Chapter 4: The Message on the Nursery Wall
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
I stared at the photograph Michael had sent me.
Two empty white cribs stood beneath the pale yellow nursery walls. The curtains I'd chosen before Piper and Poppy were born hung neatly beside the window.
And between the cribs, written in thick black marker, were three words.
*THEY ARE MINE NOW.*
I enlarged the photograph.
The handwriting was uneven, almost childish, but the message was unmistakable.
Someone had been inside my house.
Someone had entered the room where my daughters slept.
"Emily?"" Daniel asked.
I turned the phone toward him.
His face changed.
"Where did you get that?""
"Michael just sent it.""
Daniel leaned closer.
"That's your nursery?""
"Yes.""
He stood immediately.
"We need to go.""
I grabbed the diaper bag.
"Why?""
"Because if someone has been inside your house, we need to get the girls somewhere safe.""
I looked at him.
"Who do you think wrote that?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Honestly? I don't know.""
I remembered the message he'd sent me earlier.
Your husband wasn't the only person who knew about the babies.
Then I remembered Michael's warning.
Do not trust Daniel.
I was beginning to understand that every person around me seemed to have a different version of the truth.
And somehow, my daughters were caught in the middle.
"Daniel," I said, "I need you to answer one question.""
He looked at me.
"Did you go into my house?""
His expression tightened.
"What?""
"Did you enter the nursery?""
"No.""
"Did you know someone was going to?""
"Emily, absolutely not.""
"Then why did Michael send me that photograph?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't know. But we need to get the girls away from here.""
I called the police.
While I waited, I contacted my neighbor, Mrs. Patterson, who had a spare key to our house for emergencies.
She answered on the second ring.
"Emily, sweetheart? Is everything all right?""
"No. I need to ask you something. Have you seen anyone at my house today?""
There was a pause.
"Actually, yes.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who?""
"A woman. Blonde, very nicely dressed. She arrived about twenty minutes ago.""
"Did she go inside?""
"She had a key.""
I gripped the phone.
"Did you recognize her?""
"No, but she looked familiar. I think I've seen her with Tyler before.""
Vanessa.
"Did she leave?""
"Not yet. I saw her car in the driveway when I came back from the grocery store.""
I looked at Daniel.
He had heard enough to understand.
"Mrs. Patterson, please don't approach her. Can you stay inside your house until the police arrive?""
"Of course, dear. What's happening?""
"I'll explain later.""
I ended the call.
Daniel picked up the diaper bag.
"Come on.""
We drove to my neighborhood with the police dispatcher still on the phone.
The familiar streets looked different that afternoon.
The little coffee shop where Tyler and I used to have breakfast.
The elementary school at the corner.
The row of houses with Christmas decorations already appearing in windows.
Everything looked exactly the same.
Except my life.
When we turned onto our street, I saw Vanessa's white SUV parked outside my house.
My stomach dropped.
"That's her car," I said.
Daniel slowed down.
"Stay inside the vehicle.""
Before I could answer, the front door opened.
Vanessa stepped onto the porch carrying a cardboard box.
She looked directly at our car.
Then she dropped the box.
"Emily!""
I locked the doors.
Daniel got out.
"What are you doing here?""
Vanessa ignored him.
She approached my side of the vehicle.
"Emily, open the door. We need to talk.""
I lowered the window only an inch.
"Get away from my car.""
She looked at the twins.
"Are they okay?""
"Don't pretend you care.""
Her expression hardened.
"I came to get my things.""
"Your things?""
"Tyler left some personal belongings here.""
I stared at her.
"You've never lived here.""
She folded her arms.
"Actually, I have.""
My mouth went dry.
"What?""
Vanessa smiled bitterly.
"Your husband invited me over. Several times.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Vanessa, stop talking.""
She turned toward him.
"Oh, now you want to protect her?""
"Go home.""
"You don't get to tell me what to do.""
I opened the car door.
"Did you write that message on my nursery wall?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"What message?""
I held up my phone.
Her eyes moved across the photograph.
For a fraction of a second, she looked genuinely surprised.
Then she laughed.
"That's not my handwriting.""
"Then whose is it?""
She looked toward the house.
"Ask Tyler.""
Before I could respond, a police cruiser turned into the driveway.
Two officers stepped out.
One approached Vanessa.
"Ma'am, we've received a report of unauthorized entry.""
Vanessa lifted her hands.
"I have a key.""
"Who gave you the key?""
"My boyfriend.""
I felt something twist inside my chest.
The officer looked at me.
"Is this your residence?""
"Yes.""
"Did you authorize her entry?""
"No.""
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Tyler said I could come here whenever I wanted.""
The officer turned toward her.
"Do you have anything in writing?""
She hesitated.
Then she reached into her purse and pulled out a small envelope.
"Actually, I do.""
She handed it over.
The officer examined the document.
His expression changed.
"Ma'am, where did you get this?""
"Tyler gave it to me.""
I stepped closer.
"What is it?""
The officer looked at me.
"It's an authorization to access the property.""
I stared at the signature.
My signature.
Again.
But this time, beneath it was a line that made my knees weaken.
*Emily Hayes — Property Owner Consent.*
I had never signed it.
The officer placed the document in a plastic evidence sleeve.
"Nobody enters the property until we establish the validity of this authorization.""
Vanessa looked furious.
"You're wasting everyone's time.""
Then she turned toward me.
"You really should ask your husband what he promised me.""
I stared at her.
"What did he promise?""
She picked up the cardboard box.
"That one day, this house would belong to us.""
The officer stepped between us.
"Ma'am, I need you to remain here.""
Vanessa suddenly started crying.
Not quiet tears.
She was shaking, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
"Do you have any idea what I've been through?""
I looked at her.
"You slept with my husband while I was pregnant.""
"I know.""
"You helped him forge my signature.""
Her face went still.
"I didn't forge anything.""
"Then why are you carrying a document with my name on it?""
She looked toward the police officer.
"I didn't know it was fake.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Vanessa, tell the truth.""
She looked at him.
"Don't you dare.""
"Tell her what Tyler said about the girls.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
I turned toward Daniel.
"What about the girls?""
He looked at Vanessa.
"Tell her.""
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, "Tyler said he wanted custody.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"Why?""
"He said you were unstable. He said you couldn't manage money. He said you were going to lose the house.""
I stared at her.
"He said that?""
Vanessa nodded.
"He said he needed the girls to stay with him because the company was going to pay for everything.""
I looked down at Piper and Poppy.
They were asleep.
Their little mouths slightly open.
Their hands curled beside their faces.
My husband had apparently been planning a life in which he could take my home, damage my finances, and use my daughters as bargaining chips.
The police officer approached.
"Ma'am, we'd like you to come inside with us while we document the scene.""
I nodded.
Daniel offered to carry the diaper bag.
I refused.
I wanted to keep my hands occupied.
Inside, the house smelled faintly of vanilla and fresh paint.
The nursery door stood open.
I stopped at the threshold.
The cribs were empty.
The dresser drawers had been pulled out.
My daughters' tiny clothes lay scattered across the carpet.
And on the wall between their beds, the message remained.
*THEY ARE MINE NOW.*
I approached it slowly.
Something else caught my attention.
There was a small piece of paper taped beneath the words.
I pulled it off.
It was a printed photograph of Tyler holding a baby.
The same baby from the cruise terminal.
But this time, someone had written a name underneath.
*NOAH HAYES.*
And beneath that:
*THE FIRSTBORN.*
I stared at the words.
Piper and Poppy were born first.
They were three months old.
Noah had been born eleven weeks earlier.
Why would someone call him the firstborn?
I turned the photograph over.
There was a handwritten date.
And a hospital name.
Mercy Bay Medical Center.
The same hospital Rebecca had mentioned.
I looked at the police officer.
"Can I ask you something?""
"Of course.""
"If someone has been using my identity to transfer property, what should I do?""
"Contact an attorney immediately. We'll document everything here.""
I nodded.
Then my phone rang.
Michael Bennett.
I answered.
"Why did you send me that photograph?""
"Because I wanted you to see what happened.""
"Who took it?""
A pause.
"Someone inside the house.""
"Who?""
"Emily, you need to leave that property. Right now.""
I glanced around the nursery.
"Why?""
"Because Tyler just filed an emergency motion.""
My heart stopped.
"What motion?""
"An application for temporary custody of Piper and Poppy.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"On what grounds?""
Michael's voice dropped.
"He claims you're financially unstable and that you've been concealing a dangerous financial situation from him.""
I looked at the scattered baby clothes.
At the fake signature.
At the message on the wall.
May you like
Then Michael said the words that made everything suddenly much worse.
"And he's attached evidence that appears to show you voluntarily surrendered the girls to another family.""
