Rachel’s stomach tightened.
Mark had texted her at eight thirty, saying he and Emily were watching a movie. At ten, he had sent a heart emoji and told her the house felt empty without her.
“Did Dad tell you not to call me?”
Emily looked down.
“He said your meetings were important. He took my tablet because the workers needed the Wi-Fi password.”
That made no sense.
Rachel reached for her phone, but Emily caught her sleeve.
“Mom, there’s something else.”
“What?”
“Dad moved my bookshelf yesterday. I heard him talking on the phone. He said, ‘The buyer comes Friday night.’”
Rachel stared toward the strip of warm light beneath the bedroom door.
The scraping stopped.
Silence settled across the house.
Then a floorboard creaked inside the room.
Rachel leaned close to Emily.
“Stay here. Keep your eyes closed. Pretend you’re asleep.”
Emily’s fingers tightened around the blanket.
“Don’t go in there.”
May you like
Rachel kissed her forehead.
“I’m not going in alone.”
