Chapter 25
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Spring arrived on campus, bringing a rush of frantic energy as final exams loomed. Lily was sitting in a local coffee shop, buried under a mountain of psychology textbooks, when her phone vibrated. It was a local number she didn't recognize. She let it go to voicemail, assuming it was a spam call. A few minutes later, she checked the transcription.
“Lily, my name is Detective Harris. I worked your case ten years ago. I need you to call me back. It’s regarding an early parole petition.”
The coffee shop suddenly felt incredibly small. The ambient noise of espresso machines and chatting students faded into a dull, terrifying roar. Lily closed her textbook. She took a slow, deep breath, counting to four, just as her therapist had taught her years ago. She was no longer a helpless child.
She stepped outside into the cool spring air and dialed the number.
"Detective Harris," Lily said when the line connected. "This is Lily Callahan."
"Lily. Thank you for calling back so quickly," the detective said gently. "I wanted to notify you personally before the automated system did. Renata’s legal team has filed a petition for early compassionate release. They are claiming her health is failing."
Lily stared at the brick wall of the coffee shop. Renata. The woman who had burned her hair, drugged her food, and tried to erase her existence.
"When is the hearing?" Lily asked, her voice steady.
"Next month," Harris said. "You have the right to submit a victim impact statement, or you can appear in person to oppose the petition."
"I will appear in person," Lily stated without a single second of hesitation.
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"Are you sure? You don't have to put yourself through that room again."
"I am sure," Lily said. "She controlled my silence for years. I want her to hear my voice."
