Chapter 2: The Man in the Ballroom
For three seconds, Emily couldn't move.
The little girl's accusation hung between them like smoke.
The man who is here right now.
Lily's finger remained pointed toward the ballroom, trembling so badly that Emily gently lowered it.
“Don't point,” Emily whispered.
Lily grabbed her hand.
“Why?””
“Because he'll know.””
Emily looked toward the open ballroom doors.
Dozens of guests stood beneath the golden chandeliers, laughing over expensive wine and champagne. A pianist played near the far windows while waiters circulated through the crowd.
No one looked suspicious.
No one looked afraid.
They all looked exactly like people attending a charity gala at one of the city's most exclusive mansions.
Emily scanned the room.
A gray-haired judge.
Two television personalities.
A real-estate developer.
A senator's wife.
A famous plastic surgeon.
Business executives.
Socialites.
Actors.
A man in a navy tuxedo standing beside the fireplace.
Another man near the staircase.
Someone at the bar.
Someone near the windows.
Her eyes moved from face to face.
“Which man?”” she whispered.
Lily shook her head.
“I don't know his name.””
“What does he look like?””
The girl's breathing became shallow.
“He smiles.””
Emily frowned.
“A lot of people smile.””
“Not like him.””
Vanessa suddenly grabbed Emily's wrist.
“Inside.””
Emily pulled away.
“Don't touch me.””
Vanessa's voice remained low.
“Get the child back inside the room.””
“No.””
“Emily.””
“I'm not putting her back in there.””
Vanessa looked toward the ballroom.
Something in her expression changed.
“Then we're all going to die.””
Emily stared at her.
Lily began crying again.
“No,” the girl whispered.
Vanessa crouched in front of her.
“Lily.””
The child recoiled as if Vanessa had tried to strike her.
Vanessa's eyes closed for a moment.
When she opened them, there was something almost human in her expression.
“I'm sorry.””
Lily didn't answer.
“I never wanted you in that room.””
“You put me there.””
“No.””
“Yes, you did.””
“I locked the room.””
“But he put me in it.””
Vanessa looked away.
Emily caught the contradiction immediately.
“Wait.””
Vanessa stood.
“You said you didn't put her there.””
“I didn't.””
“But you knew about the room.””
“Yes.””
“You knew she was trapped.””
“Yes.””
“You knew someone had hidden her.””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Emily stepped closer.
“Then why didn't you call the police?””
Vanessa stared at her.
“Because the police aren't safe.””
Emily almost laughed.
“That is the excuse every guilty person in a movie gives.””
Vanessa's eyes sharpened.
“This isn't a movie.””
“No. It's worse.””
From the ballroom came a burst of applause.
Someone had apparently finished a speech.
Vanessa looked through the doorway.
Emily followed her gaze.
The crowd was facing a tall man standing beside the grand piano.
He was perhaps in his late forties.
Silver at the temples.
Perfectly tailored black tuxedo.
A champagne glass in one hand.
He was laughing as people congratulated him.
He looked harmless.
Comfortable.
Powerful.
Vanessa stopped breathing.
Emily noticed.
“That him?””
Vanessa didn't respond.
“Vanessa.””
Still nothing.
Lily began squeezing Emily's hand.
Then she whispered:
“That's him.””
Emily looked at the man.
“Are you sure?””
Lily nodded.
“He was there when they took Mommy.””
Emily felt a chill.
“Your mother?””
Lily nodded again.
“What happened to her?””
The child's eyes filled with tears.
“She told me to hide.””
“From him?””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
“He found me.””
Emily glanced at Vanessa.
The mansion owner was staring at the man.
And the man was staring directly back.
Their eyes met across the crowded ballroom.
For a brief moment, neither moved.
Then the man smiled.
Not warmly.
Not kindly.
It was a tiny, controlled smile that disappeared almost as soon as it appeared.
Vanessa turned away.
Emily felt her pulse racing.
“Who is he?””
Vanessa's answer came softly.
“Daniel Cross.””
The name meant nothing to Emily.
But the way Vanessa said it made it sound like a warning.
“Who is Daniel Cross?””
“Someone you never want to meet.””
“Apparently I already met him.””
Vanessa ignored the remark.
“We need to move.””
“Where?””
“Kitchen.””
“Why?””
“Because nobody watches the kitchen.””
Emily stared at her.
“That's not true.””
“Tonight it is.””
Vanessa took Lily's hand.
The child immediately pulled away and hid behind Emily.
Vanessa let go.
“Fine.””
She looked at Emily.
“You want to save her?””
“Yes.””
“Then follow me.””
They moved quickly.
Emily kept Lily close to her side as they slipped through a service corridor.
The music became muffled behind the walls.
The luxurious atmosphere disappeared.
Here, everything was stainless steel, fluorescent lights, swinging doors and hurried kitchen staff.
Cooks shouted orders.
Plates clattered.
Steam filled the air.
Nobody paid attention to Vanessa.
That seemed strange.
Even more strange was the fact that Vanessa didn't seem to mind being ignored.
She walked straight into the kitchen and through a narrow door at the back.
Emily followed.
Inside was a tiny storage room.
Vanessa shut the door.
“Stay here.””
Emily shook her head.
“I'm not leaving her.””
“I didn't ask you to.””
Vanessa pulled a key from her pocket and opened another door hidden behind shelves of wine crates.
A staircase descended into darkness.
Emily stared.
“You have got to be kidding me.””
Vanessa looked over her shoulder.
“Come.””
Lily refused to move.
Emily crouched.
“Lily, we're going somewhere safe.””
The girl looked toward the kitchen door.
“He'll come.””
“Not if we're quick.””
Lily took Emily's hand.
Together they descended.
The staircase led underground.
The air grew colder.
There were no windows.
No cameras.
No sound from the party above.
At the bottom was a concrete corridor.
Emily turned toward Vanessa.
“What is this?””
“A shelter.””
“For what?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
She opened a steel door.
Inside was a small room with a couch, bottled water, blankets and emergency supplies.
Emily stared at it.
“You built this for her?””
“For anyone.””
“That's not an answer.””
Vanessa closed the door behind them.
“It was built years ago.””
“Why?””
Vanessa looked at Lily.
“Because I knew one day someone would come for her.””
Emily felt another chill.
“You've known about Lily?””
“No.””
“Then how did you know?””
Vanessa sat down.
For the first time that night, she looked exhausted.
“Because Lily isn't the first.””
Silence.
Emily slowly lowered herself into a chair.
“Who were the others?””
Vanessa stared at the floor.
“Girls.””
“How many?””
“Four.””
Emily's stomach turned.
“Where are they?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
“Where are they?””
“Dead.””
Lily covered her ears.
Emily looked at Vanessa in disbelief.
“You expect me to believe this?””
“I don't care what you believe.””
“Four girls died?””
“Yes.””
“And Daniel Cross was involved?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Then call the police.””
“I told you.””
“You said they weren't safe.””
“They aren't.””
“Then call the FBI.””
Vanessa almost smiled.
“You think powerful men become less powerful because you call another powerful man?””
Emily didn't respond.
Vanessa leaned forward.
“Daniel Cross owns three media companies, controls investment funds, has friends in Washington and has spent twenty years building a reputation no accusation can touch.””
“Then expose him.””
“With what?””
“Lily.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“She is eight years old.””
“She saw him.””
“She saw him hurt someone.””
“That's enough.””
“No.””
Vanessa's voice was firm.
“It's not.””
She pointed toward Lily.
“Look at her.””
Emily did.
The child sat curled beneath a blanket.
She looked exhausted.
“What happens when we take her to the police?”” Vanessa asked.
Emily's confidence weakened.
“They ask questions.””
“She panics.””
“They protect her.””
“Maybe.””
Vanessa paused.
“Or maybe Daniel hears about it before sunrise.””
The room became silent.
Emily looked down.
Then she noticed something.
A small black camera mounted in the upper corner.
She stood.
“Is that recording us?””
Vanessa looked up.
“No.””
“You hesitated.””
“I was thinking.””
“That means yes.””
Vanessa stood.
“Emily.””
Emily approached the camera.
“Who's watching?””
“No one.””
“Then destroy it.””
Vanessa didn't move.
“Destroy it,” Emily repeated.
Vanessa walked toward the wall.
Before she could reach it, a red light appeared on the camera.
Emily froze.
“It's on.””
Vanessa stared at it.
A speaker crackled.
Then a man's voice filled the room.
“Good evening, Vanessa.””
Lily screamed.
Emily stepped in front of her.
The voice continued.
“You should really stop frightening the staff.””
Vanessa's face went white.
“Daniel.””
“It's been a long time.””
“How did you get into my security system?””
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
“You still ask the wrong questions.””
Emily looked around.
“Where is he?””
Vanessa whispered:
“Everywhere.””
The speaker crackled again.
“Hello, Emily.””
Emily's heart stopped.
“You know her?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Daniel continued.
“She looks much prettier when she's frightened.””
Emily backed away from the camera.
“You stay away from us.””
“From you?””
He laughed.
“My dear, I'm already in the building.””
A loud metallic sound echoed somewhere above them.
Then another.
The underground door vibrated.
Lily began sobbing.
Emily rushed toward the door.
Vanessa grabbed her.
“Don't.””
Someone was walking through the corridor.
Slow footsteps.
Measured.
One.
Two.
Three.
They stopped outside the steel door.
Emily held her breath.
A shadow appeared beneath it.
Daniel's voice came through the speaker.
“You see, Vanessa, the problem with hiding things…”
He paused.
“…is that eventually someone has to open the door.””
The handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
Locked.
Vanessa whispered:
“He shouldn't be able to open that.””
Emily looked at her.
“But he is.””
The handle slowly turned again.
Then stopped.
A piece of paper slid underneath the door.
Emily stared at it.
Vanessa wouldn't move.
Emily bent down and picked it up.
It was a photograph.
Three girls stood in front of a swimming pool.
All of them were smiling.
On the back, written in black ink, were four words:
YOU FOUND THE WRONG GIRL.
Emily turned the photograph over again.
One of the girls looked exactly like Lily.
Except older.
Much older.
Emily's hands began shaking.
“Vanessa…”
Vanessa looked at the photo.
Her expression collapsed.
“What?””
Emily pointed.
“Who is this woman?””
Vanessa took the photograph.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak.
Then she whispered:
“My sister.””
The footsteps outside the door began again.
This time they moved away.
Slowly.
Calmly.
As though whoever stood outside knew there was no need to hurry.
Emily looked at Vanessa.
“Your sister?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She disappeared fifteen years ago.””
“And that girl?””
Vanessa stared at the photograph.
“My sister's daughter.””
Emily looked at Lily.
The child lifted her face from the blanket.
She had heard everything.
“My aunt said my mother died.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She lied.””
“Why?””
Vanessa looked toward the locked door.
“Because if Daniel knew your mother was alive…”
She stopped.
Emily waited.
“Then he would know exactly where to find her.””
Lily's face changed.
“My mommy is alive?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
The little girl jumped to her feet.
“Where is she?””
Vanessa stared at her.
Then somewhere above them, the mansion's fire alarm suddenly erupted.
Sirens screamed.
Red emergency lights flickered along the underground corridor.
Emily grabbed Lily.
“What is happening?””
Vanessa looked toward the ceiling.
Daniel's voice came through the speaker one final time.
“Enjoy the evacuation.””
Then the system went dead.
Emily heard footsteps running overhead.
People shouting.
Doors opening.
Glass breaking.
And somewhere in the mansion above them, a single explosion shook the floor.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Lily screamed.
Vanessa looked at Emily.
For the first time, there was no arrogance in her face.
Only terror.
“He isn't trying to get Lily.””
Emily stared at her.
“Then what does he want?””
Vanessa looked at the photograph in her hand.
May you like
“He wants her mother.””
And from somewhere inside the burning mansion came a woman's scream.
