Chapter 2 - Something Inside Bunny
Rachel backed away before Margaret could reach the rabbit.
“Don’t touch it.”
“Rachel, stop being dramatic.”
“You just hit my daughter.”
“She was hurting Lily.”
“She was asking if Lily was okay when I walked in.”
Margaret’s jaw tightened.
Rachel turned Bunny over in her hands. The seam beneath the ear had been stitched by hand. The thread was newer than the rabbit’s worn fabric.
That made no sense.
Rachel had repaired Bunny herself dozens of times. She knew every crooked stitch in it.
These were not hers.
She pulled gently.
The seam opened.
Margaret moved.
“Rachel, don’t.”
Too late.
Rachel reached through the stuffing and felt something smooth wrapped in plastic.
She pulled out a tiny black USB drive.
Nobody spoke.
Even Lily stared.
Margaret’s face went white.
Rachel held it between two fingers.
“What is this?”
“I have no idea.”
“You just told me not to open the rabbit.”
“I thought you were going to ruin Sophie’s toy.”
“You were scared.”
“I was not.”
Sophie tugged Rachel’s blouse.
“Mom?”
Rachel crouched.
“What, baby?”
“Grandma had Bunny yesterday.”
Margaret snapped, “Sophie.”
Rachel’s eyes lifted.
Sophie shrank closer to her mother.
“What did she do with it?” Rachel asked.
“She came into my room when I was brushing my teeth. She said Bunny needed fixing.”
Margaret’s face hardened.
“She’s confused.”
Sophie shook her head.
“No, I’m not.”
Rachel looked at the fresh stitches again.
Margaret had opened Bunny.
Then sewn it closed.
But if she had known the USB was there, why had she left it inside?
The front door opened.
Daniel walked in carrying Lily’s pink jacket over one arm.
He smiled automatically.
“Hey. I found this in the car—”
Then he saw Sophie’s cheek.
His smile vanished.
“What happened?”
Rachel stood.
“Ask your mother.”
Daniel looked at Margaret.
Margaret spoke quickly.
“Sophie pushed Lily. I corrected her.”
“You hit her,” Rachel said.
Daniel’s face tightened.
“Mom?”
Margaret lifted her chin. “I lost my temper.”
Rachel waited.
This was the moment.
Daniel would tell his mother to leave. He would protect Sophie. He would show Rachel exactly who he was.
Then his eyes dropped to Rachel’s hand.
To the USB.
The color drained from his face.
“Where did you get that?”
Rachel’s anger cooled into something sharper.
“Inside Bunny.”
Daniel did not look surprised.
He looked terrified.
“Rachel,” he said. “Give it to me.”
“No.”
His voice lowered.
“Give it to me right now.”
Sophie pressed against Rachel’s side.
Rachel closed her fist around the drive.
And suddenly the slap was no longer the most frightening thing that had happened in her living room.
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