“Margaret, please. Don’t leave me alone with him tonight.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Mom, what has he done?”
She opened her mouth.
But Daniel returned.“Everything okay?”
My mother immediately released my hand.
“Of course, darling.”
That night, she called me at 2:43 a.m.
Her voice was barely audible.
“Margaret, he’s coming again.”
“Daniel. Every night he brings that black bag. He makes me look at things I can’t bear to see.”
“Mom, lock your door!”
“I can’t. He has the key.”
Then I heard footsteps.
“Grandma? Are you talking to Mom?”
The call ended.
I drove to her house immediately.
When Daniel opened the door, he was wearing gloves.
“What happened?” I demanded.
“Nothing, Mom. Grandma’s sleeping.”
But behind him, I could see a small black bag on the kitchen counter.
