Chapter 5: The Apartment With Two Bedrooms
The address led to a modest apartment complex on the eastern side of town.
Tasha had never been there before.
She sat in the passenger seat of a police vehicle while Officer Reynolds reviewed the information provided by the anonymous sender.
The building had four floors.
A narrow driveway ran beside it, ending at a row of covered parking spaces.
There was nothing unusual about it.
No security guards.
No warning signs.
No indication that her daughter might be inside.
"Do you recognize this place?"" Officer Reynolds asked.
Tasha shook her head.
"Never seen it.""
"Do you know whether Derek has another property?""
"Not that he's told me about.""
Officer Reynolds contacted the appropriate local unit to verify the address and determine what lawful steps could be taken.
Tasha stared at the windows.
On the third floor, a curtain moved.
Her heart jumped.
"That one.""
The officer followed her gaze.
"What?""
"I thought I saw someone.""
He looked carefully.
"Stay here for now.""
Tasha nodded, although every part of her wanted to run upstairs.
A few minutes later, her phone rang.
Derek.
She answered immediately.
"Where is Maya?""
"Why are you at the apartment?""
Tasha froze.
She hadn't told him where she was.
"How do you know where I am?""
"Someone told me.""
"Who?""
"That doesn't matter.""
"It matters to me, Derek. Everything matters now.""
He sighed.
"You need to calm down.""
Tasha looked at the building.
"Did you rent an apartment for Kiara?""
Silence.
"Derek?""
"Yes.""
The answer came quietly.
Tasha felt something inside her sink.
"When?""
"Last week.""
"Why?""
"Things have been complicated.""
She let out a short, bitter laugh.
"Complicated? You rented another apartment, prepared paperwork, and arranged for your girlfriend to collect our daughter. Which part were you planning to explain?""
"Don't make it sound worse than it is.""
"Then tell me what it is.""
Derek lowered his voice.
"I wanted Maya to have somewhere comfortable when she's with Kiara.""
Tasha stared at the building.
"Why would Maya be staying with Kiara?""
"Because I thought it would make things easier.""
"For whom?""
He didn't answer.
Tasha continued.
"Did you plan to move Maya into that apartment?""
"No.""
"Did you plan to move yourself there?""
Another pause.
"Derek, answer me.""
"Not permanently.""
Tasha closed her eyes.
There it was.
The truth was coming out in pieces.
"You were planning to take our daughter away from her home.""
"I was planning to give her a better arrangement.""
"Without discussing it with me?""
"You never listen when I suggest changes.""
Tasha's voice hardened.
"Because you don't suggest changes. You make decisions and expect everyone else to live with them.""
Derek exhaled.
"Listen. Kiara has done a lot for Maya.""
"Then why does Maya keep asking for me?""
"Because she's seven. She doesn't understand everything.""
Tasha looked toward the third-floor window.
"Maybe she's the only one who understands anything.""
She ended the call.
Inside the apartment, Kiara stood in the kitchen.
Maya sat at a small dining table, drawing on a sheet of paper.
The apartment smelled of fresh paint and unopened cardboard boxes.
There were two bedrooms.
One contained a large bed with white sheets.
The other had a pink comforter, a stuffed rabbit, and a shelf filled with children's books.
Kiara had spent hours arranging that room.
She had imagined Maya waking up there.
Calling her Mom.
Asking her to make breakfast.
Running to her when she came home from school.
She had even purchased a framed photograph of herself and Derek.
But there was no photograph of Tasha.
Maya held up her drawing.
"Look.""
Kiara approached.
"What have you made?""
"It's my family.""
Three figures stood beneath a crooked yellow sun.
Maya pointed.
"That's Daddy. That's Mommy. And that's me.""
Kiara looked at the drawing.
"Where am I?""
Maya considered the question.
Then she added a small figure at the edge.
"That's you.""
Kiara forced a smile.
"Thank you, sweetheart.""
Maya looked at her drawing again.
"Can I put this in my room?""
"Of course.""
"Next to my other pictures?""
Kiara hesitated.
"Other pictures?""
"The ones at Mommy's house.""
Kiara took the paper.
"We'll find a nice place for it.""
Maya reached for the medicine pouch.
"Can I have my medicine now?""
Kiara checked the time.
She remembered Derek mentioning that Maya needed a dose in the afternoon.
But she couldn't remember the exact instructions.
"Is it the little white one?""
Maya nodded.
"Mommy puts it in the small cup.""
Kiara opened the pouch.
There were several items inside.
A prescription bottle.
A small plastic container.
A folded instruction sheet.
She read the label carefully.
Then she called Tasha.
The call rang.
And rang.
No answer.
Kiara tried again.
This time, the call connected.
"Tasha?""
There was no greeting.
Only Tasha's voice.
"Where is my daughter?""
Kiara glanced at Maya.
"She's fine.""
"Put her on the phone.""
"She's busy.""
"Kiara, put my daughter on the phone.""
Kiara lowered her voice.
"You're frightening her.""
Tasha's response came immediately.
"Then stop making her ask where I am.""
Kiara looked at Maya.
The little girl had stopped drawing.
"Listen," Kiara said.
"Derek authorized the pickup.""
"Did he authorize you to tell my daughter I was too busy to see her?""
Kiara said nothing.
"Did he authorize you to take her through a back gate?""
"You're making assumptions.""
"No. I'm looking at the footage.""
Kiara's expression changed.
Tasha continued.
"I know about the apartment, too.""
For the first time, Kiara looked genuinely frightened.
"Who told you?""
"That's not important.""
"How did you find out?""
Tasha's voice became colder.
"Did you think I wouldn't look for my daughter?""
Kiara ended the call.
Maya looked up.
"Was that Mommy?""
Kiara put the phone down.
"Yes.""
"Can I talk to her?""
"Not right now.""
Maya's eyes filled.
"But I want Mommy.""
Kiara turned toward the kitchen.
"Finish your drawing.""
Outside, Tasha stepped out of the police vehicle.
Officer Reynolds had received confirmation that Derek had recently signed a lease for the apartment.
The building manager was being contacted.
There was also a new development.
The SUV's registration had been traced to a vehicle associated with Kiara.
"Can we go upstairs?"" Tasha asked.
"We're arranging contact with the occupants.""
"She's in there.""
"We have a strong reason to believe she may be.""
Tasha looked at the building again.
Then she noticed something.
A small white car pulled into the parking area.
A woman stepped out carrying a shopping bag.
She looked up at the building.
Then she noticed Tasha.
Their eyes met.
The woman stopped.
Tasha recognized her from the school footage.
It was the same woman who had been standing near the rear gate earlier that afternoon.
The woman quickly turned away.
"Wait!""
Tasha started toward her.
Officer Reynolds followed.
The woman dropped her shopping bag and hurried toward the building entrance.
"Ma'am! Stop!""
She looked back once.
Then she disappeared inside.
Tasha reached the doorway seconds later.
The elevator doors were closing.
She pressed the call button.
Officer Reynolds looked at the dropped shopping bag.
A packet of children's clothes had fallen out.
And on top of them was a school document.
He picked it up.
Tasha saw the name printed across the page.
*MAYA DEREKSON.*
Beneath it was a heading.
*EMERGENCY CONTACT AND RESIDENCE TRANSFER INFORMATION.*
Tasha's mouth went dry.
This wasn't simply an apartment for occasional visits.
Someone had prepared a second residence record for her daughter.
May you like
And the signature at the bottom wasn't Derek's.
It belonged to Kiara.
