“Rachel, they’re at the house.”
The words from the 911 operator were barely louder than a breath, but they changed everything.
Daniel’s shadow vanished from beneath the bathroom door.
For several seconds, I heard nothing.
Then the woman whispered, “Who is that?”
Daniel didn’t answer.
Another knock struck the front door.
Harder this time.
“Police.”
Noah’s fingers locked around mine.
I wanted to tell him we were safe, but I couldn’t make myself say it yet.
The bathroom door was still between us and Daniel, but I had just heard him try to force it open.
I had heard the woman say that he told her we would not wake up.
And somewhere in the house was the dinner he had served us before calmly saying goodnight.
Except one plate wasn’t in the kitchen anymore.
It was beside me.
I had grabbed it before Noah and I locked ourselves in the bathroom, more from instinct than planning.
The grocery bag was twisted around the ceramic plate, but the smell of herbs and that strange bitterness still seemed to fill the tiny room.
The police knocked again.
Daniel finally moved.
Not toward the front door.
Toward the kitchen.
I heard a drawer open, then another.
The woman’s heels followed him.
“Daniel, we need to leave.”
“Stop talking.”
“There are police outside.”
“I know.”
His voice had changed.
Gone was the man who had stood over our bodies believing he had won.
Gone was the cold certainty with which he had whispered into his phone.
Now he sounded rushed.
Cornered.
The operator stayed with me.
“Do you still have the plate?”
“Yes.”
“Keep it with you.
Do not touch the food.”
A crash sounded from the kitchen.
The woman cried out.
“What are you doing?”
“Cleaning this up.”
“You said it was done.”
“It would have been if you hadn’t kept asking questions.”
Even through the bathroom door, every word reached my phone.
Every word reached 911.
The front door suddenly rattled.
“Police.
Open the door.”
Daniel muttered something I couldn’t understand.
Then came the unmistakable scrape of the suitcase being dragged again.
The woman spoke quickly now.
“I’m leaving.”
“No, you’re not.”
There was a sharp silence after that.
I looked at Noah.
