Chapter 6: The Plan to Make Me Look Crazy
Lily was taken to the hospital under police supervision.
I rode beside her in the ambulance, holding her hand while a paramedic checked her vital signs.
She kept drifting in and out of sleep.
Every time her eyes opened, she searched for me.
"I'm here," I whispered.
She squeezed my fingers.
At the hospital, a doctor examined her and ordered blood and urine tests.
I told him everything.
The repeated episodes.
The bruises.
The recording.
The containers at the school.
The house.
The documents with my forged signature.
He listened without interrupting.
When I finished, he pulled his chair closer.
"Mrs. Bennett, your daughter needs a full medical evaluation. We'll also preserve any relevant samples and document her condition.""
"Can you tell what they gave her?""
"Not yet. Some substances leave the body relatively quickly, and timing matters. We'll run appropriate tests.""
I looked through the glass partition.
Lily was lying beneath a white blanket.
A nurse was adjusting the monitor beside her bed.
"Is she going to be okay?""
The doctor paused.
"We're going to do everything we can to understand what's happened and keep her safe.""
I nodded.
It was the closest thing to reassurance I'd received all day.
An officer named Detective Morgan arrived shortly afterward.
He was in his early forties, with tired eyes and a notebook tucked beneath one arm.
"Mrs. Bennett, I understand you've provided an audio recording.""
"Yes.""
"Do you have the original device?""
"It's sewn into Lily's backpack.""
"Where is the backpack now?""
"At the office.""
"We've secured it. We'll arrange a forensic copy of the recording.""
I handed him my laptop.
"I also have a copy here.""
He listened to the section containing Rick's voice.
His expression remained controlled.
But when the recording reached the part where Lily asked for me, he paused it.
"Has your husband ever explained why he was meeting Vonda?""
"No.""
"Has he ever told you about a medical study or program involving Lily?""
I shook my head.
"He said nothing about a study.""
Morgan wrote something down.
Then he opened a folder.
"There's something else we need to discuss.""
He placed a photograph on the table.
It showed the black folder from Rick's office.
The parental response assessment.
"We found additional documents," he said.
"Some appear to have been created to support a claim that you're emotionally unstable and unable to care for your daughter.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Why would he do that?""
Morgan didn't answer immediately.
"Have you and your husband discussed divorce?""
"No.""
"Custody?""
"No.""
"Any financial disagreements?""
I thought about the house.
The business.
The money Rick had been making.
Then I remembered Vonda's name on the company paperwork.
"Rick controls most of our finances," I said.
"He told me it was easier that way.""
Morgan nodded.
"Do you know how much money he makes?""
"Approximately.""
"Do you know where it goes?""
"No.""
He closed the folder.
"Then we'll need to investigate that as well.""
My phone rang.
Rick.
I looked at Morgan.
He nodded for me to answer.
I put it on speaker.
"Claire?""
Rick sounded breathless.
"Where are you?""
"At the hospital.""
"Is Lily okay?""
I stared at the phone.
"You tell me.""
A pause.
"What's that supposed to mean?""
"She's been taken to the hospital after everything you've done.""
"Claire, listen to me. You don't know the full story.""
"Then tell me.""
He lowered his voice.
"Not over the phone.""
"Why?""
"Because people are listening.""
I glanced at Detective Morgan.
"Good.""
Rick went silent.
Then he said:
"Have you spoken to the police?""
"Yes.""
A sharp breath.
"Claire, what have you done?""
I almost laughed.
"What have I done?""
"You've destroyed everything.""
My eyes filled with tears.
"Rick, our daughter was unconscious in a room with strangers.""
"She wasn't in danger.""
"Then why was she crying for me?""
He said nothing.
I pressed on.
"Why did you tell Vonda to give her more?""
"That recording is out of context.""
"Then explain the context.""
"Claire, I was trying to help her.""
"Help her do what?""
Silence.
Then Rick said:
"You need to come home.""
"No.""
"Claire.""
"No.""
His voice hardened.
"You have no idea what you're doing.""
"I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm protecting Lily.""
Rick exhaled.
"You're making a mistake.""
I looked at Morgan.
He was writing every word.
"Then let the police decide.""
Rick's voice dropped.
"Claire, if you keep going, you're going to lose her.""
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
Morgan leaned forward.
"Did he say anything like that before?""
"Not exactly.""
"Has he ever threatened to take Lily away from you?""
I thought about the forged documents.
The photographs.
The notes about my mental state.
"Yes," I whispered.
"I think that was always the plan.""
Morgan nodded.
"We'll investigate.""
A nurse appeared at the doorway.
"Mrs. Bennett? Lily is asking for you.""
I went into the room.
My daughter was awake.
She had a stuffed rabbit beside her pillow, one she'd been given by a nurse.
"Mommy?""
"Hi, sweetheart.""
She reached for me.
I sat beside her.
"Can I ask you something?"" I said.
She nodded.
"Do you remember the little room you mentioned?""
Her fingers tightened around the rabbit.
"Yes.""
"What happened there?""
She looked at the door.
Then at me.
"Daddy used to come in and take pictures.""
My stomach twisted.
"Pictures of what?""
"Me.""
"Why?""
She shrugged.
"He said it was for work.""
I brushed her hair.
"Did anybody else come into the room?""
"Uncle Lazlo. And Vonda.""
"What did they do?""
Lily looked down at her hands.
"They asked me questions.""
"What kind of questions?""
"Whether I felt sleepy. Whether I remembered things. Whether I knew what day it was.""
I felt sick.
"Did they ever hurt you?""
She shook her head.
Then she hesitated.
"Sometimes they held my arms.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
"So I wouldn't fall.""
I opened them.
"Did you fall?""
"Sometimes.""
Her voice became very small.
"One time I woke up on the floor.""
I swallowed.
"What did Daddy say?""
She looked at me.
"He said I wasn't supposed to wake up yet.""
A tear slid down her cheek.
"Mommy, am I bad?""
I pulled her into my arms.
"No. Never. You haven't done anything wrong.""
"Then why did Daddy say I was helping him?""
I held her against my chest.
"Because Daddy was wrong.""
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she whispered:
"Mommy, can I tell you a secret?""
"Anything.""
She leaned close to my ear.
"There's another little girl.""
I pulled back.
"What little girl?""
"At the house.""
My heart began pounding.
"Did you see her?""
Lily nodded.
"She was in the room next to mine.""
"What's her name?""
"I don't know. But she had yellow shoes.""
I looked at Detective Morgan through the glass.
He had heard enough to understand.
He entered quietly.
"Lily, sweetheart, can you tell me anything else about the girl?""
Lily stared at him.
Then she looked at me.
"She said her mommy was coming.""
Morgan crouched beside the bed.
"Did her mommy come?""
Lily shook her head.
"No.""
"Did you see where they took her?""
Lily nodded slowly.
"Uncle Lazlo put her in a car.""
Morgan exchanged a glance with me.
"When?""
"Yesterday.""
My blood ran cold.
"Yesterday?"" I repeated.
Lily nodded.
"She was crying. She said she wanted to go home.""
The detective stood and stepped into the hallway.
He spoke quietly into his radio.
I stayed beside Lily.
Then she tugged at my sleeve.
"Mommy?""
"Yes?""
"I think I know her.""
I turned toward her.
"Who, sweetheart?""
She looked directly into my eyes.
"She's in my class.""
My breath caught.
"What?""
Lily nodded.
"Her name is Emily.""
Emily Carter.
One of the six names on Denise's list.
The child whose parents had reported unexplained bruises.
The little girl whose name appeared beside Lily's on the school records.
I looked toward the doorway.
Detective Morgan was already moving.
Then my phone vibrated.
An incoming message.
It was from Vonda.
I opened it.
There was a photograph of Rick standing beside a little girl wearing yellow shoes.
The message underneath contained only one sentence.
You have until tomorrow morning to bring me the original recording, Claire.
A second message arrived.
Or Emily's parents will receive the same story about you that we've already prepared.
I stared at the photograph.
Because the little girl in yellow shoes wasn't standing beside Rick by accident.
He was holding a document.
May you like
And across the top, in bold letters, were the words:
*TEMPORARY GUARDIANSHIP AGREEMENT.*
