Chapter 5 - The Daughter Who Had Watched Too Much
Police released Amber pending further investigation but ordered her not to contact Caleb or Lily without supervision.
Lily went home with her father, Mark Jensen, Amber’s ex-husband.
Sarah had barely spoken to Mark since the divorce. Amber described him as irresponsible, vindictive, and chronically behind on child support.
At the hospital, Mark surprised Sarah.
He arrived sober, organized, and furious.
“She’s been keeping Lily from me whenever I ask about her father,” he said.
“Walter?”
“No. Money.”
Mark explained that Amber had recently petitioned to increase child support. In the financial disclosure, she claimed she had reduced her work hours to care for Walter full time.
“She hasn’t reduced anything,” Mark said. “She quit her bookkeeping job six months ago.”
“Why?”
“She told the court your father-in-law needed round-the-clock help.”
Walter lived alone, drove himself to the grocery store, and played cards every Thursday.
Sarah looked toward Lily, who sat coloring beside a social worker.
“Did you know about the medicine?”
Mark lowered his voice.
“Lily mentioned Grandma Amber—sorry, Aunt Amber—putting things in Walter’s drinks. I thought she meant his normal medication.”
“She calls her own mother Mom,” Sarah said. “Why did you say Grandma?”
Mark blinked.
Then corrected himself.
“Sorry. Bad night.”
It was a tiny mistake.
Sarah almost ignored it.
Then Lily looked up.
“Dad calls Grandpa Walter ‘Grandpa’ sometimes because Mom says we’re all one family.”
Mark forced a smile.
Sarah let it go.
For now.
Later, Lily asked Sarah whether Caleb would hate her.
“Why would he?”
“Because I knew Mom brought Grandpa’s bottle.”
Sarah crouched beside her.
“You knew she had it?”
Lily nodded.
“She keeps some of his medicine in her purse. She says Grandpa forgets.”
“Did she tell you what she put in Caleb’s cup?”
“No. She said it would make him stop lying.”
Sarah felt sick.
Lily continued.
“Mom gets really scared when people say Grandpa remembers things.”
That was the first time anyone had described Amber as scared rather than controlling.
It changed the question.
If Amber had been stealing from Walter, why was she so frightened of what he remembered?
May you like
The answer seemed obvious.
Until Mark returned from the vending machine and Lily immediately stopped talking.
