Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN IN THE RAIN Lily remembered the rain.
She remembered the red umbrella.
She remembered Rachel stepping out of the car.
She remembered Vanessa standing beside the road.
But there were pieces missing.
Michael didn't push her.
He waited.
“What happened next?”
Lily looked at the floor.
“You said Mommy had a flat tire.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“That never happened.”
Lily covered her ears.
“You yelled.”
“What did she yell?”
Lily whispered:
“You stole from my children.”
Michael felt his stomach tighten.
Rachel had confronted Vanessa.
That meant Rachel knew.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“She’s remembering wrong.”
“No,” Lily said.
The little girl looked directly at her.
“You pushed Mommy.”
Silence.
Michael closed his eyes.
For years, he had believed Rachel died because of wet pavement.
A tragic accident.
A cruel moment of fate.
Now he saw another possibility.
Vanessa had been there.
And Henry might have been there too.
Daniel's phone suddenly rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“The east gate camera is down.”
Michael frowned.
“What?”
“It went offline three minutes ago.”
Robert looked toward the windows.
“Someone else is here.”
Then the lights went out.
The children screamed.
Michael dropped to the floor.
“Stay behind me.”
Glass shattered somewhere in the study.
Daniel drew his weapon.
Robert whispered:
“She wasn't working alone.”
Emergency lights flickered on.
Vanessa was gone.
A side window stood open.
Rain blew across the floor.
Michael's heart hammered.
“Find her.”
Daniel ran.
Michael grabbed Lily and Ethan.
He pushed them into the pantry.
“Listen to me.”
Lily was crying.
“Don't leave us.”
“I have to find Ethan—”
“I’m Ethan.”
Michael looked down.
The boy was staring at him.
For a second, Michael almost laughed.
Then he realized what he had meant.
Find whoever had come for them.
He kissed both children.
“Lock the door.”
“What if someone comes?”
“Don't open it unless you hear my voice and the word sunrise.”
“Sunrise,” Lily repeated.
Michael nodded.
“Remember that.”
May you like
He closed the door.
Then he ran.
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