Chapter 7: ## Chapter 7: The Man at the: The Man at the Door
“That's the man who took my sister.””
Eli's voice came Door
“That's the man who took my sister.””
Eli's voice came from the staircase.
Daniel froze from the staircase.
Daniel froze.
Gavin turned toward his son, then looked back at his brother.
“What did he just say?””
Daniel raised both hands.
“G.
Gavin turned toward his son, then looked back at his brother.
“What did he just say?””
Daniel raised both hands.
“Gavin, listen to me. I didn't take Lily.””
Eli clutched the railing.
“You came to theavin, listen to me. I didn't take Lily.””
Eli clutched the railing.
“You came to the house. You told Aunt Vanessa you were taking her to see Mommy.””
Daniel looked up.
house. You told Aunt Vanessa you were taking her to see Mommy.””
Daniel looked up.
The color drained from his face.
Gavin stepped outside, pulling the frontThe color drained from his face.
Gavin stepped outside, pulling the front door almost closed behind him.
“Don't move.””
“I'm not going anywhere.””
“Three days ago, you disappeared with door almost closed behind him.
“Don't move.””
“I'm not going anywhere.””
“Three days ago, you disappeared with a six-year-old girl?””
“I was trying to get her somewhere safe.””
“Where is she?””
Daniel rubbed a six-year-old girl?””
“I was trying to get her somewhere safe.””
“Where is she?””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“I don't know.””
Gavin grabbed his brother's jacket.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“Let his forehead.
“I don't know.””
Gavin grabbed his brother's jacket.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“Let go!””
“Where is my daughter?””
Daniel looked past Gavin toward the window.
“Someone was following us go!””
“Where is my daughter?””
Daniel looked past Gavin toward the window.
“Someone was following us.””
Gavin released him.
“Who?””
“I don't know. A dark SUV. It followed us from Vanessa's neighborhood. I stopped at a gas station,.””
Gavin released him.
“Who?””
“I don't know. A dark SUV. It followed us from Vanessa's neighborhood. I stopped at a gas station, went inside to get Lily something to drink, and when I came out, the car was gone.””
“And Lily?””
Daniel went inside to get Lily something to drink, and when I came out, the car was gone.””
“And Lily?””
Daniel's voice cracked.
“Gone too.””
Gavin stared at him.
“You left a six-year-old alone?””
“I was's voice cracked.
“Gone too.””
Gavin stared at him.
“You left a six-year-old alone?””
“I was gone less than three minutes!””
“You were supposed to protect her!””
Daniel looked down.
“I know.””
Gavin wanted to hit him.
He wanted to demand answers until gone less than three minutes!””
“You were supposed to protect her!””
Daniel looked down.
“I know.””
Gavin wanted to hit him.
He wanted to demand answers until every lie had been dragged into the light.
But upstairs, Eli was watching.
And Ava was every lie had been dragged into the light.
But upstairs, Eli was watching.
And Ava was standing beside him.
Gavin stepped back.
“We're contacting the authorities. You're going to tell them everything.””
Daniel nodded.
“There's standing beside him.
Gavin stepped back.
“We're contacting the authorities. You're going to tell them everything.””
Daniel nodded.
“There's something else.””
Gavin closed his eyes briefly.
“Of course there is.””
Daniel reached into his coat something else.””
Gavin closed his eyes briefly.
“Of course there is.””
Daniel reached into his coat and removed a small envelope.
“I found this in Rachel's old apartment.””
Gavin took it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Rachel.
Daniel and removed a small envelope.
“I found this in Rachel's old apartment.””
Gavin took it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Rachel.
Daniel continued.
“She left it with a friend before the delivery. I didn't know it existed until last continued.
“She left it with a friend before the delivery. I didn't know it existed until last week.””
Gavin opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Rachel holding two newborn babies.
On the back, she week.””
Gavin opened the envelope.
Inside was a photograph of Rachel holding two newborn babies.
On the back, she had written:
My three reasons to keep fighting.
Gavin stared at the words.
“Three?””
Daniel nodded.
“ had written:
My three reasons to keep fighting.
Gavin stared at the words.
“Three?””
Daniel nodded.
“Rachel was pregnant with twins. But there was another baby.””
Gavin looked up sharply.
“What?””
Daniel's face twisted.
“SheRachel was pregnant with twins. But there was another baby.””
Gavin looked up sharply.
“What?””
Daniel's face twisted.
“She'd lost a pregnancy before you met her. She kept a photograph of that ultrasound. She called'd lost a pregnancy before you met her.
She kept a photograph of that ultrasound. She called that baby her first little angel.””
Gavin looked at the picture again.
For a moment, he thought Daniel that baby her first little angel.””
Gavin looked at the picture again.
For a moment, he thought Daniel was trying to confuse him.
Then he noticed something written beneath Rachel's message.
** was trying to confuse him.
Then he noticed something written beneath Rachel's message.
*If I cannot raise them, please make sure they know they were loved.*
Gavin foldedIf I cannot raise them, please make sure they know they were loved.**
Gavin folded the photograph carefully.
“Where did you get this?””
“From Rachel's friend.””
“Name?””
“Emily the photograph carefully.
“Where did you get this?””
“From Rachel's friend.””
“Name?””
“Emily Carter.””
Gavin recognized the name.
Emily had been Rachel's closest friend.
He hadn't seen Carter.””
Gavin recognized the name.
Emily had been Rachel's closest friend.
He hadn't seen her since the funeral.
Daniel continued.
“She told me Rachel was frightened before the her since the funeral.
Daniel continued.
“She told me Rachel was frightened before the delivery. She believed somebody was watching her.””
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“Who?””
Daniel shook his head.
“She delivery. She believed somebody was watching her.””
Gavin's eyes narrowed.
“Who?””
Daniel shook his head.
“She never told Emily.””
Behind them, the front door opened.
Kendra stood there.
“You need never told Emily.””
Behind them, the front door opened.
Kendra stood there.
“You need to leave.””
Daniel turned.
“You don't get to tell me that.””
“You've done enough.””
Daniel laughed to leave.””
Daniel turned.
“You don't get to tell me that.””
“You've done enough.””
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“That's rich coming from you.””
Kendra stepped onto the porch.
“Gavin, bitterly.
“That's rich coming from you.””
Kendra stepped onto the porch.
“Gavin, don't listen to him. He's always wanted to destroy this family.””
Daniel pointed at her.
“You stole those children from their father don't listen to him. He's always wanted to destroy this family.””
Daniel pointed at her.
“You stole those children from their father!””
“And you abandoned them!””
“I was told they were dead!””
“You should have checked!””
Daniel!””
“And you abandoned them!””
“I was told they were dead!””
“You should have checked!””
Daniel stared at her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Gavin raised his voice.
“Both of you stop.””
stared at her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Gavin raised his voice.
“Both of you stop.””
He looked at Kendra.
“Did you know Lily was missing?””
Kendra shook her head.
“I thought she was with Vanessa.””
“DidHe looked at Kendra.
“Did you know Lily was missing?””
Kendra shook her head.
“I thought she was with Vanessa.””
“Did you contact her?””
Kendra hesitated.
Gavin noticed.
“What did you do?””
“I called Vanessa yesterday.””
you contact her?””
Kendra hesitated.
Gavin noticed.
“What did you do?””
“I called Vanessa yesterday.””
“And?””
“She said Lily had gone to stay with a relative.””
Gavin's jaw tightened.
“Which relative?””
Kendra looked away.
“I“And?””
“She said Lily had gone to stay with a relative.””
Gavin's jaw tightened.
“Which relative?””
Kendra looked away.
“I don't know.””
Daniel suddenly spoke.
“That's not true.””
Kendra turned.
“What?””
“You know exactly who don't know.””
Daniel suddenly spoke.
“That's not true.””
Kendra turned.
“What?””
“You know exactly who Vanessa called.””
Kendra's eyes widened.
Daniel pulled out his phone.
He showed Gavin a message.
**KENDRA: Get Lily out Vanessa called.””
Kendra's eyes widened.
Daniel pulled out his phone.
He showed Gavin a message.
*KENDRA: Get Lily out of Vanessa's house before Gavin learns about the second file.*
Gavin read it twice.
Then he looked at his of Vanessa's house before Gavin learns about the second file.**
Gavin read it twice.
Then he looked at his wife.
“What second file?””
Kendra's face crumpled.
“Gavin, I can explain.””
He stepped backward.
“I'm beginning to think wife.
“What second file?””
Kendra's face crumpled.
“Gavin, I can explain.””
He stepped backward.
“I'm beginning to think that's all you've ever done.””
Twenty minutes later, Gavin sat at the dining table with Daniel that's all you've ever done.””
Twenty minutes later, Gavin sat at the dining table with Daniel and Margaret.
The children were upstairs with a trusted neighbor who had come to help while Gavin contacted the authorities.
Kendra remained and Margaret.
The children were upstairs with a trusted neighbor who had come to help while Gavin contacted the authorities.
Kendra remained in the living room under supervision while the adults tried to establish what had happened.
Gavin placed Daniel's phone on the table.
“Tell in the living room under supervision while the adults tried to establish what had happened.
Gavin placed Daniel's phone on the table.
“Tell me about the second file.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Rachel kept copies of everything. Medical records, legal papers, correspondence. me about the second file.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Rachel kept copies of everything. Medical records, legal papers, correspondence. She was afraid someone might alter the originals.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know. Vanessa might.””
Marg She was afraid someone might alter the originals.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know. Vanessa might.””
Margaret frowned.
“Why would Vanessa have it?””
Daniel looked at her.
“Because Rachel trusted her.””
Gavin stared.
aret frowned.
“Why would Vanessa have it?””
Daniel looked at her.
“Because Rachel trusted her.””
Gavin stared.
“Vanessa knew Rachel?””
Daniel nodded.
“She was there during the pregnancy. She helped Rachel when she was sick.””
Gavin looked toward“Vanessa knew Rachel?””
Daniel nodded.
“She was there during the pregnancy. She helped Rachel when she was sick.””
Gavin looked toward Kendra.
“Your sister knew Rachel?””
Kendra lowered her eyes.
“Yes.””
“Then why did you tell me Lily was adopted through some stranger?””
Kendra whispered, Kendra.
“Your sister knew Rachel?””
Kendra lowered her eyes.
“Yes.””
“Then why did you tell me Lily was adopted through some stranger?””
Kendra whispered, “Because I didn't want you to know how close they were.””
Gavin pushed back his chair.
“I'm going to Vanessa's house.””
Daniel “Because I didn't want you to know how close they were.””
Gavin pushed back his chair.
“I'm going to Vanessa's house.””
Daniel stood.
“I'm coming.””
Gavin looked at him.
“You're not going anywhere alone with my children.””
“I'm stood.
“I'm coming.””
Gavin looked at him.
“You're not going anywhere alone with my children.””
“I'm not asking to.””
Before Gavin could respond, his phone rang.
An unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A little girl's not asking to.””
Before Gavin could respond, his phone rang.
An unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A little girl's voice came through.
“Daddy?””
Gavin's entire body went still.
He gripped the edge of the table.
“Lily?””
A tiny sob voice came through.
“Daddy?””
Gavin's entire body went still.
He gripped the edge of the table.
“Lily?””
A tiny sob followed.
“Mommy said you weren't coming.””
Gavin closed his eyes.
“Baby, where are you?””
The followed.
“Mommy said you weren't coming.””
Gavin closed his eyes.
“Baby, where are you?””
The child whispered something.
Then a man's voice interrupted.
“Your daughter child whispered something.
Then a man's voice interrupted.
“Your daughter is safe for now, Gavin.””
The call ended.
Gavin stared at the screen.
A message arrived seconds is safe for now, Gavin.””
The call ended.
Gavin stared at the screen.
A message arrived seconds later.
*If you want Lily back, come alone. And don't bring Daniel.*
Below it was an address.
G later.
*If you want Lily back, come alone. And don't bring Daniel.*
Below it was an address.
Gavin looked up.
Daniel had seen the message.
His face turned white.
“That's the old hospital.””
Margaret whispered,avin looked up.
Daniel had seen the message.
His face turned white.
“That's the old hospital.””
Margaret whispered, “No.””
Gavin stood.
“What happened there?””
Daniel looked toward the staircase.
Then he said:
“That's where Rachel died.””
And for the “No.””
Gavin stood.
“What happened there?””
Daniel looked toward the staircase.
Then he said:
“That's where Rachel died.””
And for the first time, Gavin understood that whoever had taken Lily wasn't simply hiding a child.
They were trying to finish first time, Gavin understood that whoever had taken Lily wasn't simply hiding a child.
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They were trying to finish a secret that had begun six years earlier.
a secret that had begun six years earlier.
