Chapter 10: The Night My Mother Died, My Father Was Supposed to Be There
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what my father had just said.
"The night Mom died, you were supposed to be driving?""
He nodded slowly.
I stepped away from him.
"Then why weren't you?""
My father looked toward the road, his eyes fixed on something I couldn't see.
"Your mother and I had an argument that evening. She wanted to meet Rebecca Collins immediately. I wanted her to wait until we had more evidence.""
"So?""
"So I told her I wasn't going.""
My throat tightened.
"Did she go alone?""
"That's what I believed.""
I stared at him.
"Michael said someone else was in the car.""
My father closed his eyes.
"Your mother called me twenty minutes before the crash. She told me she'd picked someone up.""
"Who?""
"She wouldn't say. She only told me that the person had information about Richard.""
I felt a chill move through me.
"And you let her drive?""
"I tried to stop her. I begged her to come home.""
His voice broke.
"She told me she couldn't risk waiting another day.""
I looked at the photograph of my mother on the wall.
"Did she know someone was going to hurt her?""
"I think she suspected it.""
"Then why didn't you go after her?""
My father covered his face.
"Because I was afraid she'd take you with her if I didn't stay home.""
I didn't know what to say.
For years, I'd imagined my father abandoning us.
Now I was discovering that the night my mother died, he'd been trying to protect me from a danger I hadn't even known existed.
But there was still something he wasn't telling me.
"Who was in the car?""
He shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
He looked at me.
"Emily—"
"Everybody keeps saying they don't know! Mom, Dad, Tom, Walter. How many secrets are there?""
My voice cracked.
"I just want to know who killed my mother!""
He pulled me into his arms.
"I know, sweetheart. I know.""
That night, I barely slept.
At seven the next morning, Tom arrived to take me to the diner.
My father wanted to come, but Michael had specifically requested Tom and me.
"Stay close to him," my father said as I put on my jacket.
"I will.""
He kissed my forehead.
"And Emily?""
I turned.
"If anything feels wrong, leave. You don't owe anybody an explanation.""
I nodded.
The diner sat beside an old highway, surrounded by gas stations and empty fields.
A bell rang above the entrance when we walked inside.
Most of the booths were empty.
A waitress poured us coffee.
Tom chose a seat facing the front door.
We waited.
At 8:17, a man wearing a baseball cap entered.
He was thin, with gray hair and tired eyes.
He looked around before approaching.
"Tom Reed?""
Tom stood.
"Michael?""
The man nodded.
Then his eyes moved to me.
"You're Emily.""
I stood.
"Yes.""
He looked at my face for a long moment.
"You have your mother's smile.""
I swallowed.
"Did you know her well?""
Michael sat down.
"She saved my life.""
Tom leaned forward.
"Tell us what happened that night.""
Michael wrapped both hands around his coffee cup.
"Your mother picked me up near the old warehouse. I had been hiding for three days. Richard's men had found my apartment, and I knew I couldn't stay there.""
"Why didn't you go to the police?"" I asked.
"I had already tried. Someone inside the department was leaking information.""
He looked at Tom.
"Margaret was taking me to meet Rebecca Collins. She had copies of the financial records.""
"And the accident?"" Tom asked.
Michael looked down.
"We never made it.""
He described headlights appearing behind them.
A black SUV.
Then another vehicle blocking the road ahead.
My hands tightened around the edge of the table.
"Did someone hit Mom's car?""
Michael nodded.
"They forced us off the road. The car hit a barrier and rolled down an embankment.""
I stopped breathing.
"What happened to Mom?""
Michael's eyes filled.
"She was alive when I got out.""
"Then why didn't you save her?""
He looked at me with unbearable sadness.
"I tried.""
His voice cracked.
"I pulled her out. She was bleeding, but she was conscious. She kept asking about you.""
I covered my mouth.
"What did she say?""
Michael reached into his coat and removed a small plastic bag.
Inside was a silver necklace.
A tiny heart hung from it.
I recognized it immediately.
My mother had worn that necklace every day.
"She gave me this," he whispered.
"She told me to make sure you received it.""
I took the bag with trembling fingers.
"Why didn't you give it to me?""
"Because someone found me before I could.""
He looked toward the window.
"Richard's men arrived. They took the evidence. I managed to escape, but I couldn't go back for your mother.""
I was crying now.
"Was she dead?""
Michael shook his head.
"Not when they took her.""
The diner seemed to disappear around me.
"What?""
Tom leaned forward.
"Michael, are you saying—"
"I'm saying I saw Richard Hayes standing beside Margaret after the crash. She was alive.""
I stared at him.
"Where did they take her?""
Michael lowered his head.
"I don't know. I was unconscious when I woke up in the hospital. By then, the police had identified her body.""
I felt the world tilt.
My father had buried my mother.
He'd cried at her funeral.
He'd spent years grieving her.
But Michael was telling us she might not have died in that accident.
Then he placed another photograph on the table.
It showed a woman standing outside a rehabilitation center.
Her hair was shorter.
Her face was thinner.
But I recognized her.
My mother.
The photograph was dated three years after the accident.
I grabbed it.
"She's alive?""
Michael nodded.
"I received this anonymously. I've spent years trying to find her.""
Tom stared at the picture.
"Where was it taken?""
"Outside a private medical facility in Kentucky.""
I couldn't speak.
Then Michael looked directly at me.
"Emily, there's something else.""
He pulled out a folded document.
"Your mother wasn't the only person Richard had moved.""
He pointed to a name.
SARAH BENNETT.
"Your cousin survived the hospital transfer. But the woman who helped hide her wasn't a nurse.""
I looked at him.
"Who was she?""
May you like
Michael swallowed.
"Your aunt Linda.""
