Chapter 2: The Daughter Nobody Knew
Emergency lights came on thirty seconds later.
Thirty seconds was not a long time.
But in a mansion full of powerful people, thirty seconds was enough for secrets to move.
When the hallway lights returned, Daniel Carter was no longer standing there.
Neither was Vanessa.
Rachel stared at the empty space where they had been.
Her heart pounded.
"They ran.""
The voice came from behind her.
Rachel turned.
Lily was still inside the hidden compartment.
Her small hands were pressed against the wall.
Rachel immediately moved closer.
"Don't worry. I'm getting you out.""
She pulled at the old wooden frame again.
This time it moved more easily.
The mechanism had been designed to open from the outside.
That thought made her sick.
Someone had built this.
Someone had planned this.
Someone had expected a child to be placed inside.
Rachel carefully removed the remaining rope from Lily's wrists.
The little girl flinched when Rachel touched her.
"Sorry.""
Rachel stopped.
"I won't touch you without asking.""
Lily stared at her.
"You're different.""
Rachel swallowed.
"What do you mean?""
"Everyone here does what they say.""
Rachel frowned.
"Who?""
Lily looked toward the ballroom.
"The people who work here.""
A cold feeling moved through Rachel.
"How long have you been in there?""
The girl looked down.
"I don't know.""
"Days?""
A pause.
"Sometimes.""
Rachel's chest tightened.
"Sometimes?""
Lily nodded.
"When Mommy is angry.""
Rachel looked toward the empty hallway.
"Vanessa?""
Lily didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
Rachel removed her jacket and wrapped it around the child.
"Can you walk?""
Lily nodded.
But when she stepped forward, her legs shook.
Rachel caught her.
"It's okay.""
"I tried to leave before.""
Rachel looked at her.
"What happened?""
Lily's face changed.
A child shouldn't have that expression.
It was the expression of someone remembering pain.
"Mr. Carter found me.""
"Daniel?""
Lily nodded.
"He said nobody would believe me.""
Rachel felt anger rise.
"Why?""
"Because everyone thinks he's nice.""
The irony wasn't lost on Rachel.
She had seen the photographs.
Daniel Carter shaking hands with politicians.
Daniel Carter donating millions to children's hospitals.
Daniel Carter smiling beside Vanessa at charity events.
A perfect family.
A perfect lie.
Rachel picked up her phone again.
No signal.
She frowned.
The mansion suddenly felt much larger.
Much emptier.
"Come on.""
She held Lily's hand.
"We're leaving.""
They had barely reached the hallway entrance when voices approached.
Rachel froze.
Two security guards appeared.
Both wearing black suits.
One of them smiled.
"Miss Bennett.""
Rachel stepped in front of Lily.
"Move.""
The guard's smile remained.
"We need to talk.""
"No.""
The second guard glanced at Lily.
"Mrs. Carter asked us to bring her daughter upstairs.""
Rachel laughed once.
A sharp, humorless sound.
"Absolutely not.""
The first guard's expression changed.
"You're making this difficult.""
Rachel tightened her grip on Lily's hand.
"Good.""
A moment passed.
Then one of the guards reached forward.
Rachel stepped back.
"Don't touch her.""
The guard stopped.
Not because he was afraid of Rachel.
Because a new voice spoke behind them.
"Nobody touches her.""
Everyone turned.
An older woman stood near the staircase.
Rachel recognized her from earlier.
She had been serving drinks in the east wing.
The woman looked about sixty.
Gray hair.
Simple black uniform.
A face that had seen too much.
The guards immediately looked uncomfortable.
"Mrs. Ellis—"
"Leave.""
The first guard frowned.
"You know the instructions.""
The older woman stepped forward.
"I know exactly what the instructions are.""
Her voice shook.
But not from fear.
From anger.
The guards exchanged a glance.
Then walked away.
Rachel watched them disappear.
"Who are you?""
The woman looked at Lily.
Then at Rachel.
"My name is Margaret Ellis.""
She lowered her voice.
"I've worked for the Carters for twenty-two years.""
Rachel stared.
"Then why didn't you help her?""
The question hit hard.
Margaret looked away.
"I tried.""
"And?""
Her eyes filled.
"They made sure I couldn't.""
Lily suddenly grabbed Rachel's hand tighter.
"Mrs. Ellis knows.""
Rachel looked at the woman.
"Knows what?""
Margaret hesitated.
Then reached into her pocket.
She pulled out an old photograph.
Rachel took it.
The picture showed Daniel and Vanessa Carter standing beside Lily.
But something was wrong.
There was another child.
A boy.
About seven years old.
Rachel looked closer.
"Who is this?""
Margaret's voice dropped.
"That is the reason Lily was hidden.""
Rachel looked up.
"What?""
Margaret stared toward the staircase.
"The Carter family has spent years pretending Lily is their only child.""
A chill went through Rachel.
"But she isn't.""
Margaret whispered:
"Because their first child disappeared six years ago.""
Rachel looked back at the photograph.
The boy's face suddenly seemed familiar.
She had seen it before.
On a missing child poster.
Then Margaret said the name.
May you like
"His name was Ethan Carter.""
And Rachel realized the secret behind the wall was only the beginning.
