Chapter 9 - THE TRAP
I wanted to take Lily and disappear.
Hotel.
Another state.
Another country.
Anywhere.
Ramirez stopped me.
“If Daniel is watching you, sudden movement could make him act.”
“So I’m supposed to stay here?”
“For tonight, yes.”
“That’s insane.”
“We have six officers nearby.”
“And he still got to my fence.”
Ramirez didn’t answer.
That told me enough.
Vanessa called.
I almost ignored it.
Ramirez said, “Answer.”
Her voice sounded broken.
“Ryan.”
“What?”
“Is Lily okay?”
“Don’t ask me that.”
“I need to know.”
“She’s alive.”
Vanessa cried softly.
“I never wanted this.”
“You dragged her by the hair.”
“I know.”
“You starved her.”
“I know.”
“You locked her in a laundry room.”
“I know!”
Her voice cracked.
“I know what I did.”
“Then live with it.”
She went quiet.
Then she said, “Daniel has a place near the lake.”
Ramirez straightened.
“What lake?”
Vanessa gave directions.
An old cabin outside Brighton County.
“Why didn’t you tell police?”
“I did.”
Ramirez checked his phone.
No message yet.
“When were you there?”
“Two months ago.”
“With Lily?”
“Yes.”
My jaw tightened.
“She said she was going to a birthday party.”
“I lied.”
“Obviously.”
“Ryan, listen.”
I nearly hung up.
“Daniel keeps documents there. Cash. Phones.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“Stop lying.”
“I’m not!”
She took a breath.
“He talked about leaving if things went bad.”
Ramirez was already signaling officers.
Vanessa continued.
“He said nobody would ever find him because the cabin isn’t under his name.”
“Whose name?”
Silence.
“Vanessa.”
She whispered, “Melissa’s father.”
Police moved immediately.
I stayed home with Lily.
Two hours passed.
Then three.
At midnight, Ramirez called.
“We found the cabin.”
“Daniel?”
“No.”
“Melissa?”
“No.”
“Anything?”
“A lot.”
“What?”
“Fake IDs. Cash. Children’s clothing. More photographs.”
My stomach turned.
Then he said, “And a map.”
“What kind of map?”
“Your neighborhood.”
I looked toward the window.
Several houses were marked.
Mine.
Mrs. Collins.
Lily’s preschool.
A grocery store.
The park.
“And Ryan?”
“Yes?”
“There’s a date written beside your house.”
“What date?”
“Tomorrow.”
I looked at the clock.
12:03 a.m.
Tomorrow had just become today.
Then I heard glass break downstairs.
May you like
Lily screamed.
I dropped the phone and ran.
