Chapter 5 - SARAH MONROE
Michael didn't sleep.
At dawn, he returned to his mansion.
Lily's room was still empty.
Her broken doll remained on the pillow.
Hope.
Michael picked it up.
Something rattled inside.
He frowned.
The doll had a small zipper beneath its dress.
Michael opened it.
Inside was a tiny flash drive.
He stared at it.
“Lily knew.”
Eleanor looked over his shoulder.
“What?”
“She wasn't carrying that doll for comfort.”
Michael grabbed his laptop.
The drive contained one video.
Emily appeared on the screen.
Michael nearly stopped breathing.
She was sitting in their kitchen.
Alive.
Smiling.
But there was fear behind her eyes.
“Michael,” she said, “if you're watching this, something happened to me.”
Michael's hand covered his mouth.
Emily continued.
“I didn't tell you about Lily because I was trying to protect you.”
She paused.
“I found out six months ago that Sarah was alive.”
Michael stared.
“Sarah never died.”
Emily continued.
“She was hiding because Daniel was using her.”
Michael's heart pounded.
“I discovered that Lily is your daughter.”
Michael closed his eyes.
The truth hurt.
But somehow, hearing Emily say it made it real.
“She was born seven years ago.”
Seven.
Michael did the math.
Lily had been born before Emily became pregnant.
Before their marriage had begun to fall apart emotionally.
Before Michael had even understood how much Emily wanted a child.
Emily looked directly into the camera.
“Michael, I need you to understand something.”
Her voice broke.
“Lily is innocent.”
The screen went black.
Then another recording started.
This one showed Sarah.
Alive.
Terrified.
She was sitting in a motel room.
“My name is Sarah Monroe,” she whispered.
“I didn't abandon Lily.”
She began crying.
“They took her.”
Michael leaned toward the screen.
“Who?”
Sarah looked toward the door.
“Daniel.”
Michael's blood ran cold.
“Daniel found out Lily was Michael's daughter.”
Sarah continued.
“He told me that if I ever told Michael, Lily would disappear.”
Michael's fists clenched.
“He paid people to make sure I stayed silent.”
Sarah wiped her tears.
“I tried to fight him.”
A shadow appeared behind her.
Sarah suddenly looked terrified.
“He found me.”
The video ended.
Michael stood.
“Where is she?”
Eleanor looked confused.
“Who?”
“Sarah.”
Michael searched the files.
One document contained a motel address.
He grabbed his keys.
The motel was nearly empty.
Michael entered room 214.
The door was open.
Inside, the room had been destroyed.
A chair lay overturned.
Blood stained the carpet.
Michael's stomach dropped.
“Sarah?”
No answer.
He walked farther inside.
Then he heard breathing.
Behind the bathroom door.
He opened it.
Sarah Monroe was lying on the floor.
Alive.
Barely.
Michael immediately called 911.
Sarah opened her eyes.
“You're…”
“Michael Hartman.”
She stared at him.
Then began crying.
“You found her.”
“Where is Lily?”
Sarah grabbed his sleeve.
“Daniel.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“Tell me!”
Sarah flinched.
Michael immediately softened.
“I'm sorry.”
She whispered:
“He has a warehouse.”
“Where?”
“South of the city.”
“Which one?”
“Old mining district.”
Michael leaned closer.
“Why does he want Lily?”
Sarah's eyes filled with fear.
“Because she's not just your daughter.”
Michael froze.
“What does that mean?”
Sarah looked toward the doorway.
“Lily saw something.”
“What?”
“The night your wife died.”
Michael felt his heart stop.
“What did she see?”
Sarah whispered:
“Daniel was there.”
Michael stared at her.
“He was at the accident?”
Sarah nodded.
“And Emily knew.”
Michael's voice cracked.
“Are you saying my brother killed my wife?”
Sarah closed her eyes.
“I don't know.”
May you like
Then she opened them again.
“But Emily wasn't supposed to die that night.”
