Chapter 8
Daniel did not sleep.
At dawn, he found Lily sitting on the kitchen counter eating dry cereal from a mug.
Grace was beside her.
For a second, the sight broke him.
A normal morning should not have felt miraculous.
He sat across from them.
"Lily, can I ask you something?"
Grace immediately said, "Only if she wants."
Daniel nodded.
Lily watched him.
"Did Vanessa ever talk about Grandma Ruth's money?"
Lily frowned.
"She called it my big-girl money."
Grace's face tightened.
"What did she say?"
"That Daddy was going to put it somewhere safe."
Daniel felt a cold pressure behind his ribs.
"Did she ask you to do anything?"
Lily looked down.
"She made me practice."
"Practice what?"
"Being scared of Mommy."
Grace turned away.
Daniel did not.
He made himself hear it.
Lily said Vanessa would ask questions while recording on her phone.
Does Mommy yell?
Does Mommy make you afraid?
Do you want to live with Daddy forever?
If Lily answered wrong, Vanessa made her repeat it.
"If I cried, she said that sounded better."
Daniel pushed back from the table.
Grace reached across and caught his wrist.
"Do not make this about your anger."
He stared at her.
"How?"
"Because she will think she has to take care of you too."
Daniel looked at Lily.
She was already watching his face.
Already measuring him.
He forced himself to breathe.
"You don't have to take care of me, baby."
Lily's eyes filled.
"I tried to tell you."
"I know."
"No, you said Vanessa was helping me use my words."
Daniel closed his eyes.
He remembered saying exactly that.
Grace's grip loosened.
Lily slid off the counter.
"I have another secret."
Daniel opened his eyes.
She took his hand and led him upstairs to her bedroom.
Behind a row of stuffed animals was a heating vent.
Lily pointed.
"Noah showed me how."
"Noah who?"
"The gardener's boy."
Daniel unscrewed the vent cover.
Inside was a second recorder.
And a folded envelope with his name written across the front.
May you like
DADDY - ONLY IF I GET SENT AWAY.
Daniel's hands began to shake.
