Chapter 11: The Voice From the Past
I didn’t move after the call ended.
My phone remained against my ear.
The house was silent.
Too silent.
Because somewhere in my mind, I knew the truth.
Emily was dead.
I had held her hand in the hospital.
I had watched doctors try everything.
I had buried her.
So how could I have heard her voice?
The next morning, Detective Cole arrived.
I told him everything.
He didn’t laugh.
He didn’t tell me I imagined it.
He simply asked:
“Did you record the call?””
I checked.
My heart sank.
“No.””
He nodded.
“Then we need to be careful.””
“Careful?””
“Yes.””
“Detective, someone used my dead wife’s voice.””
He looked serious.
“Which means someone wants you emotional.””
I hated that he was right.
Because it worked.
I spent the entire night thinking about Emily.
About Lily.
About all the things I had missed.
That afternoon, I met with a digital expert Detective Cole recommended.
Her name was Mia.
She analyzed the phone number.
“It was a temporary number.””
“Can you trace it?””
“Not easily.””
“What about the voice?””
She looked at me.
“Daniel, voice technology has changed a lot.””
I understood what she meant.
Someone could fake a voice.
But the problem was…
The voice had known my name.
It had known exactly what to say.
Mia continued.
“I found something interesting.””
She turned her laptop around.
“The call came from a device connected to a larger network.””
“What network?””
She hesitated.
“A private security company.””
My stomach tightened.
“What company?””
She looked at the screen.
“Reed Security Solutions.””
Vanessa’s family.
I stood up.
“She’s behind this.””
Mia didn’t answer.
But she didn’t disagree.
That evening, I confronted Patricia.
Vanessa’s mother.
She opened the door and looked annoyed.
“Daniel.””
“You knew.””
She sighed.
“I knew this day would come.””
Those words made me angry.
“You knew your daughter was hurting Lily.””
“No.””
“Then explain.””
Patricia looked away.
“She made mistakes.””
“Mistakes?””
My voice rose.
“She hit my daughter.””
“She was overwhelmed.””
I stared at her.
“You still defend her.””
Patricia’s face hardened.
“You don’t understand what Vanessa lost.””
I laughed bitterly.
“She lost?””
“Yes.””
She stepped closer.
“She lost the life she deserved.””
There it was again.
That belief.
That Vanessa was owed something.
“What does she think she deserves?””
Patricia looked at me.
“Everything Emily had.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
She immediately regretted saying it.
But it was too late.
“Explain.””
She looked frightened.
“I shouldn’t have said that.””
“No. You shouldn’t have.””
I stepped closer.
“What did Vanessa want from Emily?””
Patricia said nothing.
Then I noticed something.
A framed photograph on the table.
Emily.
My hands went cold.
“Why do you have that?””
Patricia looked at the picture.
“I knew her.””
“How?””
She closed her eyes.
“Because Vanessa and Emily were friends.””
The words hit me.
Friends.
Not strangers.
Not a random person.
Friends.
“Why did Vanessa lie?””
Patricia whispered:
“Because she was ashamed.””
“Of what?””
Patricia looked at me.
“Because Emily knew Vanessa was obsessed with you.””
I felt sick.
“How long?””
“Years.””
I stepped back.
All the pieces were falling into place.
The wedding.
The pressure.
The lies.
The obsession.
But there was still one thing I couldn’t understand.
“Why Lily?””
Patricia looked toward the floor.
“Because Lily was the only thing Vanessa could never have.””
My phone rang.
Detective Cole.
I answered immediately.
“Daniel.””
His voice was urgent.
“We found the person who called you.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
A pause.
Then:
“You need to come to the station.””
“Why?””
“Because the person who made the call…”
May you like
Another pause.
“Is officially listed as deceased.””
