Chapter 8: The Truth About Emily
I stared at her.
The words felt impossible.
"You used me?""
Emily immediately shook her head.
"No.""
"Then explain.""
She looked toward the dark road behind us.
Like she was afraid someone was listening.
"I need to tell you everything.""
We got into my car.
The doors locked automatically.
Neither of us spoke for several seconds.
Finally, Emily took a deep breath.
"When I first saw your name, I thought you were like everyone else.""
"Someone Daniel was testing?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
The honesty hurt.
"But then I saw your messages.""
I looked at her.
"Again?""
"I know how that sounds.""
"It sounds like you were spying on me.""
"I was.""
She didn't try to deny it.
"But not because I wanted to hurt you.""
She looked down at her hands.
"I was trying to find someone who could help me.""
"Why me?""
"Because every woman before you disappeared.""
The car went silent.
"What?""
Emily swallowed.
"Natalie wasn't the only one.""
I felt a chill.
"There were others?""
"Yes.""
"How many?""
"I don't know.""
Her voice broke.
"My parents were careful.""
I looked at the Mercer estate in the distance.
"Why didn't you go to the police?""
Emily laughed sadly.
"I tried.""
That surprised me.
"What happened?""
"My mother convinced them I was mentally unstable.""
I remembered the files.
The medical records.
The labels.
"They had proof.""
Emily nodded.
"They created proof.""
My hands tightened around the steering wheel.
"So you chose me because...""
"Because Daniel actually cared about you.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
Emily looked embarrassed.
"That's what scared me.""
"Explain.""
"With Natalie, Daniel was different.""
"Different how?""
"He treated her like a project.""
The word made my stomach twist.
"But with you...""
She paused.
"He was changing.""
I didn't know whether that made me feel better or worse.
"Changing?""
Emily nodded.
"I think he started questioning them.""
"Then why didn't he tell me?""
"Because he was afraid.""
"Of his parents?""
"Of himself.""
That answer stayed with me.
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed.
A message.
From Daniel.
I opened it.
*I found Natalie.*
My hands went cold.
Emily leaned closer.
"What?""
I showed her.
She stopped breathing.
"That's not possible.""
"Call him.""
I did.
No answer.
I called again.
Nothing.
Then another message appeared.
Not from Daniel.
From an unknown number.
A photograph loaded.
It was dark.
Blurry.
But clear enough.
A woman sitting in a room.
Older.
Exhausted.
Alive.
Under the picture were four words:
*SHE NEVER LEFT.*
Emily covered her mouth.
"No.""
I looked at her.
"You know this room?""
She nodded slowly.
"Where?""
Her eyes filled with fear.
"Under the house.""
I felt my entire body go cold.
"Your parents kept her there?""
Emily shook her head.
"No.""
"Then who did?""
She looked at me.
And the answer came out barely above a whisper.
"Daniel.""
I couldn't move.
I couldn't speak.
Because the one person who might have been innocent...
might have been the person we were trying to escape.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
This time, I answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
His voice came through shaking.
"Claire, listen to me.""
"Are you with Natalie?""
Silence.
A terrible silence.
Then Daniel whispered:
"I found her.""
I closed my eyes.
"Where?""
His voice broke.
"At my father's house.""
A pause.
"And Claire...""
"What?""
"I didn't know she was there.""
Behind him, I heard something.
A woman's voice.
Weak.
Faint.
But unmistakable.
"Claire?""
May you like
My blood ran cold.
Because Natalie knew my name.
