Page 27 of Room Twenty-Seven: Theirs to Punish

“I only ask that you never let her know,” Dad pleads. “She can't know.”

“One thing at a time.” I decide one of us has to be the voice of reason. “We need to get her back here. We can't leave things the way they are. You saw how upset she was.”

Dad's face practically crumples. “I would never want to hurt her.”

“She's probably a lot more worried that you hate her after what happened with her mother. She should at least hear that you don't.”

“But that's all she can know,” he insists.

“Yes, yes,” I mutter, frustrated and still a little stunned by his confession. But that’s not the main problem here, no matter what he thinks. She was devastated and probably dying inside. Why did she have to run away?

“Stay here,” Nik tells Dad after pulling himself together. “We'll go get her. We know where she lives. There's nowhere else she could go.”

“Be sure to tell her I don't blame her,” he urges.

“We will.” We leave Dad pacing the living room, wringing his hands together. We don't say much to each other along the way as I drive us through town. I should have made sure she stayed. I can only imagine how she must feel and the things going through her head.

“She wouldn't do anything extreme, would she?” I ask, grinding my teeth while we wait for a red light to change.

“Don't even think that.” He shakes his head, staring out the windshield. “Not her. That's not Lilly.”

When we arrive at her building, no one answers when we knock. There doesn't seem to be a light on because I would be able to see it under the door. “Shit,” I growl, kicking the door out of frustration. “Now what?”

On the way downstairs, Nik calls Dad. “She's not here.”

He puts the phone on speaker so I can hear Dad's anxious response. “She couldn't have gotten far, could she?”

“Do you know anything else about her?” I ask.

“Like I told you, I didn't know she was here at all. She's been off my radar for six months.”

This is getting worse and worse. She's alone, distraught, and wandering the city. Has she mentioned any friends, anywhere she likes to go? I search my memory but come up with nothing.

“Maybe...”

We look at each other. “Maybe what?” I prompt.

“Maybe Miranda would have an idea?”

“What a shame we can't reach her,” Nik mutters. “That's not going to help.”

“I know where she is. I have her phone number.”

I don't know how many more surprises I can take today. “Give it to me,” I grunt, programming it into my phone. “I'll call her. It's worth a shot, anyway.” Nik only grinds his teeth, growling while we get back in the car.

Calling Miranda. There's not much in the world that could make me take a step like this, but Lilly is worth it.

I'm almost surprised when she answers. “Hello?” Nik closes his eyes and shakes his head like too many memories are flooding back for him to speak.

“Miranda. This is Bane. I have Nik with me—our dad gave us your phone number. Has Lilly reached out to you?”

“Wait. What?”

“Lilly,” Nik barks. “Has she reached out? Yes or no?”

“No! Is she in trouble?”

“Would she reach out if she needed help?” I think to ask. Nik is obviously in no mood.

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