Chapter 7

The Florida sun beat down on the concrete.

It was eight in the morning. Clara and Leo stood at the VIP entrance of the Magic Kingdom.

Leo was wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. He kept standing on his tiptoes, looking for his father.

Chadwick had flown down on a separate jet the night before. He claimed there was a massive emergency at the Orlando branch he had to handle before the park opened.

Clara hadn't believed a word of it, but she kept her mouth shut for Leo's sake.

A woman in a plaid vest walked up to them holding an iPad.

"Mrs. Brewer?" the guide asked with a bright smile. Then, she frowned, looking at her screen. "Oh. Mr. Brewer and your other two guests are already inside. Would you like me to take you to them?"

Clara's heart stopped beating.

The blood drained from her face. Her fingertips went numb.

Your other two guests.

Clara dug her fingernails into her palms so hard she almost broke the skin.

"Yes. Take us to them," Clara said. Her voice sounded like it belonged to a stranger.

The guide led them through a back access door. They emerged right next to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

The loud roar of the roller coaster echoed through the air.

Clara heard the laughter first.

The train pulled into the station.

Sitting in the very front row was Chadwick.

Sitting next to him, clutching his bicep and laughing hysterically, was Dorcas.

And tucked safely between Chadwick's legs, wearing a sparkling plastic tiara, was Autumn.

Leo stopped walking.

The Mickey Mouse balloon he was holding slipped right out of his fingers. It floated up into the blue sky.

Chadwick stepped out of the cart. He reached back and lifted Autumn out with incredible care. He pulled a napkin from his pocket and gently dabbed the sweat from the little girl's forehead.

Dorcas handed him a water bottle. They smiled at each other.

"Did you like that, my little princess?" Chadwick cooed, tapping Autumn's nose.

My little princess.

The words hit Clara like a physical punch to the throat.

Beside her, Leo began to shake. Huge, silent tears rolled down his cheeks. He bit his bottom lip so hard it turned white, refusing to make a sound.

Clara felt a terrifying, icy calm wash over her brain.

She reached into her purse. She pulled out her phone.

She raised the camera and snapped five high-resolution photos of the three of them laughing together.

The guide shifted uncomfortably beside them, realizing something was horribly wrong.

Clara knelt down on the hot concrete. She grabbed Leo's shoulders.

"Do not cry over him," Clara said fiercely, staring into her son's eyes. "He is not worth your tears. Do you understand me?"

Leo nodded, wiping his face with the back of his hand.

Up ahead, Autumn turned her head.

She saw them.

The little girl didn't look guilty. She tugged on Chadwick's shirt and pointed a finger right at Clara.

Chadwick turned around.

The smile fell off his face. All the color rushed out of his skin.

Dorcas saw them too. She gasped and took a step back, but her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Chadwick dropped Autumn's hand. He stumbled forward, taking a step toward his wife.

Clara stood up. She pulled Leo behind her legs.

She looked at her husband with eyes as cold and dead as a graveyard.