Chapter 3: What Our Mother Left Behind
The police arrived at 12:19 a.m.
Two officers entered through the front doors while a third went directly toward the kitchen.
Curtis immediately changed his expression.
His shoulders relaxed. His voice softened.
"Officers, thank goodness. These people attacked me.""
Ray stood beside the counter.
"That's interesting. We found two children working here at night, and one was locked in a storage room.""
Curtis shook his head.
"My stepson has behavioral problems. His sister gets anxious. I was keeping her somewhere safe.""
Officer Miller looked toward Lily.
"Is that true, sweetheart?""
Lily shook her head.
The officer crouched.
"Can you tell me your name?""
"Lily.""
"How old are you?""
"Eight.""
"Are you hurt?""
Lily looked at me before answering.
"My stomach hurts.""
Officer Miller's expression changed.
"All right. We're going to have a medical team check you, okay?""
A few minutes later, two paramedics arrived.
One examined Lily while the other spoke with me.
They asked when I had last eaten, whether I had been sleeping properly, and how long I had been working.
I tried to answer everything.
But my eyes kept moving toward Curtis.
He was talking to another officer.
And he was smiling.
That frightened me more than when he shouted.
Because Curtis always smiled when he thought he was winning.
Ray noticed me watching him.
"Stay with your sister," he said.
"Let the officers do their job.""
I nodded.
The paramedic offered me a sandwich.
I held it with both hands.
For a moment, I couldn't eat.
It had been so long since someone had handed me food without expecting something in return.
"Go ahead," the paramedic said gently.
"It's yours.""
I took a bite.
The bread was soft. The cheese was warm.
I started crying.
Lily leaned against my shoulder.
"See? We got food.""
I tried to smile.
"Yeah, we did.""
Across the diner, Officer Miller approached Curtis.
"Mr. Curtis, I need to see your identification and any custody paperwork you have.""
"Of course.""
He reached into his jacket.
Then he looked at me.
"Noah, tell them you live with me.""
I lowered my sandwich.
Officer Miller followed his gaze.
"He's asking you a question, Noah. You don't have to answer anything you're uncomfortable with.""
Curtis gave a little laugh.
"He's confused. His mother died, and I've been the only parent he's known.""
I stared at him.
"You told people I lived with Aunt Sarah.""
Curtis's smile disappeared.
Officer Miller looked up.
"Who is Aunt Sarah?""
"My mother's sister.""
"Do you know where she lives?""
I nodded.
"Ohio.""
Curtis stepped forward.
"That's enough.""
The officer held up a hand.
"Stay where you are, sir.""
Then he asked me something that made my throat tighten.
"Would you like us to contact her?""
I nodded quickly.
"Please.""
Officer Miller wrote down the name and number I remembered.
Meanwhile, Ray had stepped outside to speak with another officer.
I could see him through the window, standing beside his motorcycle with his phone pressed against his ear.
He looked serious.
When he came back, he crouched in front of me.
"Noah, I want to ask you something about the key.""
I looked at my shoes.
Lily nodded.
"Show him.""
I took off my right sneaker.
The sole was worn almost completely flat. My socks were damp from the kitchen floor.
I turned the shoe over.
There was a small opening beneath the insole.
I had never noticed it before.
Lily pointed.
"Mommy put it there.""
I pulled out the thin piece of fabric tucked inside.
Wrapped in it was a tiny brass key.
Ray held out his hand, but I closed my fingers around it.
"Do you know what it opens?"" he asked.
I shook my head.
"Mommy told me not to give it to Curtis.""
"Then you don't have to give it to anybody until the officers help figure this out.""
Officer Miller came closer.
He examined the key without taking it from me.
"Do you remember anything else your mother said?""
I closed my eyes.
The memory came back in pieces.
A hospital room.
White curtains.
The smell of flowers.
My mother's hand resting on my cheek.
She had looked much thinner than I remembered.
Her voice was weak, but she had spoken clearly.
"Noah, sweetheart, there's something I need you to protect.""
I had been crying.
"Mommy, don't talk like that.""
She had brushed my hair away from my forehead.
"Listen to me. You and Lily are going to be okay. But if Curtis asks you for the key, you must never give it to him.""
"Why?""
"Because what's in that box belongs to you and your sister.""
I remembered her reaching for my shoe.
She had carefully lifted the insole and tucked the key inside.
"Keep it somewhere nobody would think to look.""
Then she had kissed my forehead.
"Promise me.""
I had promised.
And two days later, she was gone.
I opened my eyes.
"She said the box belonged to us.""
Ray nodded.
"Okay.""
"But Curtis said it was his.""
Officer Miller looked up.
"He said that?""
I nodded.
"He told me Mom owed him money. He said everything she left belonged to him.""
Curtis suddenly shouted from across the diner.
"Because it does!""
The officer turned.
"Mr. Curtis, lower your voice.""
"You don't understand! That woman stole from me!""
Ray stood.
"What did she steal?""
Curtis stopped.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then he muttered, "Nothing.""
Ray looked at Officer Miller.
"That sounds like something worth investigating.""
The officer asked another deputy to accompany Curtis outside.
As they walked him toward the entrance, Curtis turned back.
His eyes found mine.
"You think you're safe now?""
I couldn't move.
"That key won't save you, Noah.""
The deputy pushed him through the door.
The paramedics prepared to take Lily to the hospital for evaluation. Denise brought us two more sandwiches and a bottle of water.
Ray stood beside us.
"Do you have somewhere to go tonight?""
I shook my head.
He looked at Officer Miller.
The officer explained that child protective services would arrange a safe placement while they contacted our relatives and investigated the situation.
Ray nodded.
"Good. Nobody's taking these kids back to that storage room.""
I looked down at the brass key.
"Can I ask you something?""
"Anything.""
"Will you help me find the box?""
Ray studied me for a moment.
"Yes, son. But we're going to do this the right way.""
I nodded.
Then I remembered something.
"There's a place Curtis never searched.""
Ray leaned closer.
"Where?""
"Mom's old apartment.""
Officer Miller heard me.
"Do you know the address?""
I did.
It was a small apartment above a laundromat, about twenty minutes from the truck stop.
Curtis had told us the landlord sold everything after Mom died.
But Lily had once told me she saw Curtis hiding something in his truck.
A photograph.
A photograph of Mom standing outside that apartment.
And on the back, she had written four words:
The truth stays upstairs.
I told Ray.
His expression changed.
"Does Curtis still have that photograph?""
I nodded.
"I saw it last week.""
Ray looked toward the entrance.
Outside, a police vehicle was preparing to leave.
Then Officer Miller received a call.
He listened without speaking, his eyes slowly moving toward us.
When he hung up, he walked over.
"Noah, there's something you need to know.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"We checked the address you gave us. Your mother's apartment wasn't sold.""
I frowned.
"Then where is it?""
Officer Miller hesitated.
"According to the property records, someone has been paying the rent for two years.""
"Who?""
He looked at the paperwork in his hand.
Then he said the name.
"Your stepfather, Curtis.""
Lily grabbed my hand.
Ray's face hardened.
And I suddenly understood.
Curtis hadn't been searching for the box because he wanted to know what our mother left us.
May you like
He was terrified of what we might discover inside it.
*And whatever was hidden in that apartment, he had been paying to keep it there.*
