Why Would She Lie
Chapter 02 - Why Would She Lie
The door didn't open. Whoever had turned that knob stopped, hesitated, and after a long, tense moment, footsteps retreated back down the hallway instead.
Harrison stood frozen for several seconds longer, listening, before he finally exhaled, though the tightness in his chest didn't loosen along with his breath.
"Was that her," Chloe whispered.
"I don't know," Harrison admitted. "I think we need to be careful about what we say out loud in this house until I understand what's actually going on."
He tucked the locket into his own pocket, away from Chloe's trembling hands, and knelt down to her level, the same careful, deliberate posture he used whenever something serious needed saying plainly.
"I need you to tell me everything," he said. "How you found this. When. Everything you remember."
Chloe's lower lip trembled. "I went into Mom's room last week. I do that sometimes, when I miss her too much. I was looking through her jewelry box, the one you said I could have someday, and I found the locket taped underneath the bottom drawer. Like someone hid it there on purpose."
"Did you open it right away," Harrison asked.
"Not until yesterday," Chloe said. "I was scared of what might be inside. I don't know why. I just had a feeling."
Harrison felt a fresh wave of guilt at that admission, understanding that his seven-year-old daughter had been carrying a frightening, unexplained secret entirely alone for nearly a week, uncertain who she could trust with it.
"You did the right thing showing me," he said. "I need you to know that clearly. You're not in any trouble. I'm proud of you for being brave enough to bring this to me."
Chloe nodded, tears finally spilling over, relief and fear tangled together in her small face.
"Is Meredith going to be mad at me," she asked.
"No," Harrison said, though his voice carried a specific, careful weight now. "Whatever happens next, that's between me and Meredith. None of this is your fault, and none of it is your responsibility to manage."
He thought quickly, running through the practical shape of the next several hours. He couldn't confront Meredith directly, not yet, not until he understood exactly what the photograph meant and why she'd apparently lied about it so completely.
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"I want you to stay with your Aunt Carla tonight," he said. "I'll tell Meredith you're not feeling well, that I'm taking you to stay with family for a few days while you rest. I need some time to figure out what's actually happening here, and I don't want you in this house while I do it."
Chloe nodded, trusting him completely, and Harrison felt the specific, steadying resolve of a father finally understanding exactly what he needed to protect, and exactly how carefully he needed to move to protect it.
