Chapter 7: The Little Girl in the Yellow Shoes
Detective Morgan took the photograph from my hand.
He studied it for several seconds, then enlarged the image.
"Where did this come from?""
"Vonda.""
"When?""
"Just now.""
He read the message beneath it.
His expression tightened.
"Did she say anything else?""
I handed him my phone.
He looked at the photograph again.
Rick stood beside Emily Carter in what appeared to be the reception area of a private medical facility. One hand rested on the girl's shoulder. The other held a document.
Emily was wearing yellow sneakers.
Her hair was tied in two uneven ponytails.
And she looked terrified.
I recognized her immediately from Lily's school photograph.
"That's Emily," I whispered.
Morgan nodded.
"We'll find her.""
"Where?""
"We're checking the location.""
"Detective, she's a child. You can't just say you'll find her.""
He looked directly at me.
"I understand. But I need you to let us work.""
I looked through the glass partition at Lily.
She was watching us.
I wanted to tell her everything would be okay.
But I had already made that promise too many times.
Morgan stepped into the hallway and made several calls.
Within twenty minutes, two officers had contacted Emily's parents.
Another team was dispatched to the address shown in the photograph.
Meanwhile, I sat beside Lily's hospital bed.
She was drawing with colored pencils.
I watched her carefully.
"Sweetheart?""
She looked up.
"Yes, Mommy?""
"Can I ask you something about Emily?""
She nodded.
"Did you see her at Uncle Lazlo's house?""
"Yes.""
"Was she awake?""
"Sometimes.""
"What did you talk about?""
Lily stopped drawing.
"She asked me if my mommy knew where I was.""
My chest tightened.
"What did you tell her?""
"I said I didn't know.""
She put down the pencil.
"Then she said her mommy didn't know either.""
I reached across the bed and held her hand.
"Did anybody tell you why you were both there?""
Lily shook her head.
"Vonda said we were helping Daddy.""
"Helping him with what?""
"She said Daddy needed to know if children could remember things after sleeping.""
I went completely still.
"Did she say anything else?""
Lily nodded.
"She said some children wake up faster than others.""
My stomach turned.
Before I could ask another question, Detective Morgan returned.
"Mrs. Bennett, Emily's parents have confirmed she hasn't been home since yesterday afternoon.""
I stood.
"Why?""
"They were told she'd been collected by an authorized relative.""
"Who?""
"Her mother says she never authorized anybody.""
"Then where is she?""
Morgan looked at his phone.
"We have a location.""
He turned the screen toward me.
It was the same office building where the police had found Lily.
"She's been moved.""
I felt the floor tilt beneath me.
"Where?""
"We're working on that.""
I took a breath.
"Detective, Vonda has been messaging me. She wants the original recording.""
"Do not respond.""
"But she might tell me where Emily is.""
Morgan considered that.
Then he said, "If she contacts you again, let us know immediately.""
As if on cue, my phone vibrated.
Vonda.
I know you're with the police. That won't change anything.
Another message followed.
Rick wants to talk to you.
Then a third.
You deserve to know why Lily was chosen.
I stared at the screen.
Morgan read the messages.
"Don't answer yet.""
But another message appeared.
Ask Rick about the November meeting.
I looked up.
"The November meeting.""
Morgan nodded.
"We found that phrase in the emails.""
"Do you know what it means?""
"Not yet.""
I looked at Lily.
Then I made a decision.
"Let me speak to Vonda.""
Morgan shook his head.
"That could be dangerous.""
"She's already threatening my daughter. She thinks I still don't know anything.""
"Claire—"
"She wants the recording. I can make her believe I'll give it to her.""
He studied my face.
Finally, he said, "We'll supervise everything.""
He arranged for the conversation to be monitored.
I typed a message.
I have the original recorder. I want to know what happened to Lily and Emily. Tell me where to meet you.
Vonda replied almost immediately.
Tomorrow. 9 a.m. Bring the recorder. Come alone.
Morgan leaned over my shoulder.
"We'll decide how to handle that.""
I typed one final question.
What is the November meeting?
This time, Vonda didn't respond immediately.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Finally, my phone rang.
I answered.
"Hello?""
Vonda's voice sounded exhausted.
"Claire, you don't understand what you're involved in.""
"Then explain it.""
"Not over the phone.""
"Why did you give Lily something that made her unconscious?""
A long silence.
Then she said:
"Because Rick said it was necessary.""
"Necessary for what?""
"To prove something.""
"What?""
"That children could be made to forget certain experiences.""
I gripped the phone.
"You're talking about drugging children.""
"Don't use that word.""
"What word would you prefer?""
"Claire, I never wanted Lily hurt.""
"Then why did you keep doing it?""
Vonda's voice cracked.
"Because Rick told me it was temporary.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you know she was crying for me?""
"Yes.""
"Did you hear her?""
"Yes.""
"Did you tell Rick?""
"Of course I did.""
"And what did he say?""
Vonda was quiet.
Then she whispered:
"He said you were the problem.""
I felt my eyes burn.
"What does that mean?""
"He said you were becoming suspicious. He said if Lily told you anything, you'd turn it into a custody issue. He said you had a history of emotional instability.""
I stared at the floor.
The forged documents.
The photographs.
The assessment.
Everything was connected.
"Did you write those reports?""
"Some of them.""
"Did you forge my signature?""
She didn't answer.
"Vonda?""
"Rick told me it was necessary.""
I almost laughed.
That sentence again.
Necessary.
A convenient word for terrible things.
"Where is Emily?""
Vonda exhaled.
"She's safe.""
"That's not an answer.""
"She's at a facility outside town.""
"Which one?""
"I can't tell you.""
"Then I'll give the recording to the police.""
"Wait.""
Her voice suddenly became urgent.
"Claire, there's something you need to know about the November meeting.""
"What?""
"Rick isn't doing this alone.""
I looked at Morgan.
He gestured for me to keep talking.
"Who else?""
"People from the company. The school. A private research group.""
"Why are they involved?""
"Because they funded the project.""
My stomach tightened.
"What project?""
Vonda began crying.
"Rick called it a memory-response study. He said they were testing how children reacted to certain controlled conditions.""
"Controlled?""
"He said the effects were reversible.""
"Did a doctor approve this?""
Silence.
"Vonda, did a doctor approve it?""
Finally, she answered.
"No.""
I closed my eyes.
"Then what happens in November?""
"Rick is presenting the results.""
"Results from what?""
"From the children.""
I felt sick.
"And Lily?""
Vonda whispered:
"She's the most important case.""
Before I could ask why, another voice interrupted.
A man's voice.
Rick.
"Who are you talking to?""
Vonda gasped.
The call ended.
I looked at Morgan.
He was already standing.
"That was enough.""
My phone vibrated again.
A photograph appeared.
It showed the office building from the rear entrance.
There was a message beneath it.
You should have stayed out of this, Claire.
Then another.
Rick knows where Lily is.
I turned toward the hospital room.
The door was open.
The bed was empty.
For one horrible second, I couldn't move.
Then I ran.
A nurse stood near the corridor.
"Where is my daughter?""
She looked confused.
"She was taken for another examination.""
"By whom?""
"One of the transport staff.""
I grabbed her arm.
"Which one?""
She pointed down the hall.
I ran toward the elevators.
And then I saw something on the floor beside the nurses' station.
A small pink ribbon.
It belonged to Lily.
Underneath it was a folded piece of paper.
I opened it.
Three words were written in black ink.
*ASK YOUR MOTHER.*
I stared at the message.
May you like
Because whoever had left it knew something I didn't.
And whatever that secret was, Rick had been hiding it for seven years.
