Chapter 3 - THE GUARDIANSHIP TRAP
Darkness swallowed the room.
Lily screamed upstairs.
Adrian immediately ran toward the stairs.
“Lily!”
Detective Morgan followed.
The lights returned.
But Lily was gone.
Adrian's heart stopped.
Her bedroom window was open.
The curtains moved in the night air.
“No.”
He ran toward the window.
Below, tire tracks cut across the wet lawn.
Detective Morgan grabbed her radio.
“Units to the estate. Possible child abduction.”
Adrian stood frozen.
Then his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
STOP DIGGING.
Another message followed.
OR SHE DISAPPEARS LIKE THE OTHERS.
Adrian's hands shook.
Then a third message.
CHECK THE GUEST HOUSE.
He ran.
The guest house stood behind a line of old oak trees.
Its door was unlocked.
Inside, everything looked normal.
Too normal.
A child's drawing sat on the table.
Purple flowers.
A yellow house.
Three people holding hands.
Adrian recognized Lily's handwriting.
But beneath the drawing was another note.
Dad,
I'm sorry.
Adrian nearly collapsed.
“She wrote this recently,” he whispered.
Detective Morgan examined it.
“This could be staged.”
Then they heard a noise upstairs.
A television.
They rushed up.
The screen showed a live video.
Lily was sitting in a chair.
Her hands were bandaged.
She was crying.
Adrian stepped toward the screen.
“Lily!”
She looked up.
“Dad!”
A man stepped behind her.
His face was hidden.
“Give us the documents,” he said.
“What documents?”
“The ones your wife stole.”
Adrian stared.
“My wife?”
The man laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
Detective Morgan raised her weapon at the screen as if that could help.
“What do you want?”
The man ignored her.
“Adrian, your family has been lying to you for years.”
Then he removed his mask.
Daniel.
Adrian's brother.
Lily began crying.
“Uncle Daniel said you wouldn't believe me.”
Daniel leaned toward the camera.
“She's right.”
Adrian's voice shook.
“Let her go.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When you tell the truth.”
“What truth?”
Daniel smiled.
“You didn't meet Vanessa by accident.”
Adrian's face went pale.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel's expression changed.
“Ask your father.”
The video cut to black.
Adrian turned toward Detective Morgan.
“My father died twelve years ago.”
Daniel's voice suddenly came through the speakers.
“Exactly.”
A file appeared on the screen.
DECEASED: ROBERT HALE.
Then another line.
CAUSE OF DEATH: HEART FAILURE.
Daniel's voice whispered:
“That's what they wanted you to believe.”
Adrian stared at the screen.
May you like
His father hadn't died naturally.
And Vanessa had known.
