The Locket in Her Hand

Mark stared down at the tarnished silver pendant resting against his bruised palm. His breathing stopped.

On the back of the oval locket, scratched into the metal, were the initials: *M.E. to C.R.*

Mark: Where did you get this?

The little girl blinked through heavy, exhausted eyelids, leaning her forehead against his chest.

Unknown Child: Mommy gave it to me before she had to go to the hospital. She told me if bad men came, I had to find the big brick house with the iron gates.

Mark: What is your mother's name?

Unknown Child: Claire. Claire Reynolds.

The name hit Mark like a sledgehammer. Victoria stopped dead in her tracks in the center of the hallway, a thick cashmere throw blanket held frozen in her hands.

Victoria: What did she just say?

Mark: Claire... Claire passed away three years ago in a car crash. Victoria, you handled the paperwork from her estate.

Victoria: That's right! Her sister confirmed Claire died in Pennsylvania. There was no child mentioned in any probate records!

Unknown Child: Aunt Evelyn locked me in the dark cellar after Mommy went away. She told me Mommy died because I was bad.

Mark: Evelyn? Evelyn Vance?

Victoria: Mark, this is absurd! Claire Reynolds was your former assistant before we married. Why would her crazy sister send a child here?

Mark: Claire wasn't just my assistant, Victoria. And you know that.

Victoria: Don't you dare bring that up in front of Emily!

Emily walked back slowly, clutching a glass of water, her eyes shifting nervously between her parents.

Emily: Daddy, why is Mommy yelling?

Mark: Everything is fine, Emily. Go to the kitchen and ask Mrs. Higgins to warm up some chicken soup, okay?

Emily: Okay. Don't let her go back in the wall, Daddy.

Mark: Never. I promise you.

Emily hurried toward the back stairs. Mark turned back to the trembling girl, gently wiping drywall dust from her forehead.

Mark: What is your name, sweet girl?

Unknown Child: Lily. My name is Lily.

Mark: How did you get inside this house, Lily?

Lily: A lady in a car took me away from Aunt Evelyn’s house yesterday. She brought me through the basement door while the gardeners were cutting the grass. She told me to crawl through the pipes and stay quiet until the party started.

Mark: What lady?

Lily pointed a dirty, trembling index finger straight past Mark's shoulder.

Her finger pointed directly at Victoria.

Victoria: That is an outrageous lie! I have never seen this child in my life!

Mark: Victoria... your hands are shaking.

Victoria: Because I am furious! You are taking the word of a homeless trespasser over your own wife!

Lily: You gave me the cracker box in the cellar, lady. You said if I didn't hide until the lawyers arrived, you'd send me back to the orphanage.

Mark slowly rose to his feet, holding Lily firmly against his chest. His eyes locked onto Victoria with a look she had never seen before.

Mark: What lawyers, Victoria? What were you hiding from me?