Chapter 3 - THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SECRET
Back in Unit 3B, Officer Miller was doing his best to keep the children calm while waiting for backup to clear the lower levels. He had managed to coax Leo out from under the heavy sweatshirt by offering him a small pack of fruit snacks he found in his duty belt—a small comfort, but one that brought a tiny glimmer of safety back into the boy's eyes.
“Your mom is super brave, isn't she?” Miller asked gently, crouching down so he was eye-level with Lily.
Lily nodded slowly, though her gaze kept drifting back to the kitchen counter where her mother’s phone was still plugged into the charger. “She always protects us. She told me... she told me that if anything weird happened, I had to keep the chain lock on and call the numbers on the fridge.”
“You did exactly right, Lily,” Miller praised, his chest tightening. He looked around the tidy, impoverished apartment. The walls were decorated with cheap framed drawings and honor roll certificates from Lily's school. This wasn't a home of neglect; it was a home of love squeezed tight against the edges of hardship.
The radio on his shoulder crackled back to life.
“Miller, get down here. Now,” Vance’s voice came through, breathless and laced with an urgent, chilling edge. “I found her purse. And Miller... you need to see who has access to these basement locks.”
Miller’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at Lily, who was watching him with wide, knowing eyes.
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“I need to step outside the door for just a second, okay, kids?” Miller said, forcing a calm smile. “Keep holding hands. Your uncle officer is right out there.”
He stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door nearly shut, and rushed down the stairs to join his partner in the basement.
