Chapter 4

The walkie-talkie at my waist crackled, and Desiree's voice came through.

"Where is she?"

Then a crash, the medicine cabinet being kicked open, ripped through the speaker.

The manager scrambled to answer.

"The maintenance corridor's empty. She must have made it down to the underground storeroom. But that place has been sealed off for ages, packed floor to ceiling with old props. Even the fire inspectors wouldn't set foot in there."

"I've never even been down there. Whatever you do, don't go in!"

His voice was tight.

Desiree let out a cold laugh.

"That's perfect, then."

The footsteps came fast.

I held my breath and braced my body against the iron door.

The handle turned suddenly from the outside.

I gripped it with everything I had and didn't dare make a sound.

A moment later, I heard the lock slide home.

"Lisa, I know you're in there."

Her voice carried through the iron, cold enough to make my skin crawl.

"Why do you insist on staying alive and getting in my way?"

"The cops are already coming."

I clenched my teeth.

"Desiree, you won't get away with this."

For a beat, everything went quiet outside.

Then she laughed, softly.

"Then let them come and investigate an ordinary fire."

I threw myself against the door.

"Desiree! One fire in here and the whole floor burns!"

"Accidental fire. What's that got to do with me?"

Chains rattled. The iron door was locked shut.

Then a lighter clicked open.

A moment later flames slipped in under the door and caught the old backdrops stacked against the wall, and black smoke poured through the whole storeroom.

"Help!"

Coughing, I dropped flat to the floor and pressed the hem of my shirt over my nose and mouth.

Hurried footsteps sounded outside fast.

"Desiree!"

It was Nanette's voice.

"How are you down here? Why is there a fire inside?"

Desiree started to cry.

"Lisa ran off, and the second I found this place it caught fire. I was so scared."

Daryl arrived too.

"Get out first. The smoke in there is toxic."

But the manager blocked them, panicking.

"Mr. Delgado, there may be someone in the storeroom!"

"Then why aren't you putting the fire out?"

At that moment Desiree shrieked, then choked out through her tears,

"Dad, Mom... just now, in my head, I think I saw her. Sis is in Larkport right now, out west."

Outside, everything went silent.

Nanette's voice shook.

"Larkport? Where exactly?"

"I couldn't see clearly. It looked like a station. Mom, let's go find her, now."

Nanette's breathing went ragged, and the panic in her voice flipped to sheer joy in an instant.

"Leave this mess to him. Take Desiree and go! We can't lose the trail again. To the airport. We're leaving for Larkport right now!"

"But..."

"Desiree can't be dragged into this. Call the police after we're gone. I'll cover the cost."

Before the manager could finish, Daryl cut him off.

"You hold up my search for my daughter, you'll never be able to pay for it."

The footsteps faded away.

A shelf, warped by the fire, came crashing down on top of me.

Everything went black, and I didn't have the strength left even to cry for help.

At last, far off, I heard sirens.

"How are they here so fast?"

The people outside sounded rattled. Daryl spoke first.

"Manager, you just say it was old wiring. Whatever comes of it, I'll carry it. I'll compensate you another five hundred thousand on top."

"We can't afford any delay on our itinerary. Let's go."

Somewhere in the haze of my fading mind, the sound of breaking came fast.

The iron door split under a fire axe, and a blinding searchlight tore through the dark.

"There's someone in here!"

"Stretcher! Now!"

They dragged me out from under the collapsed shelf and lifted me onto a gurney.

Outside, a light rain was falling.

Police tape ringed the venue. Daryl had already opened the car door for Desiree, and Nanette was urging the driver to head straight for the airport.

They were about to leave.

A medic pressed down on my bleeding shoulder, and my body curled in on itself on instinct.

Tears slid down mixed with the rain, and half-conscious, I cried out the name no one had said in twelve years.

"Susu... it hurts so much..."

The sound was almost too faint to hear, yet it carried through the rain.

The crowd was suddenly shoved aside.

Nanette jerked to a stop, then stumbled to the gurney, her face gone white.

"Susu?"

In the last second before my eyes closed, she seized my left hand and held on.

"How could you know that name? How?"