Chapter 4 - The Accident
Claire couldn't sleep.
At 2:13 a.m., she searched old newspaper archives on her phone.
Her father's accident had been described as tragic and straightforward.
Rain.
A narrow road.
A collision.
One death.
But Detective Reed found something else.
The original police report listed two witnesses.
Neither witness had been mentioned in the newspaper.
One was Vanessa's mother.
The other was Ethan's father.
Claire stared at the screen.
“Your father knew my father?”
Ethan stood in the doorway.
“Yes.”
“And they both knew my mother.”
“Yes.”
“You've known this for years.”
“I found out after we married.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I promised your mother.”
Claire shook her head.
“My mother was dead.”
“She made me promise before she died.”
“Why?”
Ethan looked broken.
“Because she knew someone was still watching you.”
Claire wanted to believe him.
But trust had become dangerous.
Then Reed arrived with new information.
Vanessa had disappeared.
Her car was found abandoned three miles from the hospital.
Her phone was inside.
There was blood on the driver's seat.
Claire felt sick.
“Is she dead?”
“We don't know.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
Reed turned to him.
“You knew she was in danger.”
Ethan didn't respond.
“You warned her?”
Still nothing.
Reed stepped closer.
“What aren't you telling us?”
Finally Ethan said, “Vanessa called me the night before Claire was attacked.”
“What did she say?”
“She said the person who caused the accident fifteen years ago had found us.”
Claire looked at Ethan.
“Found us?”
Ethan nodded.
“Not just me. You.”
“And Lily?”
He hesitated.
“Yes.”
Claire felt something inside her crack.
“Why would anyone care about a four-year-old?”
Ethan looked at Lily's stuffed rabbit.
“Because your daughter has something that belonged to your father.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
Ethan pointed at the rabbit.
“That's not just a toy.”
Claire picked it up.
Her fingers found a tiny zipper hidden beneath the fabric.
Inside was a memory card.
She looked at Ethan.
“You put this here?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
A noise came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Someone was inside the house.
Reed reached for his weapon.
The lights went out.
Then a woman's voice whispered from the darkness.
“Claire, don't let Ethan take Lily.”
May you like
Claire recognized the voice.
Vanessa.
