Chapter 4 - The Questions Begin
Within forty minutes, Detective Sarah Hayes arrived at the pediatric ward. She was a no-nonsense investigator with observant, dark eyes and an unhurried, measured cadence that carried immediate authority. Together with a hospital social worker, she pulled up a chair beside Lily's bed.
Lily was hesitant at first, hiding behind a plush teddy bear the nursing staff had provided. But Detective Hayes spoke softly, showing Lily pictures of police rescue dogs on her phone until my daughter’s defensive posture began to soften.
"Lily, sweetheart," Hayes said gently. "Your mom told us about the little bunny lamp by your bed. Can you tell me about it?"
Lily looked down at her fingers, twisting the corner of the hospital sheet. "It smells funny," she murmured.
"What kind of funny?" Hayes asked.
"Like burning pennies," Lily answered, her small voice carrying a devastating clarity. "And when Marcus turns off the big light, the bunny clicks. Sometimes, when Mommy is downstairs, the bunny whispers."
A cold shudder tore down my spine. I stood abruptly, my hand covering my mouth to stifle a cry. Detective Hayes held up a single palm to keep me grounded, her gaze never wavering from Lily.
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"What does it whisper, Lily?" Hayes asked with infinite patience.
"It says my name," Lily replied, large tears pooling in her green eyes. "It says, 'Be a good girl for Marcus.' And it gets really warm. If I kick my blanket off, the warmth hurts my tummy. I tried to unplug it, but Marcus told me the bunny would get mad if I pulled its tail."
