Chapter 6 - THE GIRL WITH LILY'S NAME
The young woman stood in Jonathan's doorway holding the little backpack as though it contained something far more dangerous than a child's belongings.
Eleanor couldn't take her eyes off the embroidered name.
LILY.
But beneath it was another name.
SOPHIE CARTER.
Her pulse quickened.
“Who are you?”
The young woman looked at her.
“My name is Anna.”
“Who sent you?”
“My mother.”
Eleanor's voice dropped.
“Margaret?”
Anna nodded.
“She told me to bring this to you.”
Jonathan stepped between them.
“Where is your mother?”
Anna looked uncomfortable.
“She said you would ask that.”
“And?”
“She said you already know where to find her.”
Eleanor felt a chill.
Margaret's estate.
Of course.
The young woman extended the backpack.
Eleanor took it.
It was heavier than it should have been.
She unzipped it.
Inside were children's clothes, a stuffed rabbit, a red sweater, and a small photograph.
Eleanor pulled the photograph out.
Her breath stopped.
It showed two little girls standing beside a Christmas tree.
They looked nearly identical.
One was Lily.
The other was a girl Eleanor had never seen.
But the resemblance was undeniable.
Eleanor turned the photograph over.
A date was written on the back.
December 24, 2025.
Only eight months earlier.
Beneath the date were five words.
“She's closer than you think.”
Eleanor looked up.
“What does that mean?”
Anna shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You've seen this girl.”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Anna hesitated.
“Mrs. Whitmore's house.”
Eleanor's stomach tightened.
“She's at Margaret's estate?”
Anna nodded.
“She has been there before.”
“Before?”
“Several times.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Eleanor stared at her.
“Who is she?”
Anna's expression changed.
“She calls herself Lily.”
The room fell silent.
Eleanor slowly sat down.
“Why?”
“Because that's what Mrs. Whitmore told her to call herself.”
Jonathan looked at Anna.
“Who does the girl believe her parents are?”
Anna swallowed.
“She thinks Daniel is her father.”
Eleanor felt something inside her crack.
“And Margaret?”
“She thinks Margaret is her grandmother.”
Claire stepped forward.
“But if she's been living there, why haven't we seen her?”
Anna looked at Eleanor.
“Because Mrs. Whitmore didn't want you to.”
Eleanor stood.
“Take me there.”
Anna immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because she told me what would happen if you came.”
“What?”
Anna looked frightened.
“She said Lily would disappear.”
Eleanor's face hardened.
“She won't touch my daughter.”
Anna lowered her eyes.
“She said that too.”
Eleanor stared at her.
“Who are you, really?”
Anna looked toward the hallway.
“My mother worked for the Whitmores.”
“Doing what?”
“Private childcare.”
Eleanor waited.
Anna continued.
“She was the nanny.”
Eleanor's heart pounded.
“For Lily?”
“For the other girl.”
“What's her name?”
Anna looked down.
“Emily.”
Eleanor repeated the name.
“Emily.”
Anna nodded.
“She doesn't know her real name.”
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
“What does she know?”
“She knows she has a sister.”
“How?”
“Mrs. Whitmore showed her pictures.”
Eleanor suddenly remembered the Christmas photograph.
Margaret had been watching them.
Watching both girls.
Keeping one hidden.
Keeping the other close.
And controlling the story.
“Why bring me the backpack?”
Anna hesitated.
“Because Emily asked me to.”
Eleanor froze.
“Emily knows about me?”
Anna nodded.
“She knows you're her mother.”
Eleanor covered her mouth.
“Who told her?”
“She found something.”
“What?”
“A box.”
“What box?”
Anna looked at the photograph.
“The box with the truth.”
Eleanor's heart raced.
“What truth?”
Anna's eyes filled with fear.
“Mrs. Whitmore isn't the person who started this.”
Jonathan immediately looked up.
“Who did?”
Anna shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“You must know something.”
“I know there was another woman.”
Eleanor stared at her.
“Who?”
Anna whispered,
“Abigail Carter.”
The room went silent.
Eleanor felt dizzy.
“Abigail died.”
Anna nodded.
“That is what everyone was told.”
Eleanor's eyes narrowed.
“You're saying she didn't?”
Anna didn't answer.
Instead, she reached into her coat.
She pulled out a small silver key.
“This opens the box.”
Eleanor stared at it.
“Where is it?”
Anna looked toward the window.
“At the old Whitmore lake house.”
Jonathan immediately stood.
“No one goes there alone.”
Eleanor took the key.
“I won't.”
Claire grabbed her coat.
“Neither will I.”
Anna stepped backward.
“I can't go.”
“Why?”
“Because Mrs. Whitmore knows I helped you.”
“How?”
“She has cameras everywhere.”
Eleanor looked at the backpack.
Then at the key.
Then at the photograph.
Seven years of lies had suddenly become a maze.
But for the first time, she had a direction.
The lake house.
Before leaving, Eleanor turned toward Anna.
“Where is Emily now?”
Anna's face went pale.
“She was at the estate this morning.”
“And now?”
Anna whispered,
“She isn't there anymore.”
Eleanor stopped.
“Where is she?”
Anna looked toward the door.
“Mrs. Whitmore sent someone to move her.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Eleanor's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
Stop looking for the second girl.
Another message arrived.
Or you'll lose the first one too.
Eleanor stared at the screen.
Then the phone rang.
This time, the caller ID wasn't unknown.
It was Lily's school.
Eleanor answered.
“Hello?”
A woman's nervous voice spoke.
“Mrs. Whitmore?”
“Yes.”
“This is Principal Harris.”
Eleanor's heart began racing.
“What's wrong?”
“There was an incident.”
“What incident?”
“Your daughter left school with a woman.”
Eleanor froze.
“What woman?”
“We don't know.”
“Who authorized it?”
“No one.”
Eleanor's voice broke.
“Where is my daughter?”
The principal hesitated.
“We're trying to find out.”
Eleanor's knees weakened.
Claire grabbed her arm.
Then another voice came through the phone.
A little girl.
Soft.
Terrified.
“Mommy?”
Eleanor's heart stopped.
“Lily?”
“Mommy, don't come to the lake.”
The call ended.
Eleanor stared at the phone.
Jonathan looked at her.
“What did she say?”
Eleanor looked toward the silver key in her hand.
“She told me not to go to the lake.”
May you like
Claire whispered,
“Then that's exactly where we're going.”
