When the call had come over the radio, Natalie had expected to find signs of neglect.

Instead she found a child who had survived by holding on to trust long after her food and her energy had run out.

Chapter 4 — The Notes on the Table

Inside, the refrigerator was nearly empty. On the kitchen table, beneath an uncapped pen, Natalie found two handwritten notes.

One was a shopping list — rice, chicken, electrolyte drinks, soup, and Ella’s medicine.

The other was a reminder about an urgent appointment scheduled for Monday morning.

A stack of bills sat neatly beside them, and Andrew’s work shoes were still by the back door.