Chapter 5: The Woman in the Red Scarf
I wrapped both hands around the stretcher rail.
“You are not taking her.”
The first man twisted my wrist away.
Celia blocked the elevator doors.
“There are cameras in this corridor.”
“The power is out,” he said.
“Emergency cameras have batteries.”
His smile disappeared.
Dr.
Shah pulled the fire alarm.
A bell thundered through the ward, and nurses poured from the rooms.
The men released the stretcher and ran for the stairwell.
Martin followed them.
“Stop him!” I shouted.
A security officer caught Martin near the exit and forced him against the wall.
His phone fell and broke open across the floor.
Martin kicked the battery beneath a cart.
“There.
Now you have nothing.”
“I have your forged signature,” I said.
“You have a copy that Meridian’s attorneys will bury.”
Lily reached for me.
“Mom.”
I hurried back, but she turned her face away.
“You believed him,” she said.
“What?”
“Five years ago, I told you there was a locked room.
You said nightmares can feel real.”
“I thought you were frightened and confused.”
“You believed him because believing me would have broken your marriage.”
The words took the strength from my knees.
I held the bed rail to remain standing.
“I failed you,” I said.
“I should have asked again.
I should have listened until you knew I believed you.”
Lily’s chin trembled.
“I needed you.”
“I know.”
She began to cry, and I folded my arms around her.
For a moment she remained stiff.
Then her hands clutched the back of my sweater.
A woman’s voice came from the doorway.
“She did try to tell you.”
An older cleaner stood there wearing a red scarf beneath her uniform collar.
A burn mark crossed one side of her hand.
Lily pulled away from me.
“You.”
The woman removed her glasses.
“My name is Nora Bell.
I worked at the house.”
“You opened the window,” Lily said.
“And drove you to the bus station.”
Martin struggled against the security officer.
“She’s lying.”
Nora walked over and held out a small metal box.
“The brass key opens this.”
Lily placed the key in my palm.
I turned it in the lock.
Inside was a memory card, a photograph of thirteen-year-old Lily, and a folded payment ledger.
Nora pointed to Martin’s name.
“He visited the facility six times after Lily escaped.”
“I was looking for evidence,” Martin said.
“You collected money every time.”
Celia stared at the ledger.
“These transfers came through my firm’s client account.”
“You prepared the documents,” Martin snapped.
“I was told they were consent forms for an overseas trial.”
“You never asked why a frightened child was listed as corporate property?”
Celia stepped back as if he had struck her.
Nora handed Dr.
Shah the memory card.
“Can you play this?”
The doctor inserted it into a tablet.
Martin’s voice came through the speaker.
“If Lily remembers, tell her it was a nightmare.
If she keeps talking, use Helen.
She’ll do anything to keep her mother safe.”
Lily stared at her father.
Then a second voice spoke on the recording.
May you like
Victor Hale said, “Good.
When she turns eighteen, bring us both.”
