My mother-in-law glared daggers at me. "No wonder Maya's always sick. I've never seen such an irresponsible mother."
The whole family dragged me along as they searched the neighborhood.
Familiar streets. Familiar alleys. Asking everyone they passed.
The anxiety plastered across their faces—
it was all rehearsal. A performance designed to wash away suspicion once they found my daughter's body.
"Austin, this is taking too long. Let's call the police."
He snatched the phone from my hand. "Are you insane? She's just being mischievous. Don't waste the cops' time."
"Then what? We've searched everywhere. Maya's smartwatch tracker isn't working."
Tears welled in my eyes as I pressed him, voice cracking with worry.
"Keep searching. The neighborhood's only so big—where could she possibly hide?"
My mother-in-law slapped her forehead like something just occurred to her. "The only place we haven't checked is that old cellar at the edge of the neighborhood. That little brat wouldn't have crawled in there, would she?"
The group jogged toward the cellar.
The moment the wooden cover lifted, a phone flashlight cut through the pitch-black darkness.
My daughter's cartoon down jacket.
"Maya—is that Maya?"
A tiny body lay beneath the jacket. My heart seized.
No. It couldn't be.
This wasn't my daughter.
Austin strode forward and picked up the smartwatch—crushed, like someone had stomped on it.
He arranged his face into grief.
"It's Maya. How did she end up in here?"
Even knowing that wasn't my daughter under those clothes, tears still streamed down my face.
"Zoey, this was an accident. She must have been hiding so we couldn't find her and got stuck."
Austin held me as I crumpled, playing the devastated wife.
I lifted my gaze to meet his. "How do you know that's our daughter?"
He froze. "That jacket—I dressed her in it myself this morning. And I bought her that smartwatch."
"If it's not her, who else could it be?"
Good question. I was wondering the same thing.
Ten kids went out to play. Nine came home.
My daughter was rescued.
So whose child was this?
"Call the police. We have to call the police. I want justice for this child."
I screamed until my voice broke. Austin and Jessica pinned my arms down, stopping me from dialing.
"Zoey, it's New Year's—do you have to make trouble?"
"Maya was too playful and hid in the wrong place. You can't blame anyone."
Those familiar words sent ice flooding through my veins.