Chapter 2
"Calling the police?" David sneered, forcing out a vicious grin through his fear. "On what grounds? A crazy woman's ranting and a little kid's babbling?" Melissa immediately chimed in, saying I was only there to shake them down, and reached for the intercom to call security.
I didn't stop her. I just looked at David, the man who had once shared my bed. "You know better than anyone whether Benji was talking nonsense."
Then I raised my phone and slowly took a clear photo of the three of them. Behind them sat the polished decor and expensive furniture. Every bit of it had been built with my blood and sweat.
After Lily disappeared, I sold the only home we had so I could keep searching for her. David took that money, claiming he was heading south to start a business. Turns out his 'business' was building a brand-new home right here.
"Jane, what the hell do you want?" David's voice shook. "Nothing," I said, calm enough to scare even myself. "I just want my daughter. Where is she?" I gave the phone a little shake. "This photo and the dog outside are both going to the police."
Cold sweat broke across David's forehead, and Melissa finally realized I wasn't bluffing. The room went dead quiet except for Benji's small voice. 'Dad, who is she? Which big sister is she looking for?' David's whole body jolted, and I didn't miss it.
He was scared. I knew then that I'd gambled right. Lily's disappearance had to be connected to him.
I didn't press harder, because I knew I wouldn't get the truth that way. I put my phone away and turned for the door. My leg was still bleeding, and every step felt like walking on blades, but I kept my pace steady.
Behind me, David roared, 'Jane! Get back here! Finish what you're saying!' I didn't look back.
At the door, I bent down and patted Shadow's head. He nudged my palm with a whine. 'Good boy. Let's go.' I opened the door and walked out with him at my heels as it slammed shut behind us.
The second I reached the hallway, I gave out and slid down the cold wall to the floor. I wasn't crying because my leg hurt. I was crying for my daughter, missing for five years, and for the little red keepsake that had somehow ended up tied to a stray dog.
The elevator opened, and a neighbor nearly jumped out of her skin at the blood all over my leg. I wiped my tears, pushed myself up, and asked as steadily as I could, "Ma'am, does the man living here have a daughter?"
The older woman blinked, then seemed to realize what I meant. "Mr. Grant? No, he only has a little boy, and he dotes on him. But... my grandson did say there might be a little girl locked up in their backyard."
An invisible hand seemed to clamp around my heart. The woman kept talking, but I couldn't hear another word. My mind held only one thought. The backyard.
I bolted for the elevator, so rattled I almost forgot the button. With trembling fingers, I called Attorney Harper. When she picked up, my voice shook, but my resolve didn't. "I have a case. My daughter has been missing for five years, and I think I found her."
Attorney Harper was a sharp, capable woman I'd met during my years of searching for Lily. After hearing everything, she stayed quiet for a moment, then said, "Jane, calm down. The neighbor's words aren't direct evidence. You need something more solid."
After I hung up, I stood near the landscaping and stared at David's building from a distance. Ground floor, tiny backyard. The wall was high, covered in vines, and topped with anti-climb spikes. Was my Lily really in there?
Dusk fell. My wound had stopped bleeding after a rough bandage job, but every step still hurt like hell. Shadow lay motionless at my feet. I didn't call the police. Harper was right. Without proof, I'd only tip David off. I had to find the evidence myself.
By late night, the lights across the complex went out one by one, including David's. Using the darkness as cover, I circled to the back of the building. The wall was even higher than I'd imagined. I was pacing in panic when Shadow suddenly barked at one corner.
I went over and found a drainage opening covered by a loose iron grate. Had Shadow worked it loose ahead of time? I didn't stop to think. I silenced my phone, switched on the flashlight, and crawled through the opening.
The yard was overgrown and filthy. In one corner stood a crude shelter made of boards and tarp. It looked like a doghouse. No, worse than one. My heart climbed into my throat as I walked toward it, flashlight trembling in my hand.
Weak breathing came from inside. I lifted the tarp and shone the light in. A tiny figure lay curled in the corner under a rag. Her hair was dry and tangled, her cheeks hollow, and the oversized clothes on her body were filthy and torn.
She was all skin and bones, her wrists so thin they looked like they could snap. But I knew her the instant I saw her. No matter how much she'd changed, no matter how badly she'd wasted away, she was still my Lily. My daughter.
Tears slipped down my face in silence. I wanted to rush over and hold her. I wanted to shout her name. But I couldn't. I was afraid of alerting the people inside, and even more afraid of scaring her.
Just then, the light seemed to disturb her. She slowly opened her eyes, and my heart split open. They were empty, numb eyes, without a trace of light. I whispered, my voice shaking, "Lily... it's Mom. Mom's here."
She didn't react. My trembling hand reached toward her face, but the instant my fingers got close, she flinched back like a startled rabbit, covered her head, and began to shake. "Don't hit me... I'll be good..." My hand froze. My blood ran cold.
What kind of life had my daughter been forced to live for five whole years? David. Melissa. I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood, then pulled out my phone and recorded Lily, her terror, and that corner of hell. This was my evidence.