For three years, my neighbor Nelly had kept to herself, rarely leaving her house, and no one had ever seen her child. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, especially after Nelly had been pregnant when she moved in. One evening, as I watched her through the window, I caught a glimpse of a little boy with a birthmark I recognized—one that matched my husband Evan’s. My heart stopped.

I confided in my husband, Evan, about my concerns, but he dismissed them. Then, Mrs. Freddie, another neighbor, took it upon herself to investigate. She tried to visit Nelly with a pie, but was met with hostility. Suspicious, I once again found myself at Nelly’s door, and when I peeked through her window, I saw the boy—Tommy.