Aunt Stella shot my mom a look of pure disdain. "Are you out of your mind?"
"You told me yourself she was home with a fever when you left at noon. How could she have possibly gone outside?"
Thud! The broom clattered to the floor.
Sensing something was wrong, Aunt Stella spoke up again. "If the child really did leave the house, you can check the security cameras with property management."
The moment my dad heard that, he shot up from the couch and turned to my grandmother. "Mom, stay here and watch Herbert. Lisa and I will go talk to the property office."
Grandma held my sleeping little brother in her arms and waved them off.
The two of them went to the property management office and explained the situation.
When they pulled up the surveillance footage, it was clear: after Grandma had left the apartment, I never once went downstairs.
On the walk back, my mom kept talking. "That girl's always been stubborn. She's probably hiding somewhere in the apartment."
"We just didn't look hard enough."
Before she even finished, my dad's attitude shifted completely. His voice rose sharp and loud.
"That girl is absolutely out of control."
"If she wants to hide so badly, she can stay hidden forever for all I care."
The moment they walked through the door, Grandma came over.
"Well? Did you find her?"
"No. She's definitely still hiding somewhere in the apartment."
Then, suddenly, my mom's gaze swept across the room and landed on the chest freezer. Confusion crossed her face.
"Mom, when did a lock get put on the freezer?"
Only then did my dad notice it too. He hurried over for a closer look.
"What's in the freezer that you had to lock it up?"
For a split second, something seemed to flash through Grandma's mind. Her body began to tremble.
"Nothing... I was afraid that girl would sneak food out of it."
My dad could tell something was off with Grandma. "Where's the key?"
"The key... I don't remember where I put it."
Her voice turned halting, stumbling over itself.
My mom noticed the strangeness too. She guided Grandma to the couch, sat her down, and poured her a glass of water.
"Mom, just take a breath. I'll go look for the key."
"The weather's getting warm anyway. Food sitting in the freezer for too long isn't going to keep forever. Might as well take this chance to clean it out."
"No!"
Grandma sprang to her feet.
Her reaction startled both my parents.
She forced an awkward smile. "I mean... I'll clean it out myself tomorrow."
The more she resisted, the more uneasy my dad became.
"Found the key. Try it."
The words had barely left my mom's mouth before Grandma rushed over and planted herself in front of the freezer.
"How about... I just clean it out myself tomorrow? It's late. You two should go to bed."
"Mom, what is going on with you tonight? You keep blocking me from opening this freezer."
My dad's temper finally snapped. He turned to my mom. "Pull her away. I'm opening this thing right now. I want to see what's inside."
