Chapter 2 - “Don’t Leave Me Here With Her”Conrad reached the mansion in seventeen minutes.
He did not remember most of the drive.
Only red lights.
His hands on the steering wheel.
Wren’s wet face replaying in his mind.
When he pulled into the driveway, Marisol was waiting just inside the front entrance.
She opened the door before he reached it.
“Where is she?”
“Upstairs.”
“Maureen?”
“Wren’s room.”
Conrad started toward the staircase.
Marisol caught his arm.
“Sir.”
He turned.
“You need to know what Maureen told her.”
“What?”
“She thinks she’s in trouble.”
“For what?”
“Everything.”
Conrad stared.
Marisol’s eyes filled.
“She thinks you’ll be angry if she tells you.”
His expression changed.
“Why?”
“Because Maureen has been telling her that.”
Conrad climbed the stairs.
Fast.
Then slower.
He did not want to enter Wren’s room looking like an angry man.
That would only prove whatever Maureen had taught her to fear.
He reached the door.
It was closed.
From inside, Maureen’s voice:
“You have nothing to cry about.”
Conrad opened the door.
Maureen turned.
For one extraordinary second, her face showed annoyance.
Then surprise.
Then warmth.
“Conrad!”
He did not answer.
Wren sat on the edge of her bed wrapped in a towel.
Her hair was still damp.
She looked at him.
Her face changed instantly.
Fear.
Not relief.
Fear.
Conrad felt something break inside him.
“Daddy?”
He crouched.
“Hey.”
Wren didn’t move.
Maureen stepped forward.
“She had a difficult afternoon.”
Conrad looked at her.
“Leave.”
Maureen blinked.
“What?”
“Leave the room.”
“Conrad, she needs structure right now.”
“I said leave.”
“I’ve been caring for her all day.”
Marisol appeared behind him.
Maureen saw her.
Then saw the phone in Marisol’s hand.
Her face went pale.
“You.”
Marisol did not respond.
Maureen looked back at Conrad.
“What did she tell you?”
“Leave.”
Maureen’s mouth tightened.
“She’s been trying to turn you against me for weeks.”
Conrad stepped between Maureen and Wren.
“Out.”
This time something in his voice worked.
Maureen walked to the doorway.
Before leaving, she looked at Wren.
Only one glance.
But Wren recoiled.
Conrad saw it.
“Don’t look at her.”
Maureen stopped.
“What?”
“Don’t look at my daughter.”
Her expression hardened.
“I have raised that child more than you have.”
The sentence landed brutally.
Conrad did not deny it.
Not yet.
“Go downstairs.”
Maureen left.
Marisol followed but remained in the hallway.
Conrad closed the door.
Then he returned to Wren.
She was watching him carefully.
He sat on the floor instead of beside her.
Lower.
Less threatening.
“Did Maureen tell you I would be angry?”
Wren stared at her hands.
“Wren?”
“She said you were busy.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
The child’s lip trembled.
Conrad softened his voice.
“Did she tell you I’d be angry if you told me something?”
A tiny nod.
He felt nauseated.
“What did she say?”
Wren looked toward the door.
“She hears.”
“Not now.”
“She always hears.”
Conrad frowned.
“How?”
Wren pointed toward the white noise machine beside her bed.
He crossed the room and unplugged it.
“Does that have a camera?”
“No.”
“Microphone?”
Wren nodded.
Conrad turned the device over.
A baby-monitor system.
He remembered buying it when Wren was five.
They had barely used it.
“Maureen listens?”
“When you’re gone.”
Conrad put it inside a drawer.
“Not anymore.”
Wren watched as if he had performed something dangerous.
“Are you mad?”
“At you?”
She nodded.
“No.”
“Even if I was bad?”
“You don’t have to earn me listening to you.”
She looked confused.
Conrad’s throat tightened.
“Tell me what happened today.”
Wren began shaking again.
“I didn’t mean to spill it.”
“Spill what?”
“Soap.”
“That’s why she took you into the bathroom?”
“She said I waste things.”
Conrad swallowed.
“What did she do?”
Wren could not say it.
Her eyes filled.
Conrad did not force her.
“You don’t have to tell me right now.”
She suddenly reached for him.
Conrad moved closer.
Wren threw both arms around his neck.
Then whispered into his shoulder:
“Don’t leave me here with her.”
Conrad closed his eyes.
“I won’t.”
“You always leave.”
The words hurt.
“I know.”
“She said you like work more.”
“No.”
“She said you only come home because people expect you to.”
“No.”
“She said Mommy would be disappointed in me.”
Conrad went still.
Wren’s mother, Allison, had died two years earlier after a long battle with cancer.
Maureen had helped care for Wren during Allison’s illness.
Conrad had trusted her because Allison had trusted her.
Or so he believed.
“What else did she say about Mommy?”
Wren shook her head.
“Later.”
“All right.”
Conrad held her.
After several minutes, Marisol knocked softly.
“Sir?”
“Yes?”
“Police are here.”
Maureen shouted from downstairs.
“This is insane!”
Wren’s body stiffened immediately.
Conrad felt it.
He looked toward the door.
Then at his daughter.
“You stay here with Marisol.”
Wren grabbed his sleeve.
“Don’t let her tell them I lie.”
Conrad stared.
“Why would she say that?”
“Because she already did.”
“When?”
Wren’s voice dropped.
“With the doctor.”
“What doctor?”
“The lady on the computer.”
Conrad felt cold.
“What did Maureen tell her?”
Wren looked at him.
“That I’m scared of you.”
The room went completely still.
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Then Wren added:
“She made me say it too.”
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