Chapter 3 - THE CHILD BEHIND THE WALL
Evelyn ran toward the service passage.
Nathaniel grabbed her arm.
“Wait.”
“My daughter is in there!”
“There may be someone waiting for you.”
“I don’t care.”
Evelyn tore free and entered the narrow corridor.
Nathaniel followed with two officers.
The passage smelled of dust and old wood.
Pipes ran above their heads.
The emergency lights flashed every few seconds.
“Lily!” Evelyn shouted.
A faint cry answered from somewhere ahead.
“Mommy!”
Evelyn ran faster.
She reached a split in the corridor.
One path led toward the kitchen.
The other led toward the private offices.
A small pink hair ribbon lay on the floor.
Evelyn picked it up.
“She went this way.”
Nathaniel examined a fresh scrape on the wall.
“Someone carried her.”
Evelyn’s stomach twisted.
They followed the corridor toward the Ashford family offices.
A door slammed in the distance.
Nathaniel raised his weapon.
“Police!”
No one answered.
They reached Eleanor’s private office.
The door was locked.
Lily’s voice came from inside.
“Mommy!”
Evelyn struck the door with both hands.
“Lily, step away!”
An officer kicked near the handle.
The lock broke.
Evelyn rushed inside.
Lily was sitting beneath the desk.
Her wrists had been tied with a silk scarf.
Evelyn dropped beside her.
“Oh, baby.”
Lily buried her face against Evelyn’s neck.
“A man grabbed me.”
“Did you see him?”
“He wore a mask.”
Evelyn untied her wrists.
Lily pointed toward the open window.
“He climbed out.”
Nathaniel went to the window.
A narrow balcony ran along the rear of the building.
The rain outside had begun to fall.
Wet footprints crossed the stone.
Nathaniel looked back.
“Stay here.”
He and one officer climbed outside.
Evelyn checked Lily’s arms for injuries.
“Did he hurt you?”
Lily shook her head.
“He asked me where the key was.”
“What key?”
“The gold key Grandma gave me.”
Evelyn froze.
Her mother had given Lily a tiny gold key before she died.
It hung on a chain beneath Lily’s dress.
Evelyn reached for it.
The chain was still there.
Lily pulled the key into view.
“He tried to take it.”
The office door opened.
Julian stood there.
His jacket was torn.
His missing button was still visible.
“Thank God,” he said.
Evelyn rose.
“Stay away from her.”
Julian lifted his hands.
“I came to help.”
“You accused her of stealing.”
“I was angry.”
“You slapped me.”
Julian lowered his voice.
“Evelyn, you need to leave before this gets worse.”
“It already got worse.”
Julian glanced at Lily’s gold key.
His face changed for a fraction of a second.
Evelyn noticed.
“You know what this opens.”
Julian looked back at her.
“No.”
“You stared at it.”
“I was looking at the child.”
Lily pointed toward his sleeve.
“Mommy.”
Evelyn looked down.
A strip of black fabric was caught on Julian’s cuff.
It matched the mask Lily said her attacker had worn.
Julian ripped it away.
“You think I kidnapped her?”
Nathaniel returned through the window.
“No,” he said.
“But I think you know who did.”
He held up a wet leather glove.
Inside the glove were three silver letters.
May you like
E.A.A.
Eleanor Amelia Ashford.
