Chapter 6: What Lily Heard
Claire turned around.
Lily was still sitting on the floor, the stuffed rabbit in her lap, her eyes steady and too old for her age.
"You heard me?" Claire said.
"Lots of times," Lily said.
"You always closed your door but I could still hear." She paused.
"I didn't know what was wrong.
I thought maybe you were sick."
Claire crossed the room and sat on the floor beside her daughter.
She didn't say anything for a moment.
She just put her arm around her.
"I wasn't sick," Claire said.
"I was scared.
There's a difference."
"Were you scared of Julian?"
Claire looked at her.
"Yes."
Lily nodded slowly, as if this confirmed something she had already worked out.
"He used to check your phone when you were in the shower.
I saw him do it twice.
I didn't know if I should tell you."
Marcus was very still in the doorway.
"You can always tell me," Claire said.
"Anything.
Always."
"He told me once that you were too emotional to make good decisions," Lily said.
"He said it like he was explaining something helpful.
Like he felt sorry for you." She looked down at the rabbit.
"I didn't like the way he said it."
"You were right not to."
"I didn't say anything because I thought you loved him."
"I thought I did too," Claire said.
"For a while."
Lily leaned her head against her mother's shoulder.
"Uncle Marcus always called on Sundays.
Julian used to take the phone to the kitchen when you answered.
He said the signal was better in there." She paused.
"But our signal is the same everywhere in the house.
I checked."
Marcus walked over and sat on the edge of the desk.
His voice was quiet.
"Lily.
You're the bravest person in this house."
"I just paid attention," Lily said.
"That's what brave looks like most of the time."
Claire pressed her lips together.
She looked at the laptop screen, still open on the bank account, the three transfers sitting there in plain black figures.
Then she looked at her daughter — seven years old, sitting on the floor of a cluttered office, holding a rabbit, having watched and waited and said nothing because she thought her mother needed protecting from the truth.
"I'm going to fix this," Claire said.
"All of it."
"I know," Lily said simply.
Marcus stood.
"I'm calling a lawyer tonight.
Not tomorrow.
Tonight." He picked up his phone.
"And I'm calling the bank.
Those transfers — we document everything before Julian has a chance to move anything else."
Claire nodded.
She started to stand.
Her phone buzzed on the desk.
She glanced at the screen.
Unknown number.
May you like
A text message, four words.
*Drop it or else.*
