Chapter 14 - Rachel Fights Back
Rachel's first instinct was to run to Lily.
Her second was better.
She threw the lamp.
Robert ducked, and the ceramic base shattered against the door. Rachel drove her shoulder into his chest and screamed.
"Daniel!"
Robert grabbed her hair and yanked her backward.
"Where is the backup drive?"
"Go to hell!"
He pressed the knife near her ribs. "Celeste kept copies. She told me William gave one to Daniel."
Rachel understood. Robert believed the evidence from behind Lillian's portrait had another copy.
"I don't know where it is."
"Then think faster."
Lily began crying in the adjoining room.
Rachel's fear turned instantly to rage.
She slammed her heel down on Robert's foot, twisted, and bit his hand when he grabbed her mouth.
He cursed.
She ran into the nursery and locked the door.
"Rachel!"
Robert hit the wood once.
Twice.
The lock splintered.
Rachel pushed the crib against the door and grabbed the heaviest thing within reach: a brass rabbit bookend.
"Come in," she whispered. "I dare you."
The door crashed open.
Robert shoved the crib aside.
Rachel swung.
The brass rabbit struck his temple.
He staggered.
She swung again.
This time he fell.
Daniel reached the hallway with two officers as Rachel stood over Robert, breathing hard, the bookend raised for a third strike.
"Rachel!"
She looked at Daniel as if she didn't recognize him.
Then the bookend dropped from her hand.
"He came for Lily."
Daniel pulled her into his arms.
Robert groaned on the floor.
Torres arrived minutes later and found a key card in his wallet.
It belonged to a storage facility downtown.
Unit 314.
Inside the unit, police found boxes of Ashbourne records, burner phones, hospital badges, and photographs of Lily.
But the most disturbing item was a typed list taped to the wall.
Daniel.
Rachel.
Lily.
Henry.
Nora.
Each name had a date beside it.
Four dates had already passed.
May you like
Lily's date was tomorrow.
Daniel's was tonight.
