Chapter 2
Warren slammed an X-ray image onto the table. "This is your daughter's X-ray.
"The beads have already caused several adhesions and perforations in her intestines.
"The surgery is very risky.
"We seriously doubt this was just an accident.
"Someone fed them to her on purpose."
Warren's gaze swept back and forth between me, Mike, and Mary.
Finally, it settled on me.
He asked, "Sarah, before Mike got home, it was just you and Anne at home, right?"
*****
The red light above the operating room door glowed like a bloodthirsty eye.
Mike, Mary, and I sat on the bench outside.
No one spoke.
The air was so thick, it felt like we could barely breathe.
Mary was still sobbing quietly, shooting me dirty looks every now and then.
Mike sat as far away from me as possible, his head buried in his hands, rubbing his face over and over.
The cops told us to wait for the surgery results.
But the look they gave me before they left was burned into my memory.
I was the prime suspect.
An hour ago, I was just a worried mom.
Now, I was a monster who might've hurt my own daughter.
The operating room door swung open.
The lead surgeon stepped out, pulling off his mask.
He looked exhausted, his face pale and drawn.
We all rushed over to him.
"Doctor, how's my daughter?" I blurted out, my voice trembling.
The doctor shot me a look, his expression complicated.
Instead of answering, he turned to Mike. "Are you the father?"
"Yes, yes, doctor, my daughter..." Mike replied, his voice shaking.
"She made it."
We all let out a breath we'd been holding.
But what he said next sent us straight to hell. "We took thirty-six magnetic beads out of her intestines.
"Parts of her intestines were already dead, so we had to remove those sections.
"She's so young that her digestive system will never be the same after this."
"And," the doctor paused, his voice dropping even lower, "the beads had been inside her for at least twenty-four hours.
"Why did it take so long to bring her in?"
Mike's face turned beet red.
He whipped around and yelled at me, "Sarah! What the hell were you doing all day yesterday? Couldn't you see Anne was sick?"
Mary started bawling, too. "What a curse! My poor Anne! Why does she have to suffer so much?
"I've told you a hundred times that you shouldn't waste your time on pointless things!
"You should've just stayed home and watched the kid, but you never listen!"
I ignored them, staring straight at the doctor. "Doctor, can I ask you something?
"Is it really possible for a five-year-old to swallow thirty-six of those magnetic beads, one after another, all on her own?"
The doctor paused, then caught on to what I was getting at.
He shook his head. "Honestly, it's almost impossible. That's way too many beads for a kid that age.
"And those magnetic beads don't taste good at all. A kid might swallow one or two out of curiosity.
"But swallowing that many would be a nightmare for a kid. Unless..."
"Unless what?" I pressed.
"Unless someone coaxed her, or tricked her.
"Like making her believe they were candy, and giving them to her one after another."
His voice was quiet, but in the empty hallway, every word hit me like a sledgehammer.
Mike's yelling stopped.
Mary's sobbing came to an abrupt halt.
I looked up, meeting their eyes.
Mike's eyes were wide with shock and confusion.
And deep in Mary's eyes, I caught a flash of panic.
A terrifying thought was raging through my mind, spiraling out of control.
The cops were suspicious of me.
Mike was suspicious of me.
Mary was blaming me too.
No one was on my side.
No one believed me.
Anne was my whole world.
I had to find the person who did this.
The monster who dragged Anne into hell.
I stood up.
Mike blocked my way. "Where are you going?"
"Home," I replied calmly. "I need to pick something up."
Mary immediately tensed up. "Why are you going home? Anne's still here!"
I looked her straight in the eye and said, "I'm going home to find out who fed Anne those 'candy beads'."
I saw her hand tighten around Mike's arm.
There was a security camera in our living room.
We'd installed it to prevent break-ins.
It had a clear view of every corner of the living room and dining area.
That monster must've left a clue on the footage.
I turned and headed for the elevator.
Mike grabbed my arm. "Where are you going? Anne's still in there!"
His grip was like a vice.
"I'm going home," I said, pulling free from him.
Mike shouted, his eyes bloodshot, "What, you think you can just go back and destroy the evidence?"
Mary immediately threw herself at me, clinging to my legs and sobbing uncontrollably. "Sarah, you can't leave!
"Anne needs you!
"We know you're hurting, but now isn't the time to make a scene!"
She was really putting on an act, her face smeared with tears and snot.
Anyone who didn't know better would think she was the most loving grandma in the world.
She clung to me like her life depended on it, refusing to let me go.
Mike planted himself in front of me, solid as a wall.
They were teaming up, and they had one goal.
To keep me from going home.
To keep me away from that security camera.
My heart grew colder, and I became more certain.
They were scared.
Or maybe, Mary was.
I looked at them and suddenly laughed. "Mike, what are you so afraid of?"
He snapped, "Afraid? I'm afraid you'll run off, you evil woman!
"I'm afraid you'll go back and hide all the things that hurt Anne!"
Perfect. Just perfect.
This was my husband, the father of my child.
I didn't bother arguing with him anymore.
I took out my phone, making sure they could see, found Warren's number, and called. "Hello, Detective Williams? This is Sarah, Anne's mom."
Warren sounded surprised on the other end. "What is it?"
"Detective Williams, I have evidence that can clear my name."