Chapter 17: What Lily Knew

I pulled Lily inside and shut the door against the cold.

Her hands were red, and her sneakers were soaked through.

"You walked all the way from the motel?" Ben asked.

"It's on the highway. Past the gas station."

"That's two miles."

"I know the way. Maddie told me where you live."

I crouched down as far as the baby allowed.

"Does your mom know you're here?"

Lily shook her head.

"She went out. She said she had to see a man about money."

"And you were to stay in the room?"

"I was not supposed to open the door."

"What time was that?"

"Four. Before it got dark."

Ben already had his phone out.

He gave the motel's name to someone.

I heard him say "welfare check," and then "the child is safe with me."

I took Lily into the kitchen, and put her in the chair Derek had left warm.

I peeled off the wet sneakers and gave her a pair of Maddie's socks.

I put a mug of cocoa in her hands.

She did not drink it.

She held the shoebox on her knees with both arms around it.

"Mrs. Marsden," she said. "I'm sorry I said that at the party."

"Said what?"

"That Derek was my dad. Mom told me to."

She wiped her nose on her wrist.

"She said if I said it right, we'd get a house with a yellow room."

"Lily, you're not in trouble."

"Mom said I would be."

"You're not," I said. "I promise you. Not with me."

Her chin shook, and she tucked her hair behind her left ear.

"I found these in her closet when we packed for the motel," she said.

"She always told me my dad didn't want me."

She pushed the lid off the shoebox.

It was full of envelopes.

There were eight birthday cards on the top, each with a bright cartoon on the front.

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