Chapter 1 - THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS
Linda Carter was already holding Baby Lily when Emma came into the living room.
The newborn was only one week old, wrapped securely in a pale-pink blanket against Linda’s chest.
Emma reached for her.
Linda stepped backward.
Then pointed sharply at Emma’s phone.
“Send Penny three thousand—or you don’t get her back!”
Emma froze.
For one impossible second, the exhaustion of childbirth made the sentence feel unreal.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Give me my baby.”
“Transfer it first.”
Emma moved.
Fast.
She stepped forward, carefully took Lily from Linda’s arms, and pulled the baby securely against her chest.
Linda slapped Emma across the face.
Emma recoiled.
Her lip split slightly against her tooth. A thin streak of blood appeared.
But Lily never left her arms.
“Don’t touch my baby!”
Linda pointed at the phone.
“Penny needs that money!”
Emma touched her lip.
She stared at her mother.
Something inside her changed.
She walked to the bassinet, lowered Lily safely into it, then turned back.
“You used my baby to threaten me?”
Linda stepped toward the phone.
Emma knocked her hand away.
Then slapped Linda once across the face.
Linda staggered back in shock.
Emma pointed at her.
“You love money that much, don’t you?!”
Linda’s expression hardened.
“You think this is about me?”
“Then who?”
“Your sister.”
“What happened to Penny?”
Linda folded her arms.
“She needs three thousand by tomorrow.”
“For what?”
“She asked me not to tell you everything.”
Emma laughed bitterly.
“Convenient.”
Linda grabbed her coat.
“You always do this. Penny needs help and you turn it into an interrogation.”
Emma stared.
“How many times has Penny needed help this year?”
Linda stopped.
Emma counted.
“Rent in March. Car insurance in May. Dental work in July. Certification fee in September. Security deposit in November.”
“All real.”
“I sent you money every time.”
“And she needed it.”
Emma picked up her phone.
“Then I’ll call Penny.”
Linda’s face changed.
Only slightly.
But Emma saw it.
“Don’t.”
Emma went still.
“Why?”
“She’s embarrassed.”
“No.”
“Emma—”
“No. You held my newborn hostage for money and now you don’t want me talking to the person who supposedly needs it.”
Linda’s confidence flickered.
Emma called.
Penny answered on the third ring.
“Hey. You okay? How’s Lily?”
Emma looked straight at Linda.
“Mom says you need three thousand dollars by tomorrow.”
Silence.
Then Penny said:
“What?”
Emma’s stomach dropped.
“You didn’t ask her?”
“Ask her for what?”
“Three thousand dollars.”
Penny laughed once, confused.
“Emma, I haven’t asked Mom for money in four months.”
Linda reached for the door.
Emma said:
“Stay.”
Penny’s voice sharpened.
“Wait. Is Mom there?”
“Yes.”
Another silence.
Then Penny asked:
“Emma… how much money have you been sending her for me?”
Emma looked at her mother.
Linda went pale.
May you like
And for the first time, Emma realized the three thousand dollars was not the mystery.
It was the first number she had finally checked.
