Chapter 4: The Second Child
The man's words hung in the air between us.
My mother stepped forward.
“Richard, leave.””
The man smiled.
“You still use that voice when you're frightened, Eleanor.””
I looked at him.
“Who are you?””
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he glanced at my mother.
“You never told her my name?””
“I told her enough,” Mom said.
“No, you told her whatever version made you look innocent.””
My mother's hand closed around mine.
“Get in the car, Kate.””
I pulled away.
“No.””
She stared at me.
“Kate.””
“I want the truth.””
Richard laughed softly.
“That sounds like your mother.””
Mom's eyes flashed.
“Don't.””
He looked at me again.
“My name is Richard Mercer.””
The surname hit me.
Mercer.
Milo.
My mother.
And now him.
“Are you his grandfather?”” I asked.
Richard's smile disappeared.
“I was.””
“What does that mean?””
“I was Milo's grandfather.””
“Was?””
Richard looked toward the corner where Milo had vanished.
“That boy has a talent for surviving.””
My mother stepped between us.
“You're not taking him again.””
Richard's expression hardened.
“I didn't take him the first time.””
“You know exactly what you did.””
“And you know exactly what you did.””
Silence.
I looked at my mother.
“What is he talking about?””
She wouldn't look at me.
Richard reached into his coat.
Mom immediately grabbed my arm.
“Get behind me.””
He pulled out a small envelope.
Not a weapon.
A photograph.
He held it toward me.
“Ask your mother about this.””
I took it.
The photograph showed my mother much younger, standing beside a hospital bed.
A newborn baby was wrapped in a white blanket.
My mother was crying.
On the back, someone had written:
*Baby Girl Mercer — March 14, 2013.*
My heart stopped.
I looked at Mom.
“What is this?””
Her face crumpled.
“Kate…”
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
“That date.””
March 14.
The date on Milo's necklace.
The date my mother said her life changed.
“Was I born that day?””
She nodded.
I stared at the baby.
“Then why did you say Milo was your son?””
“He was.””
“And I'm your daughter.””
“Yes.””
My voice became a whisper.
“Then how did you lose both of us?””
Richard answered for her.
“You didn't lose them, Eleanor.””
Mom turned on him.
“Enough.””
“You chose.””
Her face went white.
I looked at him.
“What did she choose?””
Richard folded his arms.
“Your mother had two children.””
I stared at him.
“Twins?””
Mom's eyes closed.
Richard nodded.
“A boy and a girl.””
The world seemed to tilt.
Milo.
Me.
Twins.
I remembered his eyes.
His voice.
The strange familiarity I'd felt from the beginning.
“Oh my God.””
Mom reached for me.
“I wanted to tell you.””
“When?””
“When I knew it was safe.””
“Safe from what?””
Richard stepped closer.
“From the truth.””
Mom glared at him.
“You're the reason it wasn't safe.””
“No,” Richard said.
“Daniel was.””
My mother froze.
I looked between them.
“You said Daniel died.””
“He did,” Richard said.
“Then why are you talking about him?””
Richard's eyes settled on my mother.
“Because your mother still doesn't know what happened to him.””
Mom's face drained of color.
“What are you saying?””
Richard pulled another document from the envelope.
“Daniel didn't die in an accident.””
He handed it to me.
I read the first line.
*Death Certificate — Daniel Mercer.*
Then I saw the date.
It was three years after the date my mother claimed he died.
I looked up.
“This says he was alive.””
Richard nodded.
“He was.””
My mother stared at the paper in my hands.
“No.””
Richard's voice became cold.
“Someone wanted you to believe he was dead.””
Mom backed away.
“Who?””
Richard looked at me.
“That's the question you should be asking.””
Suddenly, a phone rang.
Not mine.
Not Mom's.
Richard reached into his pocket.
His expression changed when he saw the screen.
“Where is Milo?”” a voice demanded through the speaker.
Richard looked directly at me.
Then he said,
“He's with someone I never expected.””
Mom's eyes widened.
“Who?””
Richard smiled.
“Your daughter.””
And somewhere behind us, from the darkened bookstore entrance, a voice whispered my name.
“Kate.””
I turned.
May you like
Milo was standing there.
And he was holding a gun.
