Ethan Was Blamed for Shattering the Planter — Then His Father Checked the Doorbell Camera
Chapter 4 — The Phone Call
Laura called the number immediately.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then an older woman answered.
“Hello?”
Laura hesitated.
“Hi. Is this Margaret Dawson?”
Silence.
“Yes.”
Laura looked at Daniel.
“Do you have a dog named Benji?”
The woman on the other end stopped breathing for a moment.
Then her voice broke.
“Where did you get that name?”
Laura explained.
The box.
The wrong delivery.
The dog inside.
Margaret began crying before Laura finished.
“Is he alive?”
Laura stared at Benji.
The dog was sitting beside Ethan now.
“Yes.”
Margaret sobbed.
“Oh, thank God.”
Daniel took the phone.
“Ma’am, what happened?”
Margaret took several seconds to answer.
“Benji disappeared yesterday.”
“From your house?”
“My backyard.”
Daniel frowned.
“Do you live nearby?”
Margaret gave him her address.
Daniel looked at Laura.
It was less than four miles away.
“Did you order anything that was supposed to come here?” he asked.
“No.”
“Do you know anyone who would have our address?”
Margaret hesitated.
“No.”
Then her voice changed.
“Wait.”
Daniel listened.
“What?”
“Your last name is Miller?”
“Yes.”
Margaret became quiet again.
“Is your wife named Laura?”
Daniel stared at her.
“How do you know my wife’s name?”
Margaret began crying again.
But this time it had nothing to do with the dog.
“Because I knew Laura’s mother.”
