Chapter 3 - The Cold Lies
Marcus reached out and touched the heavy iron bar.
The latch bar was swung shut over top lid.
It was locked into place with a metal pin.
A four-year-old girl could never reach that high bar.
She could never slide that heavy iron pin in.
Someone had closed the lid from the outside intentionally.
Someone had slid the metal pin into place deliberately.
Marcus pulled the metal pin out with his fingers.
Fresh finger grease marks were clearly visible on iron.
He turned around slowly, looking straight at Grandma Whitmore.
"You locked her inside this container," Marcus stated coldly.
"The latch was pinned shut from the outside."
Grandma's hands began shaking inside her blouse pockets.
She tried to keep her voice smooth and arrogant.
"That is complete nonsense," Grandma snapped back angrily.
"The wind must have blown the bar into place."
"There is no wind today," Marcus countered without emotion.
The air in the backyard was dead still today.
Birthday balloons hung motionless from the wooden porch railings.
Vanessa swallowed hard, her face losing all healthy color.
She looked at Grandma with panicked, wide eyes.
"Mother, we should go inside now," Vanessa whispered nervously.
"We have nothing more to say to these people."
"You are not going anywhere," Marcus said with authority.
He stood between them and the porch glass door.
In the far distance, faint police sirens began echoing.
The sound echoed loudly off the suburban housing streets.
Grandma's cold blue eyes flashed with sudden, intense fury.
"You called the police on your own mother?" Grandma shrieked.
"I gave you this house to live in, Marcus!"
"You owe everything you have to my generosity!"
Marcus looked at his mother with utter, cold disgust.
"You just tried to murder my four-year-old daughter," Marcus said.
"You are no longer my mother after this day."
I held Lily closer, feeling her faint heart beat.
Her pink pajamas felt warm against my sweaty chest.
I looked down at her sweet, innocent blonde face.
Dirt covered her forehead and tiny nose tips.
Tears of rage washed clean tracks through my grime.
I remembered how Grandma always treated Lily with coldness.
She never held Lily at family holiday dinners.
She always pushed Lily away when she wanted hugs.
I thought it was just cold aristocrat behavior before.
Now I realized the terrifying truth behind her hatred.
Grandma wanted Lily completely gone from this world.
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And Vanessa was her willing accomplice in this crime.
📖 Chapter 4 reveals the dark motivation behind Grandma's secret hatred for Lily. Keep reading before the mystery unfolds. 👇
