Ethan Was Blamed for Shattering the Planter — Then His Father Checked the Doorbell Camera
Chapter 5 — Margaret Dawson
Thirty minutes later, a silver car pulled into the driveway.
An older woman stepped out before the engine had fully stopped.
Benji recognized her instantly.
The dog jumped from Ethan’s arms and ran across the yard.
“Benji!”
Margaret dropped to her knees.
The dog leaped against her chest.
She hugged him tightly.
Laura watched from the porch.
Then Margaret looked up.
Her eyes settled on the shattered blue planter.
She froze.
“Where did you get that?”
Laura looked down.
“It belonged to my mother.”
Margaret slowly stood.
“Helen made that.”
Laura’s face changed.
“You really knew her?”
Margaret smiled sadly.
“For almost thirty years.”
Laura had never heard her mother mention Margaret Dawson.
Not once.
Margaret walked toward the broken pieces.
She picked up one fragment.
Blue paint formed part of a tiny flower around the edge.
“We painted these together.”
Laura stared at her.
“Together?”
Margaret nodded.
“Your mother made two.”
“Two planters?”
“Identical ones.”
Margaret looked toward Laura.
“I still have the other one.”
Laura suddenly felt strange.
Her mother had always said she painted the planter alone.
“Why have I never heard your name?”
Margaret looked down at Benji.
“Because your mother and I stopped speaking seventeen years ago.”
“Why?”
Margaret didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she looked toward the cardboard box.
“First I want to know who sent my dog to your house.”
Daniel nodded.
“So do I.”
He picked up the shipping label again.
And this time he noticed something they had all missed.
Underneath the newer label was another label.
Part of an address was still visible.
