Chapter 1 - The Camera Was Still Recording
Daniel Morgan knew something was wrong before he reached the kitchen.
His six-year-old daughter was crying the way children cried when fear had already gone past tears. Short breaths. Choked little sounds. No screaming for help because, somehow, Lily had decided help was not coming.
Daniel dropped his briefcase in the hall.
“Lily?”
He turned the corner and stopped cold.
Lily was on the tile floor in the silver party dress he had bought for her school recital. Victoria stood over her, one hand locked around Lily’s wrist and the other gripping her shoulder.
“Say it again,” Victoria snapped. “And this time look at the camera.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
Victoria spun around.
“Daniel?”
Lily tore free and ran to him.
“Daddy!”
He caught her, felt her shaking, and moved her behind him.
Victoria recovered fast. She always did.
“She threw a tantrum.”
“Over what?”
“She refuses to listen.”
Lily’s fingers clutched the back of his jacket.
“No, Daddy.”
Victoria’s eyes flashed. “Do not start.”
Daniel turned slightly. “She gets to talk.”
Lily stared at Victoria before whispering, “She wanted me to say something that wasn’t true.”
Daniel’s stomach tightened.
“What did she want you to say?”
Victoria laughed once. Too sharp. “This is ridiculous.”
Lily pointed at the kitchen counter.
A phone sat propped against a fruit bowl. Its camera light was still on.
Daniel walked over and picked it up.
The screen showed a video timer: 00:18:42.
He hit stop.
“Give me that,” Victoria said.
He stepped away.
On the counter beneath the phone was a sheet of paper covered in typed sentences.
Lily’s name was at the top.
Daniel read the first line.
MY DADDY GETS ANGRY AND HURTS MOMMY.
The second line was worse.
MY DADDY TOLD ME HE WOULD MAKE US DISAPPEAR IF I TOLD ANYONE.
Daniel looked at his wife.
Victoria’s face had gone pale.
“What is this?”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Then tell me what I think.”
She reached for the phone.
He pulled it back and opened the video.
Victoria’s voice filled the kitchen.
“Again, Lily. Cry if you have to. We need people to believe you.”
Lily whimpered on the recording.
“I don’t want Daddy to go away.”
Then Victoria said, very clearly:
“If you love me, you’ll do this.”
Daniel stopped the video.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Victoria’s expression changed.
Not ashamed.
Not frightened.
May you like
Angry.
“You weren’t supposed to be home until Friday.”
