A small figure stepped hesitantly into the room.
She could not have been older than eight.
Her clothes were damp from the rain, and she held a faded stuffed rabbit tightly in one arm.
Her dark hair clung to her forehead, and her eyes were wide but determined.
Eleanor stood slowly.
“Honey, are you lost?”
The girl shook her head.
Her voice was quiet but clear.
“My name is Maya Carson.”
She looked toward Daniel.
“I came to see him.”
Eleanor felt confusion ripple through her thoughts.
“Do you know my husband?”
The girl reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small metal medallion.
The letters D.W. were engraved on its surface.
“I found this in the car from the accident three years ago.”
Eleanor froze.
The Truth Hidden in a Child’s Memory
Maya’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke.
“My parents were in another car that day.”
She swallowed hard.
“They didn’t survive the crash.”
Eleanor felt the room spin for a moment.
“You were there?”
Maya nodded slowly.
“I remember something my dad said before everything went dark.”
Her fingers tightened around the medallion.
“He said the brakes didn’t fail.”
Eleanor’s breath caught.
“Someone cut them.”
The air in the room seemed to grow heavier.
Maya continued carefully.
“My dad said a name.”
Eleanor whispered.
“What name?”
Maya’s eyes lifted.
“Richard.”
The word hung in the air like thunder.
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