Chapter 11: The Sister Who Knew Too Much
I stared at the phone.
Elaine.
My older sister.
The woman who had held my hand at Robert's funeral.
The woman who brought casseroles to my house.
The woman who cried with me when I thought my life was over.
My sister.
The person Robert had warned me about.
No one spoke.
Everyone waited.
Finally, Andre said quietly:
"Mom...""
I answered.
"Hello?""
Silence.
Then Elaine's voice.
"Margaret.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
A long pause.
"Because you found the file.""
My heart sank.
"You knew?""
"I knew Robert left something behind.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"You knew about all of this?""
Elaine sighed.
"I knew enough.""
Anger rose inside me.
"Enough to help them?""
"No.""
Her voice became defensive.
"Never that.""
"Then explain.""
She was quiet.
Then she said:
"Not over the phone.""
I almost laughed.
"After everything, you want privacy?""
"Please.""
I looked at Detective Harris.
He nodded.
"Keep her talking.""
I turned away.
"Where are you?""
Another pause.
Then:
"At Robert's old house.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
"Margaret, please come alone.""
I almost ended the call.
Almost.
But something stopped me.
Maybe because Elaine was my sister.
Maybe because after losing Robert, she was one of the few people I had left.
"Why?""
Her voice broke.
"Because I need to tell you what Robert never knew.""
The call ended.
Twenty minutes later, I stood outside the house where Robert and I had lived before we moved to Atlanta.
The place had been empty for years.
I hadn't been able to sell it.
Too many memories.
Too much history.
Detective Harris wanted to come with me.
I refused.
Not because I trusted Elaine.
Because I needed to hear the truth from her without anyone interrupting.
Andre stood beside the car.
"Mom, don't go alone.""
I looked at him.
"You hid things from me for four years.""
His face fell.
"I know.""
"But you also protected your father.""
He nodded.
"And I don't know what to believe anymore.""
He understood.
"I'll wait here.""
I walked inside.
Elaine was standing in the living room.
She looked older.
Smaller.
Not like the woman from my memories.
"You look just like Mom.""
The words surprised me.
I almost cried.
Then I remembered why I was there.
"Tell me.""
Elaine looked down.
"Robert came to me before he died.""
My heart tightened.
"What did he say?""
"He knew something was wrong.""
She sat down.
"He asked me to watch over you.""
I stared.
"Then why did you help them?""
"I didn't.""
"Your name was in the file.""
She closed her eyes.
"Because I made one mistake.""
"What mistake?""
Elaine looked at me.
"I introduced Robert to Vanessa.""
The room went silent.
"What?""
"Years ago. Before Danielle. Before any of this.""
My stomach twisted.
"Why?""
"Because I thought she was trustworthy.""
Elaine wiped her eyes.
"I didn't know she was using Robert.""
I shook my head.
"But Robert knew.""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't he tell me?""
Elaine looked toward the window.
"Because he found out something worse.""
"What?""
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
"Vanessa wasn't working alone.""
I already knew that.
But hearing it again made my heart race.
"Who?""
Elaine looked at me.
"Someone from our family.""
The same answer.
The same nightmare.
I stepped back.
"No.""
Elaine reached for my hand.
"Margaret, listen.""
I pulled away.
"Who?""
She whispered:
"Your son.""
The world stopped.
Again.
"No.""
"Robert believed Andre was being controlled.""
"You told me Andre wasn't the enemy.""
"He wasn't.""
"Then why say his name?""
Elaine looked terrified.
"Because someone used Andre's trust.""
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Detective Harris.
*We checked the laptop file. The document was modified after Robert's death. Someone wanted you to suspect Elaine.*
I stared at the screen.
Then looked at my sister.
"You were framed.""
Elaine nodded.
"Yes.""
A tear fell down her face.
"But there is something I never told you.""
"What?""
She reached into her bag.
Pulled out an envelope.
And handed it to me.
"Robert gave this to me the night before he died.""
My hands shook.
"Why didn't you give it to me?""
"Because he told me not to.""
I opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
Robert's handwriting.
*If anything happens to me, protect Margaret from the person who loves her the most.*
I looked up.
Elaine whispered:
"I thought he meant me.""
Then my phone rang.
Detective Harris.
I answered.
His voice was urgent.
"Mrs. Bennett, you need to get back here.""
"Why?""
A pause.
Then:
"We found another hidden file on Robert's laptop.""
My heart raced.
"What file?""
The detective took a breath.
"Security footage.""
"From where?""
"Your house.""
I froze.
"When?""
"Three days before Robert died.""
My hand covered my mouth.
Because Robert had recorded something.
Something inside our home.
Something he never told me about.
May you like
And then Detective Harris said:
"Margaret, you need to see who entered your house that night.""
