Chapter 2: The Secret
The first crack in the door was small.
The second one wasn't.
Dad drove his shoulder into the wood, and the desk I had pushed against it scraped across the floor.
“Emily!”” he shouted.
“Open this door!””
I backed toward the window.
The old phone was still pressed to my ear.
“What's happening?”” the man asked.
“Police are outside.””
“I know.””
“How?””
“Because I called them.””
Another impact.
The desk jumped.
I looked at the door.
“Who are you?””
There was a pause.
Then:
“My name is Daniel.””
“Daniel what?””
“Daniel Brooks.””
The name meant nothing to me.
Dad hit the door again.
“Emily, put the phone down!””
His voice was different now.
Not furious.
Controlled.
That scared me more.
I whispered, “My dad knows I'm talking to you.””
Daniel answered immediately.
“Then listen carefully. Whatever he says, don't believe him.””
“What did my mom do?””
“You need to ask your mother that question.””
“She can't even get away from him!””
Daniel went quiet.
Then I heard him speaking to someone beside him.
“She's upstairs. Second floor. Bedroom at the end of the hall.””
My breath caught.
“How do you know my house?””
“I've been looking for you for a very long time.””
Dad's fist smashed through the center of the door.
I screamed.
His fingers curled around the broken wood.
“Emily!””
I stumbled backward.
“Daniel!””
“Move away from the door.””
I grabbed the window latch.
It wouldn't open.
Paint had sealed it shut.
Dad pulled his hand back.
“Open it.””
I shook my head.
“Dad, stop!””
He stared at me through the hole in the door.
His eyes were no longer wild.
They were cold.
“Who are you talking to?””
I said nothing.
He stepped closer.
“Emily, give me the phone.””
“No.””
His jaw tightened.
“Give it to me.””
“No!””
He kicked the bottom of the door.
The desk shifted.
Then someone downstairs shouted.
“POLICE! STEP AWAY FROM THE DOOR!””
Dad froze.
I heard pounding footsteps.
A woman's voice followed.
“Sir, step away from the door!””
Dad looked at me.
For a strange second, he smiled.
It wasn't a happy smile.
It was the smile of someone who had just realized he had another move.
“You have no idea what you've done,” he said.
Then he walked away.
I didn't move.
Daniel spoke.
“Emily?””
“Yes.””
“Stay where you are.””
The door opened a few seconds later.
Two officers rushed in.
One was a woman with dark hair pulled into a tight ponytail.
“Emily?””
I nodded.
“I'm Officer Harris. Are you hurt?””
“My mom.””
“We're with her.””
I ran past them.
“Emily!””
The officer caught my arm.
“Wait. It's not safe yet.””
“My mom is downstairs!””
“Another team is getting her out.””
I pulled free.
“She's my mother!””
The officer exchanged a glance with the other officer.
Then she said softly, “Okay. Stay behind me.””
We went downstairs.
The kitchen looked nothing like the kitchen I had left twenty minutes earlier.
A chair was overturned.
Water was still running.
Broken glass covered the floor.
Mom sat against the cabinets, one hand pressed to her cheek.
When she saw me, she started crying.
I dropped beside her.
“Mom.””
She pulled me into her arms.
“Oh, God.””
“I’m here.””
“Are you hurt?””
“My face.””
She touched my cheek.
Her fingers trembled.
“I’m sorry.””
“Why are you sorry?””
She looked at the police officers.
Then at Dad.
He was standing against the far wall with his hands raised.
“Ethan,” Mom whispered.
He stared at her.
“You ruined everything.””
Officer Harris stepped between them.
“Sir, turn around.””
Dad didn't move.
“Sarah,” he said quietly, “you told her.””
Mom closed her eyes.
Dad laughed once.
“After everything I did to keep you safe.””
I pulled away from Mom.
“What is he talking about?””
She grabbed my wrist.
“Not here.””
“Mom, what is happening?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I need to tell you everything.””
Dad was handcuffed.
As the officers led him toward the front door, he stopped beside me.
“Emily.””
I didn't answer.
He leaned slightly closer.
“You should ask your mother why she was hiding that phone.””
Officer Harris pushed him forward.
The front door slammed.
Silence filled the house.
Mom stared at the floor.
I looked at her.
“What phone?””
She didn't answer.
“The phone under my mattress?””
Her face went pale.
“Yes.””
“Why did you hide it?””
She swallowed.
“Because I knew this day might come.””
I stared at her.
“What day?””
She reached for my hand.
“The day your father found out I had been talking to Daniel.””
“Who is Daniel?””
Mom looked toward the window.
Outside, several black SUVs sat behind the police cars.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Someone who has been protecting us since before you were born.””
My skin prickled.
“Protecting us from Dad?””
Mom shook her head.
“No.””
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Protecting us from the people your father used to work for.””
I didn't understand.
“What people?””
She opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
A black SUV outside flashed its headlights twice.
Mom went completely still.
“What's wrong?””
May you like
She whispered one sentence.
“Daniel wasn't supposed to come here.””
