Chapter 6: The Night Rachel Died
I replayed the sentence.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
“Because Thomas knows I’m pregnant.””
Rachel’s voice sounded alive.
Young.
Afraid.
Emily had been inside her.
Mark leaned against the folding table.
“What does my brother have to do with Rachel being pregnant?””
“I don’t know.””
I kept listening.
Vanessa’s recorded voice was sharper.
“So what? You think my father cares about your baby?””
“He cares about Daniel.””
“Why?””
A long silence followed.
Then Rachel said, “Ask him.””
The recording ended.
I stared at the laptop.
“That’s it?””
“That’s all that file contains.””
“There's more.””
Mark opened another folder.
“I found something else.””
It was an email from Thomas to Vanessa.
The subject line read:
*DO NOT CONTACT HER AGAIN.*
Vanessa,
You will stay away from Rachel and Daniel. This is not your problem. Rachel has agreed to accept the payment and surrender all copies of the records.
If she contacts you, call me.
Do not try to be clever.
—Dad
I read it twice.
“She knew me before Rachel died.””
“Apparently.””
“But I never met her.””
“Maybe not.””
Mark pulled out another photograph.
Vanessa stood across the street from the apartment Rachel and I had rented before buying our house.
The timestamp was two months before Emily was born.
I felt sick.
Years later, Vanessa approached me at a charity fundraiser.
She spilled champagne near my shoes.
Laughed.
Apologized.
Asked whether we had met before.
I said no.
She smiled and said, “I guess you just have one of those familiar faces.””
It hadn't been chance.
“How did Rachel die?”” Mark asked.
“Car accident.””
His expression changed.
“What?””
“Rainy night. She was coming home from work.””
“When?””
“February eighteenth.””
Mark immediately searched through the folder.
Then he stopped.
“What?””
He handed me a photocopy.
A calendar page.
February 18.
Thomas had written:
*8 PM — R.M. Final meeting.*
My hands went numb.
“No.””
“What time was the accident?””
“About nine fifteen.””
Mark sat down.
“Where?””
“Interstate 30.””
“Was Thomas investigated?””
“It was an accident.””
“That wasn't my question.””
“No.””
The police said Rachel lost control on wet pavement.
No other vehicle was identified.
No witnesses had seen the crash itself.
I had accepted that explanation because I had a newborn daughter and a funeral to plan.
But now—
I couldn't finish the thought.
“Daniel,” Mark said carefully, “we don't know what happened.””
“I need the original police report.””
“Yes.””
“And Thomas’s records from that day.””
“I’ll keep looking.””
My phone buzzed.
Mom.
I answered immediately.
“Is Emily okay?””
“She’s asleep.””
I exhaled.
Then Mom said, “Daniel, Vanessa is here.””
I stood.
“What?””
“She just pulled into my driveway.””
“Do not let her inside.””
“She says she came for Caleb and Ava.””
“Lock the door.””
Mom lowered her voice.
“She’s already at it.””
I heard pounding.
Then Vanessa’s muffled voice.
“Open the door!””
“Mom, call the police.””
“I already did.””
I grabbed my keys.
“I’m coming.””
Mark caught my arm.
“Dallas is almost an hour away.””
“I don't care.””
The pounding continued through the phone.
Then I heard Emily crying.
My blood ran cold.
“Mom?””
“I’m here.””
“Keep Emily away from the windows.””
Suddenly Vanessa shouted loudly enough for me to hear.
“Daniel is lying to all of you!””
Mom said, “She’s yelling at the children.””
Then another voice appeared.
A man.
I froze.
“Who is that?””
Mom moved toward a window.
“I don't know. Someone got out of another car.””
Mark and I exchanged a look.
“Describe him.””
“Tall. Maybe fifty. Gray jacket.””
The pounding stopped.
I heard Vanessa arguing outside.
Then Mom whispered, “She knows him.””
“What are they saying?””
“I can’t hear.””
“Don’t go outside.””
A moment later, tires squealed.
Mom returned to the window.
“They're leaving.””
“Together?””
“No. Separate cars.””
I exhaled.
“Police are pulling up now.””
“I’ll call you from the road.””
I hung up.
Mark grabbed his coat.
“I’m coming.””
“You don't have to.””
“If Vanessa is meeting someone connected to Thomas, I might recognize him.””
We drove separately.
Halfway to Dallas, Mom sent me footage from her doorbell camera.
I opened it at a red light.
Vanessa stood on the porch.
A dark sedan pulled up behind her SUV.
A man stepped out.
Mark had been right behind me, so I forwarded him a screenshot.
Thirty seconds later, he called.
“I know him.””
“Who?””
“Elliot Crane.””
“Who is that?””
“My brother’s attorney.””
I gripped the steering wheel.
“Why is Thomas’s old attorney meeting Vanessa?””
“I don't know.””
“But you think it matters.””
“Yes.””
When I reached Mom’s house, police had already left after taking statements.
Emily was asleep upstairs.
Caleb and Ava sat together on the couch.
Mom hugged me.
Then she handed me something.
“Vanessa dropped this.””
A small silver phone.
Caleb stood immediately.
“That’s it.””
The burner phone.
Its screen was cracked, but it still worked.
No passcode.
I opened the call history.
Dozens of calls to one number.
Elliot Crane.
Then I opened the messages.
Most had been deleted.
One remained.
Sent by Elliot that afternoon.
*MARK FOUND THE STORAGE UNIT. GET THE PHONE BEFORE DANIEL HEARS THE RECORDING.*
My hands started shaking.
Below it was Vanessa’s reply.
*Too late. Emily found the papers.*
Then Elliot:
*Then control the girl.*
I stared at those words until they blurred.
There was one more message.
Sent by Vanessa at 5:42 p.m.
Less than an hour before I unexpectedly came home.
*I’m handling Emily. Daniel won’t know anything. He thinks she lies.*
I couldn't breathe.
My mother read over my shoulder.
“Oh, Daniel.””
I looked toward the stairs.
All those months.
Every broken object.
Every accusation.
Every time Vanessa told me Emily was lying.
She hadn't simply been cruel to my daughter.
She had been destroying Emily’s credibility.
On purpose.
“Why?”” Mom whispered.
The silver phone buzzed in my hand.
New message.
Elliot.
*Did you get Rachel’s phone?*
I stared at it.
Then another message appeared.
*If Daniel hears the final recording, he’ll know why Thomas was watching him before Rachel ever met him.*
Mark stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
I didn't answer.
May you like
Because a third message appeared.
*And he’ll finally learn who Emily really is.*
