Chapter 4: The Voice From the Dead
"Mom?""
The word barely escaped my mouth.
For seventeen years, I had imagined what I would say if I ever saw my mother again. I had rehearsed it in hospital waiting rooms, on lonelyThe word barely escaped my mouth.
For seventeen years, I had imagined what I would say if I ever saw my mother again. I had rehearsed it in hospital waiting rooms, on lonely birthdays, and on nights when grief made sleep impossible.
Now she was speaking through an birthdays, and on nights when grief made sleep impossible.
Now she was speaking through an old telephone in a locked room beneath the Callaway mansion.
And I couldn't think of a single thing to say.
"Rose?"" Her voice trembled.
"Sweetheart, are you there?""
I grabbed the receiver with both hands.
"It's me. It's old telephone in a locked room beneath the Callaway mansion.
And I couldn't think of a single thing to say.
"Rose?"" Her voice trembled.
"Sweetheart, are you there?""
I grabbed the receiver with both hands.
"It's me. It's really me. Where are you? Why did you leave me?""
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered, "I never left you.""
I closed my eyes.
"Don't say that. I watched them bury you.""
"No, darling. You watched them bury an empty coffin.""
My knees weakened. really me. Where are you? Why did you leave me?""
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered, "I never left you.""
I closed my eyes.
"Don't say that. I watched them bury you.""
"No, darling. You watched them bury an empty coffin.""
My knees weakened. Nathaniel caught my elbow before I fell.
He leaned toward the receiver.
"This is Nathaniel Callaway. Who are you?""
A sharp breath came through the line.
"Your mother knows exactly who I am.""
Nathan Nathaniel caught my elbow before I fell.
He leaned toward the receiver.
"This is Nathaniel Callaway. Who are you?""
A sharp breath came through the line.
"Your mother knows exactly who I am.""
Nathaniel's jaw tightened.
"She's Grace Carter.""
"I know who I am, young man.""
"Then tell me why my name is on a hospital record beside hers.""
Grace fell silent.
I heard something in the background. A door closing. Footiel's jaw tightened.
"She's Grace Carter.""
"I know who I am, young man.""
"Then tell me why my name is on a hospital record beside hers.""
Grace fell silent.
I heard something in the background. A door closing. Footsteps.
"Rose, listen carefully," she said.
"You found the room?""
"Yes.""
"Did you open the blue folder?""
I looked at the filing cabinet.
"There's a blue folder here.""
"Don't let Nathanielsteps.
"Rose, listen carefully," she said.
"You found the room?""
"Yes.""
"Did you open the blue folder?""
I looked at the filing cabinet.
"There's a blue folder here.""
"Don't let Nathaniel read it.""
He stared at me.
"Why shouldn't I?""
Grace's voice became urgent.
"Because your father put something in that folder that could destroy both of you.""
Nathaniel grabbed the receiver.
"My father is dead. Whatever he did read it.""
He stared at me.
"Why shouldn't I?""
Grace's voice became urgent.
"Because your father put something in that folder that could destroy both of you.""
Nathaniel grabbed the receiver.
"My father is dead. Whatever he did, I'm entitled to know.""
"You have no idea what Richard Callaway was capable of.""
"I grew up with him.""
"No," Grace replied.
"You grew up with the man he wanted you to believe he was.""
Nathan, I'm entitled to know.""
"You have no idea what Richard Callaway was capable of.""
"I grew up with him.""
"No," Grace replied.
"You grew up with the man he wanted you to believe he was.""
Nathaniel's expression changed.
"Was he my biological father?""
Another silence.
Then Grace answered.
"Yes.""
I looked at Nathaniel.
He looked back at me.
Something about his face suddenly seemed familiar. Not merely because we had stood beside the sameiel's expression changed.
"Was he my biological father?""
Another silence.
Then Grace answered.
"Yes.""
I looked at Nathaniel.
He looked back at me.
Something about his face suddenly seemed familiar. Not merely because we had stood beside the same photograph, but because I could see little similarities everywhere. The same dark eyebrows.
The same stubborn line of the jaw. The same small dimple appearing beside the left corner of his mouth when he was angry.
I stepped away photograph, but because I could see little similarities everywhere. The same dark eyebrows. The same stubborn line of the jaw. The same small dimple appearing beside the left corner of his mouth when he was angry.
I stepped away from him.
"Are we related?""
Grace began crying.
"You're twins.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Nathaniel slowly lowered the receiver.
"No.""
"Yes, sweetheart," Grace whispered.
"You were born twelve minutes apart.""
I stared at the two names on the photograph.
Child A: Nathaniel Callaway.
Child B: Rose from him.
"Are we related?""
Grace began crying.
"You're twins.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Nathaniel slowly lowered the receiver.
"No.""
"Yes, sweetheart," Grace whispered.
"You were born twelve minutes apart.""
I stared at the two names on the photograph.
Child A: Nathaniel Callaway.
Child B: Rose Carter.
All those years, I had believed I was an only child.
He had believed he was an only child, too.
Nathaniel turned away and pressed his palms against the desk.
"Why did they separate us Carter.
All those years, I had believed I was an only child.
He had believed he was an only child, too.
Nathaniel turned away and pressed his palms against the desk.
"Why did they separate us?""
Grace's answer came quietly.
"Because Richard wanted a son who would inherit the Callaway empire. He wanted the boy. He didn't want two children complicating his plans.""
I swallowed.
"And Eleanor?""
The line crack?""
Grace's answer came quietly.
"Because Richard wanted a son who would inherit the Callaway empire. He wanted the boy. He didn't want two children complicating his plans.""
I swallowed.
"And Eleanor?""
The line crackled.
"She was supposed to help me.""
"Help you do what?""
"Keep both of you alive.""
Nathaniel spun around.
"Alive? You're talking as though someone tried to kill us.""
Grace didn't answer immediately.
Then she said, "Your father found out about the pregnancy before you were born. He toldled.
"She was supposed to help me.""
"Help you do what?""
"Keep both of you alive.""
Nathaniel spun around.
"Alive? You're talking as though someone tried to kill us.""
Grace didn't answer immediately.
Then she said, "Your father found out about the pregnancy before you were born. He told me he would take the child he needed and make the other one disappear.""
I felt my fingers tighten around the receiver.
"Disappear how?""
"He had people who could change birth certificates, medical records, even death certificates. He made arrangements to have one of you declared dead if I refused to cooperate.""
A cold wave passed through me.
me he would take the child he needed and make the other one disappear.""
I felt my fingers tighten around the receiver.
"Disappear how?""
"He had people who could change birth certificates, medical records, even death certificates. He made arrangements to have one of you declared dead if I refused to cooperate.""
A cold wave passed through me.
"Which one?""
"Rose, I tried to stop him. I begged Eleanor to help me.""
Nathaniel moved closer.
"And she chose?""
Grace's breathing became uneven.
"She chose you, Nathaniel.""
He stared at the phone.
"She chose me?""
"Richard wanted the boy to carry his name. Eleanor agreed to raise you"Which one?""
"Rose, I tried to stop him. I begged Eleanor to help me.""
Nathaniel moved closer.
"And she chose?""
Grace's breathing became uneven.
"She chose you, Nathaniel.""
He stared at the phone.
"She chose me?""
"Richard wanted the boy to carry his name. Eleanor agreed to raise you as her son. She signed the papers. She helped erase Rose from the Callaway records.""
I shook my head.
"Then how did I survive?""
"Because Eleanor secretly helped me escape with you. She let Richard believe you were dead.""
Nathaniel went pale.
"So as her son. She signed the papers. She helped erase Rose from the Callaway records.""
I shook my head.
"Then how did I survive?""
"Because Eleanor secretly helped me escape with you. She let Richard believe you were dead.""
Nathaniel went pale.
"So she saved Rose by giving me away?""
"She saved you both in different ways," Grace said.
"But she also made a terrible choice. She let you grow up believing she was your biological mother. She let me lose you. And she allowed Richard to keep control of everything.""
I looked down at the photograph.
For the first time, Eleanor's terror made sense.
She hadn't been frightened because she saved Rose by giving me away?""
"She saved you both in different ways," Grace said.
"But she also made a terrible choice. She let you grow up believing she was your biological mother. She let me lose you. And she allowed Richard to keep control of everything.""
I looked down at the photograph.
For the first time, Eleanor's terror made sense.
She hadn't been frightened because I reminded her of an old friend.
She had recognized her own secret.
A sudden sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Nathaniel raised one finger to his lips.
I covered the receiver.
Someone was walking toward the sealed room.
"Mom I reminded her of an old friend.
She had recognized her own secret.
A sudden sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Nathaniel raised one finger to his lips.
I covered the receiver.
Someone was walking toward the sealed room.
"Mom," I whispered, "someone's coming.""
Grace heard me.
"Rose, get out of there.""
"Who is it?""
"Listen to me. You cannot let them find the second file.""
Nathaniel looked toward the door," I whispered, "someone's coming.""
Grace heard me.
"Rose, get out of there.""
"Who is it?""
"Listen to me. You cannot let them find the second file.""
Nathaniel looked toward the door.
"What second file?""
Grace's voice broke.
"The one that proves Richard wasn't the only person responsible for the fire.""
The handle began turning.
Then Grace whispered three words that made my blood run cold.
"Eleanor ordered it.""
The connection went dead.
The door swung open.
And standing in the doorway, holding an umbrella dripping with rain, was Eleanor Callaway.
Alive, alert.
"What second file?""
Grace's voice broke.
"The one that proves Richard wasn't the only person responsible for the fire.""
The handle began turning.
Then Grace whispered three words that made my blood run cold.
"Eleanor ordered it.""
The connection went dead.
The door swung open.
And standing in the doorway, holding an umbrella dripping with rain, was Eleanor Callaway.
Alive, alert, and no longer pretending to be confused.
May you like
"Rose," she said quietly.
"Put the telephone down.""
