Chapter 6
I thought I had misheard him.
“Your sister?”
Daniel nodded.
Emma stared at him.
“You have a sister?”
“I had one.”
The past tense landed heavily.
I looked at Daniel.
“You told me you were an only child.”
“My parents raised me as one.”
“That isn't an answer.”
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck.
“Claire was my half sister.”
“Was?”
“She died eight years ago.”
My anger was returning.
“You never told me she existed.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because my family didn't talk about her.”
Margaret made a tired sound.
“That's convenient.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You don't know what happened.”
“I know enough.”
“Then tell us,” I said.
Daniel sat down slowly.
“My father had Claire before he met my mother. Claire lived with us for a few years when we were teenagers.”
“What happened?”
“She ran away at seventeen.”
“Why?”
Daniel stared at the floor.
“My father was controlling.”
“That seems like a gentle word.”
He looked up.
“It was a bad house.”
Something in his voice made me stop pushing.
Not because I forgave him.
Because I recognized pain.
Emma sat beside me.
“What does she have to do with Dad?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I didn't know she had anything to do with him.”
Margaret spoke.
“Claire and Jason knew each other.”
“How?”
“She worked at a bar he used to visit.”
I turned to Daniel.
“Did you know that?”
“No.”
Margaret nodded.
“I believe him.”
Daniel looked surprised.
She continued.
“Jason never knew Claire was Daniel's sister.”
My mind struggled to keep up.
“So Claire picked Jason up from the bus station?”
“From outside it.”
“Why?”
“Because they were involved.”
Emma whispered, “Like dating?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
I felt as though I'd been struck.
Jason had been cheating.
While stealing from me.
While threatening to take our daughter.
“He was sleeping with her?”
Margaret looked at me.
“Yes.”
Daniel stood.
“No.”
Margaret met his eyes.
“I'm sorry.”
“No.”
“She told me herself.”
Daniel's face hardened.
“When?”
“Before she died.”
I watched him absorb it.
Whatever secrets Daniel had kept, this wasn't one of them.
He looked genuinely shattered.
“She knew Jason had a family?”
Margaret nodded.
“Eventually.”
“When?”
“I don't know.”
Daniel turned away.
Emma stared at the floor.
“So Dad didn't leave because of Daniel.”
“No,” Margaret said.
“He left because his debts were closing in, Rachel was going to discover the theft, and Claire offered him somewhere to go.”
I whispered, “Where?”
“Florida.”
A memory hit me.
Seven years ago, I had once received a postcard from Jacksonville.
No return address.
Only two words.
I'm sorry.
I had thrown it away.
I always assumed Jason sent it.
Maybe he had.
“What happened in Florida?” I asked.
Margaret shifted in her wheelchair.
“They lived together for almost a year.”
Daniel's head snapped around.
“A year?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't Claire contact me?”
“She didn't trust your family.”
“She could have called me.”
Margaret's expression softened.
“She was ashamed.”
“Of what?”
“Jason.”
Daniel looked sick.
Margaret continued.
“He started using heavily again. He stole from her.”
Emma shut her eyes.
“He hit her once.”
Daniel moved so fast his chair fell backward.
“What?”
I stood.
“Daniel.”
He was shaking.
Margaret said, “She told me he pushed her during an argument.”
Daniel's fists clenched.
“You said hit.”
“She fell into a door.”
Daniel looked ready to explode.
Emma suddenly shouted.
“Stop!”
He froze.
She pointed at him.
“Don't act like you're going to kill him.”
Daniel's face changed.
“I wouldn't.”
“You look like you would.”
He opened his hands.
Then slowly sat.
“I'm sorry.”
Emma was crying again.
She looked at Margaret.
“How did Aunt Claire die?”
Daniel flinched at the word Aunt.
Margaret hesitated too long.
I felt dread.
“Margaret.”
“She overdosed.”
Daniel stared at her.
“No.”
“I'm sorry.”
“No.”
“Daniel—”
“She died in a car accident.”
“That is what your father told people.”
Daniel stood again.
“He identified her body.”
“Yes.”
“He said the police called him.”
“They did.”
“Then how do you know?”
“Because I was there three days before she died.”
Daniel's face went blank.
Margaret continued carefully.
“Claire called me.”
“Why you?”
“Because she knew I was Jason's mother.”
The room seemed to contract.
“She wanted help.”
“With what?”
“Getting away from him.”
Emma covered her mouth.
Daniel whispered, “Jason was with her when she died?”
Margaret looked down.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“She had been clean for six months,” Margaret said.
“Then Jason appeared again. They argued. He left. Two nights later, she took pills.”
Daniel looked toward the window.
He didn't speak.
I had never seen him look so empty.
I wanted to comfort him.
My hand even lifted.
Then I remembered everything he hadn't told me.
It fell again.
Emma stood.
She crossed the room.
Daniel didn't notice until she touched his arm.
He looked down.
She whispered, “I'm sorry.”
His mouth trembled.
“Thank you.”
She hugged him.
Not like before.
Not like a daughter running to her father.
More carefully.
But it was the first time she'd touched him since dinner.
Daniel closed his eyes.
He didn't hug her back immediately.
Then his arms wrapped gently around her.
I looked away because I suddenly couldn't breathe.
Margaret watched them.
Tears filled her eyes.
“There's more,” she whispered.
Daniel released Emma.
“Please don't tell me Claire had a child.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
He exhaled.
“But she left something.”
“What?”
“A box.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What box?”
“She mailed it to me the week before she died.”
“What's in it?”
“Letters. Photographs. A small recorder.”
My pulse jumped.
“A recorder?”
Margaret nodded.
“She recorded Jason.”
Emma stepped closer.
“About what?”
“His plans.”
“What plans?”
Margaret looked at me.
“To come back to Nashville.”
My stomach tightened.
“When?”
“Eight years ago.”
Daniel frowned.
“But he didn't come back.”
Margaret shook her head.
“He changed his mind.”
“Why?”
“He found out Rachel had married Daniel.”
Emma looked at me.
“We married eight years ago.”
“Yes.”
Margaret continued.
“Claire said Jason became obsessed when he saw the wedding announcement online.”
I remembered posting one photograph.
Just one.
Daniel kissing my forehead.
Emma between us.
All three of us laughing.
“He said Daniel had taken everything,” Margaret said.
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Everything he abandoned.”
Margaret nodded.
“Claire told him that.”
“What happened?”
“They fought.”
“Then?”
“Jason said someday Emma would know who her real father was.”
Emma's face went pale.
Margaret reached into the bag hanging from her wheelchair.
She pulled out a key.
“I kept the box.”
“Where?” Daniel asked.
“Safe-deposit box.”
She handed the key to me.
“Bowling Green Community Bank.”
I stared at it.
“Why keep it for eight years?”
“Because Claire asked me to.”
“Why didn't you tell Daniel?”
Margaret's voice broke.
“Cowardice.”
She looked at him.
“I had already lost my son. I was afraid if I gave you evidence against him, I would lose whatever chance remained of getting him back.”
Daniel's eyes filled with anger.
“So you protected Jason.”
“Yes.”
“After what he did to Claire?”
“Yes.”
Margaret bowed her head.
“And it is the greatest shame of my life.”
No one spoke.
Finally Emma whispered, “Can we get the box tonight?”
“The bank is closed.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
My phone rang.
Jason.
I stared at the screen.
Margaret grabbed my wrist.
“Don't tell him about the box.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because when Jason wants something, he becomes the man I spent my whole life making excuses for.”
The phone kept ringing.
Emma said, “Answer.”
I did.
“Rachel.”
Jason sounded out of breath.
“Where are you?”
“We're still with your mother.”
A long silence.
“What did she tell you?”
“The truth.”
“You don't know what that means.”
“She told us about Claire.”
Another silence.
Then Jason's voice changed.
“Put Daniel on.”
Daniel held out his hand.
I gave him the phone.
“Jason.”
“What did my mother say about Claire?”
“That you were with her.”
“That's none of your business.”
“She was my sister.”
Jason laughed harshly.
“She hated you.”
Daniel's face tightened.
“That doesn't make what you did to her okay.”
“What I did?”
“You stole from her.”
“Did Mom tell you that?”
“She told me enough.”
“She told you the version that makes her feel less guilty.”
Daniel clenched his jaw.
“Did you hurt Claire?”
“No.”
“Did you push her?”
Silence.
Daniel's breathing changed.
“Did you?”
“She came at me.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Jason continued rapidly.
“She was high. She was screaming. She threw something.”
“You said she was high?”
“Yeah.”
Margaret shouted from across the room.
“Liar!”
Jason heard her.
“Mom.”
“She was clean when you came back!”
“Stay out of this.”
“You always say that when someone remembers what really happened.”
Jason's voice became furious.
“Rachel, get Emma out of there.”
Emma walked toward the phone.
“Why?”
“Because my mother is sick.”
Margaret laughed bitterly.
“I may be sick, Jason, but I'm not confused.”
“Emma, don't listen to her.”
Emma stared at the phone.
“Why did you tell me she was dead?”
Jason said nothing.
“Why?”
“I wanted to protect you.”
“From Grandma?”
“Yes.”
“Or from what she knew?”
Silence.
Emma started crying.
“Dad?”
Jason's voice softened.
“I love you.”
She shook her head.
“Answer me.”
“I love you.”
“That's not an answer.”
“I'll explain everything tomorrow.”
Emma wiped her face.
“No.”
“What?”
“You've had two months.”
“Emma—”
“No more tomorrow.”
She looked at Margaret.
Then Daniel.
Then me.
“Tell me now why you lied about Grandma.”
Jason breathed heavily into the phone.
Finally he said, “Because she blamed me for Claire's death.”
Daniel's whole body stiffened.
Emma whispered, “Should she?”
“No.”
“Then why were you afraid I'd talk to her?”
“I'm not afraid.”
The lie was obvious.
Then Jason said something unexpected.
“Listen carefully. Whatever Mom told you about a box, don't believe her.”
Everyone froze.
Margaret went white.
Daniel looked at me.
I stared at the key in my hand.
I had never mentioned a box.
Neither had Emma.
Margaret whispered, “How does he know?”
Jason heard her.
His voice became low.
“You should've destroyed it when I told you to, Mom.”
Margaret's face tightened with terror.
Then the call ended.
For several seconds nobody moved.
I looked at the key.
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“We need to get that box.”
“The bank's closed.”
“I know.”
Emma whispered, “Dad knows we're going.”
Not Dad.
Not Daniel.
Jason.
Her biological father.
I looked at Margaret.
“Who else knows where the box is?”
She shook her head.
“No one.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Someone sent us your picture tonight.”
Margaret looked confused.
“I told you, it wasn't me.”
“So someone else knew we needed to come here.”
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A new message.
You have until 9:00 tomorrow morning.
After that, Jason gets the box first.
Attached was a photograph.
The photograph showed the entrance to Bowling Green Community Bank.
May you like
Taken at night.
Taken minutes ago.
