“Stay here,” I whispered.
I walked to the front room and peeked through the narrow gap beside my blinds.
The man I had seen in the driveway stood on his porch.
He looked different now, and his expression was angry.
He came down the steps quickly, turned his head from side to side, and started checking the yard.
Then, he walked toward the curb and my trash can.
I backed away from the window.
A minute later, someone pounded on my front door three times.
Lily whimpered from the kitchen.
I forced myself to breathe and opened the door only a few inches, keeping the chain latched.
The man stared at me.
“Morning,” he said.
“Morning.”
He looked past me.
“Have you seen two little girls?”
My heart pounded.
I gave him my most confused expression.
“Little girls?”
“Twins. Three years old.”
So, he knew exactly who they were.
“No,” I said. “I haven’t.”
His jaw tightened.
“They wandered out of the house.”
“That’s scary.”
“It is.”
He didn’t move.
Neither did I.
Then he smiled, but the expression never reached his eyes.
“If you see them, let me know first. Don’t call anyone else. They have… behavioral problems.”
I kept my face neutral.
“Of course.”
He gave me a long look before turning away.
I shut the door and locked it again.
When I returned to the kitchen, Lily and Lucy were still under the table.
“You did good,” Lily whispered.
I crouched beside them.
“Sweetheart, I need you to tell me who that man is.”
Lucy pressed her face against her sister’s shoulder.
“Grant.”
“Grant who?”
She only shook her head.
“Is Grant your dad?”
“No.”
“Your uncle?”
“No.”
“Does your mommy know you’re here?”
At that, Lily’s face crumpled.
“Mommy can’t come.”
I felt cold all over.
“Why can’t she come?”
The twins looked at each other.
Then, Lucy whispered the most chilling statement I’ve ever heard.
“Because Grant locked her downstairs.”
For several seconds, I could only stare at Lucy.
“Grant locked your mommy downstairs?” I repeated.
Lily nodded.
“She told us to be quiet.”
Every instinct in me said to call the police immediately, but I remembered Lily’s panic when I had touched my phone.
I reached beneath the table and held out my hand.
“Listen to me. Police do not take good girls away for asking for help. Grant lied to you.”
Lily studied my face.
