Chapter 62: Cora - The Foster Child

Lori looks so distressed, as if the memory is still raw with her. I’m so angry at what my young daughter went through all those years ago. To think I argued with Dale, trying to keep Violet with us.

Violet flushes. ‘I’m sorry. I was only a kid myself,’ she says defensively. She draws in her breath, as if trying to compose herself. ‘I loved it so much with you and Uncle Dale’ – she’s turned her gaze to me now – ‘I wanted to stay with you all but I could tell Lori didn’t want me there and I guess I thought I was sticking up for myself.’ She bites her lip. ‘I really am sorry, Lori, three years was a lot of difference between us back then.’

‘And I’m sorry that you had to leave, Violet. But I was a scared little kid who just wanted her parents back,’ Lori says.

To think all this was going on and I had no idea. I close my eyes for a moment, my mind going back to the past. Lori so troubled and withdrawn, Violet’s little chin determinedly jutting out as the social worker takes her away.

Violet nods. ‘I understand. I do. And I know that I was horrible to you sometimes.’ Tears brim in her eyes. ‘But I swear that I didn’t write on the mirror. Honestly I didn’t.’

‘Neither did I,’ Lori says adamantly.

I look from one to the other of them. I’m positive they’re both telling the truth. But they can’t be. Someone wrote on that mirror and I know in my heart that it wasn’t Lori.

‘I can see that you don’t believe me.’ Violet picks up her bag. ‘I’m going.’

‘Wait, let me call you a taxi,’ I offer again. I look on the coffee table for my phone but it’s gone. ‘Where’s my phone?’ I look under the table, under the sofa, there’s no sign of it.

‘Maybe you left it in the kitchen,’ Lori says.

I’m pretty sure I haven’t but it’s the only explanation.

‘I’ll call myself a taxi.’ Violet opens her handbag and fishes inside. ‘It’s gone! My phone’s gone!’ she cries.

‘Are you sure you left it in your bag?’ I ask her.

‘Yes, positive.’ She empties the bag out onto the sofa and rifles through the items. ‘There’s no phone.’

This is too much of a coincidence. Both our phones have gone.

Now none of us can call for help.

And if the electric is down, so is the wi-fi so the security cameras won’t work, will they?

Fear wraps icy fingers around my heart and grips it tight. The writing on the mirror. The electric going. The missing phones. Someone must be in the house.

And what about Elliot? He’s been in the garage for ages. Has he been hurt?

The sound of breaking glass smashes through the silence. It’s coming from the kitchen.

Someone’s broken in.

And what’s happened to Elliot!

I take a deep breath, pushing through the terror that threatens to suffocate me, grab the candle and go to investigate.

‘Stay here,’ I order Lori and Violet.

But they follow me anyway.

The kitchen door is open, we all stand in the doorway for a moment taking in the scene, our breaths gasping out in shudders but we’re all too frightened to scream. The window is broken and rain is pouring through. A huge rock is lying in the middle of the kitchen floor.