Chapter 2: The Address Nobody Expected
Rene had seen that address before.
Not recently.
Not in any place he wanted to remember.
It belonged to a small property on the outskirts of town, a weather-beaten house with a green front door and a narrow driveway.
A house that had once belonged to his mother.
A house that had been sold after her death.
Or so he had believed.
“Give me the tablet,” Rene said.
Vanessa stepped backward.
“No.””
“Vanessa.””
“I said no.””
Arthur moved between them.
“Enough. Somebody needs to explain what is happening.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“I arranged for Buddy to be relocated. That's all.””
“Then why are you frightened of showing us the address?”” Arthur asked.
“I'm not frightened.””
“Your hands are shaking.””
Vanessa looked down.
Her fingers were trembling around the tablet.
Lily tugged at her father's sleeve.
“Daddy, is Buddy at Grandma's old house?””
Rene turned toward her.
“Why would you say that?””
“Because Mommy told me Grandma used to live in a green house.””
Vanessa's expression changed.
“Lily, go upstairs.””
“But—”
“Now.””
Lily flinched.
Rene immediately knelt.
“Hey. You haven't done anything wrong. Stay with Grandpa for a minute, okay?””
Arthur held out his hand.
“Come here, sweetheart.””
Lily walked toward him, dragging the yellow leash along the floor.
When she reached the sofa, she whispered something into Arthur's ear.
The old man's face went pale.
“What did you say?””
Lily looked toward her mother.
“Yesterday, Mommy told me Buddy was going on a little adventure. She said I shouldn't tell Daddy because it was a surprise.””
Rene slowly stood.
“Vanessa?””
She closed her eyes.
“I didn't want a scene.””
“You secretly arranged to have our dog taken away, and you didn't want a scene?””
“He was becoming a problem!””
Arthur stared at her.
“A problem?””
“Yes. The barking, the muddy paws, the constant expenses. Lily spends more time with that dog than she does with her homework.””
Lily's lower lip trembled.
“He helps me sleep.””
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
“That's exactly what I'm talking about. She's too attached.””
Rene stared at his wife as if he were seeing her for the first time.
“Buddy has been with Lily since she was three.””
“And now she's seven. Things change.””
“Not like this.””
Vanessa placed the tablet on the coffee table.
“Fine. You want the truth? I arranged for him to go somewhere he could be properly cared for.””
Arthur's voice dropped.
“Then why didn't you tell us where?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Rene picked up the tablet.
She reached for it, but he turned away and opened the delivery confirmation.
There it was.
*TRANSPORT COMPLETED — 9:42 A.M.*
*RECIPIENT: DANIELLE MORGAN.*
*DESTINATION: 18 WILLOW LANE.*
Rene's breathing became shallow.
Danielle Morgan.
His younger sister.
The same sister who had disappeared from the family six years earlier after a bitter dispute over their mother's estate.
The same sister whose name had been removed from every family gathering, every holiday photograph, and every conversation.
And, according to the last message Rene had received from her, the same sister who had moved overseas.
“Danielle?”” Arthur whispered.
Rene nodded.
His father lowered himself onto the sofa.
“That cannot be right.””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Why not?””
Arthur looked up.
“Because Danielle doesn't live there.””
“She does now.””
Rene turned.
“What do you mean?””
Vanessa picked up her phone.
“She contacted me several weeks ago.””
Rene stared.
“You've been talking to my sister?””
“Yes.””
“For how long?””
“Almost two months.””
“And you didn't tell me?””
“Because I knew how you'd react.””
Arthur's expression hardened.
“What did she want?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“Buddy.””
Silence.
Rene almost laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“My sister contacted my wife after six years, and the first thing she asked for was our dog?””
“She said she missed him.””
“That doesn't make any sense.””
Vanessa's jaw tightened.
“She said Buddy reminded her of your mother.””
Arthur looked away.
For a moment, the room was filled only by the soft ticking of the wall clock.
Buddy had been a gift from Rene's mother shortly before she died.
A small golden puppy with oversized paws and a white patch on his chest.
Lily had chosen his name.
But it was Arthur who had trained him, fed him, and walked him every morning.
And it was Buddy who had stayed beside Arthur during the long, silent months after his wife's funeral.
“He was her favorite,” Arthur said quietly.
Vanessa shrugged.
“Danielle knows that.””
Rene stared at her.
“Why would you give him to someone who hasn't spoken to us in six years?””
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
“Maybe because someone in this family needed to do something sensible.””
“That's not an answer.””
“Your sister offered to take him. She has space, money, and experience with dogs.””
“Then she can ask us.””
“She did ask me.””
“Not us. You.””
Vanessa picked up the tablet again.
“You're making this about yourself.””
“No,” Rene replied.
“I'm making it about our daughter.””
He turned toward Lily.
She was sitting beside Arthur, holding the yellow leash in both hands. Her cheeks were wet.
“Daddy, can we call Aunt Danielle?””
Rene's expression softened.
“Of course.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
“Why not?”” Rene asked.
“Because she specifically requested that we not contact her immediately.””
Arthur slowly rose.
“Why?””
Vanessa looked at the tablet.
“She said there were complications with the delivery.””
Rene's eyes narrowed.
“What complications?””
“I don't know.””
“Then call the transport company.””
Vanessa sighed.
“Rene, the delivery was completed.””
“Call them.””
She didn't move.
“Now, Vanessa.””
Finally, she unlocked her phone and opened the transport application.
Rene watched as she scrolled through the messages.
A notification appeared.
*RECIPIENT HAS REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL COLLECTION.*
Rene leaned closer.
“Additional collection?””
Vanessa quickly closed the notification.
Arthur noticed.
“What was that?””
“Nothing.””
“Show us.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“It's an automated message.””
Rene reached for her phone.
She pulled it away.
“Stop treating me like a criminal!””
“Then stop hiding things!””
Lily suddenly stood.
“Mommy?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“What?””
“Is Buddy going to live with Aunt Danielle forever?””
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Then she stopped.
She had no answer.
Rene gently took Lily's hand.
“We're going to find him.””
He grabbed his car keys from the counter.
Arthur immediately reached for his coat.
“I'm coming.””
Vanessa stepped into their path.
“Neither of you is going anywhere.””
Rene stared at her.
“Move.””
“You don't understand what you're walking into.””
“Then explain it.””
She looked toward Lily.
“Not in front of her.””
Arthur's face hardened.
“You should have thought about that before involving our granddaughter in this.””
Rene opened the front door.
A cold breeze swept into the hallway.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through, breathless and frightened.
“Rene? It's Danielle.””
His grip tightened.
“Where is Buddy?””
There was a pause.
Then Danielle whispered:
“Your wife told me you weren't supposed to find out until tomorrow.””
Rene glanced at Vanessa.
“What are you talking about?””
Danielle's voice cracked.
“Rene, I didn't take Buddy. I never asked her to bring him here.””
Arthur stepped closer.
Rene felt his stomach drop.
“Then who did?””
Danielle took a shaky breath.
May you like
And gave him an answer that made him look back at his wife.
“Vanessa sent him to the wrong address.””
