Chapter 3
I called the police while Lily sat in my lap.
Vanessa did not believe I would.
That was clear from the way she laughed.
“Daniel, don’t embarrass yourself.”
I gave the dispatcher my address.
Her smile faded.
Ashley grabbed her purse.
“I’m leaving.”
“No,” I said. “You’re staying.”
“You can’t keep me here.”
“No. But the officers outside can ask why you watched a child be threatened and laughed.”
She went pale.
Vanessa stepped toward me.
“You are destroying our marriage over snacks.”
I looked at Lily.
Her small fingers were wrapped around my sleeve.
“This marriage was destroyed before I noticed.”
Police arrived twelve minutes later.
Vanessa turned into silk.
Soft voice.
Wet eyes.
“I’m worried about Daniel. He has been under so much stress.”
I almost laughed.
There it was.
The switch.
Make me unstable.
Make her reasonable.
Make Lily invisible again.
An officer named Ramirez watched the footage without expression.
Then he watched another.
Then another.
His jaw tightened.
He crouched in front of Lily.
“Can you tell me what happens when you get hungry?”
Lily looked at me.
I nodded.
She whispered, “I wait.”
“Why?”
“Because Vanessa says pretty girls don’t eat too much.”
The officer’s face changed.
Vanessa snapped, “I never said that.”
Ramirez turned the tablet around.
The next clip played automatically.
Vanessa’s voice filled the kitchen.
“Pretty girls don’t eat like little pigs.”
Ashley covered her mouth.
I stood so fast my chair fell backward.
Ramirez lifted a hand.
“Sir.”
I stopped.
Barely.
Vanessa was asked to leave for the night while a child welfare report was filed.
She refused.
“This is my home.”
“No,” I said.
Her head snapped toward me.
“What?”
“The deed is in my name. My late wife bought it with me. You moved in after we married.”
Her face hardened.
“You said this was our house.”
“I said a lot of things before I knew who you were.”
She looked at Lily.
Something ugly flashed in her eyes.
“Fine. Keep your spoiled little princess.”
Lily flinched.
That was enough.
Ramirez stepped between them.
“Ma’am, outside.”
Vanessa grabbed her coat and walked to the door.
Before she left, she leaned close to me.
“You have no idea what she cost you.”
I froze.
“What does that mean?”
She smiled.
Then she walked out.
That night, I slept on Lily’s floor.
Or tried to.
She woke three times asking if she could have water.
Each time, I said yes.
Each time, she whispered sorry.
At 3:17 a.m., my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photo appeared.
It showed Lily at preschool, sitting alone at lunch with no food tray.
May you like
The message said:
You noticed hunger. Now notice why your first wife died.
