Chapter 2: The Eight Hours I Couldn't Unhear
I dragged the audio timeline backward.
My laptop showed eight hours and twelve minutes of recording.
The first hour was ordinary.
The sound of a school bus. Children shouting. Lily's backpack being dropped onto a seat.
Then Lazlo's voice.
"Hey, princess. How was school?""
Lily answered quietly.
"Okay.""
"Just okay?""
"I'm tired.""
There was a pause.
"That's all right. Uncle Lazlo has something for you.""
A plastic wrapper rustled.
"What's that?"" Lily asked.
"Your favorite.""
"Is it chocolate?""
"Something better.""
I leaned closer to the laptop.
There was a small click.
Then Lily asked, "Do I have to eat all of it?""
"Yes, sweetheart. Don't make a mess.""
A few seconds passed.
"Can I have water?""
"Later.""
I stopped the recording.
My stomach turned.
I replayed the exchange.
The wrapper. The question. The insistence.
I didn't know what was inside that food.
But I knew Lily had been completely awake when she got into Lazlo's car.
And I knew she wasn't awake when he brought her home.
I pressed play again.
At 3:42, I heard the car engine start.
Lazlo was humming along to the radio.
Then, around fifteen minutes later, Lily's voice became faint.
"Uncle Lazlo?""
"Yeah?""
"My eyes feel funny.""
"Just close them for a minute.""
"My arms feel heavy.""
"That's because you're tired.""
A little silence.
Then:
"Can we go home?""
"We're going somewhere first.""
I sat completely still.
The recording continued.
At 4:03, Lazlo made a phone call through the car speakers.
"She's completely out again.""
A brief pause.
Then Rick.
"Good. Bring her over. Vonda's already there.""
My husband's voice sounded casual.
As if they were discussing groceries.
I replayed it.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then I heard Lazlo ask, "You sure Claire isn't home?""
Rick laughed.
"She won't be. I told her I'd be at the office until six.""
My mouth went dry.
"Okay," Lazlo replied.
"Ten minutes.""
"Use the back entrance.""
"I know.""
"Rick," I whispered at my laptop.
I wanted the voice to belong to somebody else.
But I knew every breath, every hesitation, every little laugh.
It was my husband.
The recording continued.
A few minutes later, I heard a door open.
Footsteps.
Then a woman's voice.
"Is she asleep?""
Lazlo answered.
"Out cold.""
"Again?""
"Like clockwork.""
The woman laughed.
"She's getting used to it.""
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
Vonda.
I knew that name.
Vonda Pierce had been Rick's business partner for almost two years. She was forty, divorced, and had once spent Thanksgiving at our house.
She had brought Lily a doll.
She had sat across from me at dinner and complimented my cooking.
I remembered her saying, "You've got a beautiful little family, Claire.""
Now her voice was coming through a recorder hidden in my daughter's backpack.
I heard something being moved.
Then Vonda spoke again.
"Where do you want her?""
"Guest room," Rick replied.
"Same place?""
"Yes. And don't leave anything where Claire could find it.""
I stopped breathing.
There was a rustling sound.
A door closed.
Then silence.
I skipped ahead.
At 4:39, Rick spoke again.
"How long?""
Vonda answered.
"Hard to say. She's still completely out.""
"Did she have the whole thing?""
"Most of it.""
"Most of it?""
"She started asking questions. I wasn't going to force it.""
Rick swore under his breath.
"She can't remember anything.""
"She won't.""
"Good.""
I pulled the laptop closer.
My eyes burned.
Then I heard a small sound.
A child's voice.
"Mommy?""
It was Lily.
Barely audible.
I leaned toward the speakers.
"Mommy?""
Vonda said something I couldn't make out.
Then Lily started crying.
"I want my mommy.""
My body went cold.
Vonda's voice became sharper.
"Go back to sleep, Lily.""
"I want to go home.""
"You're going home soon.""
"I don't like this room.""
There was a pause.
Then Rick spoke.
"What's the problem?""
"She's awake," Vonda said.
"Then give her the other one.""
I slammed my laptop shut.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
My daughter had been crying for me.
My husband had heard her.
And instead of bringing her home, he had instructed somebody to give her something else.
I stood up so quickly that the laptop slid off my knees.
It hit the carpet.
I didn't care.
I needed to get to Lily.
I grabbed my phone and checked the time.
5:06 p.m.
Rick had told me he wouldn't be home until six.
Lazlo usually brought Lily back around 4:30.
I had assumed she was already upstairs watching cartoons.
I ran out of my bedroom.
The hallway was empty.
I called Rick.
He answered on the fourth ring.
"Hey, sweetheart.""
His voice was warm.
Normal.
"What are you doing?""
"Leaving the office. Why?""
"Where's Lily?""
"Home with you, isn't she?""
I gripped the staircase railing.
"No. I thought she was with Lazlo.""
A pause.
Then he said, "Oh. He must be running late.""
"Where is he?""
"How would I know?""
"Didn't you tell him to bring her somewhere?""
Silence.
It lasted only a second.
But I heard it.
Then Rick chuckled.
"Claire, what are you talking about?""
I swallowed.
"I don't know. I'm asking.""
"You're doing that thing again.""
"What thing?""
"Turning nothing into a crisis.""
I stared at the closed bedroom door.
The laptop was still on the carpet behind me.
"Rick, I need you to come home.""
"I'm on my way.""
He hung up.
I called Lazlo.
Straight to voicemail.
Then I called the school.
Mrs. Harper answered.
"Hello?""
"This is Lily Bennett's mother. I need to ask you something.""
"Of course.""
"Did anyone from the school mention Lily being unwell today?""
There was a pause.
"Actually, yes. She seemed unusually quiet after lunch.""
"Did she leave with Uncle Lazlo?""
"Yes. He signed her out at 3:02.""
"Was she awake?""
Another pause.
"Yes, Claire. She was holding his hand when they left.""
I closed my eyes.
"Thank you.""
I ended the call.
My phone vibrated almost immediately.
A text from Rick.
I'm ten minutes away. Don't upset yourself. We'll sort this out.
I stared at the message.
Then another notification appeared.
It was from an unknown number.
Claire, I think you should stop listening to that recording.
My fingers went numb.
I hadn't told anyone about the recorder.
Not Rick.
Not Lazlo.
Not Vonda.
Nobody.
I typed:
Who is this?
The reply came instantly.
Someone who knows what happened to Lily.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
And if you love your daughter, you need to get her out of that house before Rick arrives.
