Chapter 4 - The Room Before Me
I felt the temperature in the cottage drop even though I knew that was impossible.
"What do you mean, used before?"
Emma looked at the floor.
"Allison stayed in that room."
The memory of the deadbolt clicking outside came back instantly.
"Was she locked in?"
"More than once."
My grip tightened around the edge of the workbench.
"You knew that and still watched me marry him?"
Tears filled Emma's eyes.
"I didn't know you were going to be put in that room."
"That isn't what I asked."
"No."
Her answer was barely audible.
"Then answer me."
She looked at me.
"I was afraid."
I wanted to hate her.
For several seconds, I did.
Then I remembered the dining room.
Thirty people.
Twenty-two relatives.
Every person silent while Derek ordered me onto the floor.
Fear was the currency of that house.
Some people paid with obedience.
Some paid with silence.
Emma had been paying for years.
"What happened to Allison?"
Emma swallowed.
"She came into the kitchen one night with bruises on her wrist."
My stomach turned.
"She asked me to drive her to the bus station."
"Did you?"
"No."
The word seemed to hurt her.
"I told her Derek would calm down."
Emma wiped her eyes angrily.
"The next morning, she was gone."
"Where?"
"Brenda said she'd left Derek for another man."
"And you believed her?"
"For a while."
I looked at Allison's photograph.
She was smiling beside a lake.
Young.
Hopeful.
Exactly like I had looked yesterday.
"Why did you start collecting records?"
"Three months after Allison disappeared, Brenda told everyone Allison had stolen money from Derek."
Emma pointed at one of the checks.
"I found that."
It was a transfer from Allison's savings account into Hale Restoration.
$118,500.
The authorization signature looked shaky.
"She didn't steal from them," I whispered.
"They took from her."
Emma nodded.
My phone vibrated.
Olivia.
I answered immediately.
"Where are you?"
Her voice was sharp.
"On the property."
"Get away from Derek."
"Working on it."
"Chloe, listen carefully."
"I'm listening."
"I spoke with Allison for almost an hour."
Emma moved closer.
Olivia continued.
"She never divorced Derek."
"Why not?"
"Because according to Allison, Derek threatened her when she tried to file."
I closed my eyes.
"Is she safe?"
"Now, yes."
"What does she want?"
A pause.
"To talk to you."
"Put her on."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because she just left her apartment."
My heart began pounding.
May you like
"Where is she going?"
"To you."
