Chapter 1 - The Three Knocks Behind the Wall
Vanessa Carter had one hand clamped over Lily’s mouth when Daniel entered the storage room.
His six-year-old daughter was twisting desperately in Vanessa’s grip, one arm stretched toward the walnut wardrobe against the far wall.
“Dad... open that wall!”
Daniel stopped.
Vanessa tightened her hold.
“She’s having another one of her imagination spells.”
Lily kicked backward, trying to get free.
Daniel crossed the room in three strides.
“Let her go.”
Vanessa didn’t.
Daniel pulled Lily behind him.
Then he slapped Vanessa hard across the cheek.
“Don’t touch her.”
Vanessa staggered sideways.
Lily immediately pointed toward the wardrobe.
“Behind that wall!”
Daniel didn’t ask another question.
He planted both hands against the heavy wardrobe and drove it sideways until its wooden legs scraped violently across the floor.
Behind it was an oddly smooth section of plaster.
Vanessa went white.
Daniel saw it.
That expression mattered more than Lily’s fear.
He grabbed a framing hammer from the workbench.
“Daniel, stop.”
He swung.
The first blow cracked the plaster.
The second punched through.
The third sent a section collapsing inward.
A dark metal edge appeared behind it.
A door.
Daniel dropped the hammer and tore away the remaining loose plaster with both hands.
Vanessa backed toward the hallway.
“What is this?”
She said nothing.
Then came the sound.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Three heavy blows from the other side.
Lily grabbed Daniel’s shirt.
“I told her somebody was in there.”
Daniel slowly turned toward his wife.
Vanessa looked as though she might collapse.
He reached for the metal handle.
Vanessa whispered, “Please don’t.”
That was when Daniel knew two things.
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Someone was behind the door.
And Vanessa knew exactly who.
