Chapter 3 - The Missing Pieces
Rachel remained beside Emily for several seconds, listening.
A low male voice spoke upstairs.
A second voice answered.
Neither voice was clear enough to understand.
Rachel rose carefully and examined the kitchen.
Emily’s school backpack sat beside the pantry. Her notebooks had been stacked on the floor. A toothbrush, hairbrush, and several folded shirts rested inside a grocery bag.
It looked as though Emily had been removed from her own bedroom without warning.
Rachel opened the refrigerator.
Inside were two cartons of juice, a container of takeout food, several bottles of water, and almost nothing else.
On the counter, she found a note written in Michael’s handwriting.
Stay downstairs. Do not enter the hallway. Do not call your mother. I will return your phone when you learn to follow instructions.
Rachel read it twice.
Her hands began to shake.
She took out her phone and photographed the note.
Another heavy sound came from Emily’s room.
Rachel considered calling Michael’s name again, but instinct stopped her.
Instead, she moved quietly through the downstairs rooms.
The silver candlesticks from the dining room were gone. Several drawers had been opened and emptied. Family documents were missing from the cabinet near Michael’s office.
When Rachel tried the office door, she found it locked.
She returned to the kitchen and knelt beside Emily.
This time, Emily woke.
For one confused moment, she stared at Rachel as though she were dreaming.
Then she threw both arms around her mother.
“You came back.”
Rachel held her tightly.
“Of course I came back.”
“Dad said you wouldn’t.”
“What exactly did he tell you?”
Emily looked toward the hallway.
“He said your trip became permanent.”
Rachel’s heart seemed to stop.
“What does that mean?”
“He said you wanted a new life and didn’t want the house anymore.”
“That is not true.”
“I knew it wasn’t.”
“How?”
“Because you left your blue scarf.”
Rachel almost laughed, but the sound caught in her throat.
Emily pointed toward the pantry.
“I hid something.”
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Inside an empty cereal box, Rachel found a small key and a folded sheet of paper containing a list of dates, times, and overheard conversations.
Her twelve-year-old daughter had been keeping records.
