Chapter 7: The Signature
The first police officer entered with his hand resting on his holster.
“Ma’am, step away from Mr. Hayes.””
I looked at Raymond lying beside the fireplace.
Blood soaked through his shirt.
Then I looked at the paper in my hand.
My name.
My signature.
A confession to a shooting I hadn't committed.
“I didn't shoot him.””
The older officer glanced at the paper.
“Mrs. Hayes, we need you to put the document down.””
“My name is Margaret Hayes.””
He nodded.
“I understand.””
“No, you don't.””
Terrence stepped forward.
“She didn't shoot him.””
The second officer immediately blocked his path.
“Sir, stay where you are.””
“But you don't understand,” Terrence said.
“My mother was downstairs with me when the lights went out.””
The first officer looked at him.
“You were downstairs?””
“Yes.””
“With whom?””
Terrence hesitated.
“With my wife.””
The officer's eyes moved toward the doorway.
Lennox was gone.
The front door swung slightly in the wind.
“She was here,” Terrence said.
The officer frowned.
“Who?””
“My wife.””
“Where is she?””
“I don't know.””
The officer looked at me.
“Mrs. Hayes, where did your daughter-in-law go?””
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because suddenly I realized what Lennox had done.
She hadn't simply planted the confession.
She had made sure there was no witness except Terrence.
And Terrence was the man whose voice had been recorded telling her to threaten me.
I looked at him.
His face was devastated.
“Mom, don't look at me like that.””
“I don't know what to believe anymore.””
He stepped closer.
“I didn't do this.””
The second officer pointed toward the kitchen.
“Sir, stay there.””
Raymond groaned.
Everyone turned.
The older officer crouched beside him.
“Sir, can you hear me?””
Raymond opened his eyes.
“Margaret…”
“I’m here.””
“Basement.””
“What about it?””
“The wall.””
His fingers tightened around mine.
“Behind the wall.””
Then his eyes closed.
The officer checked his pulse.
“We need an ambulance.””
I watched the second officer scan the room.
His gaze stopped on the fireplace.
Then on the blood.
Then on the paper in my hand.
“Where's the weapon?””
“I don't know.””
He looked at Terrence.
“Did you see a gun?””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
The officer nodded slowly.
“Then we're going to have to search the house.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“No.””
He looked at me.
“Why?””
“Because someone planted evidence here.””
“That is precisely why we need to search.””
He reached for the paper.
I didn't let go.
“This was forged.””
“Mrs. Hayes…”
“My father warned me.””
The officer stopped.
“What father?””
“Raymond.””
The officer looked at the injured man.
“That's impossible.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
The officer's face changed.
He looked toward his partner.
Then back at me.
“Because Raymond Hayes died twenty-three years ago.””
My blood ran cold.
Terrence whispered, “What?””
The officer stood.
“Mrs. Hayes, who exactly is this man?””
I looked down at Raymond.
He was conscious again.
Barely.
“Tell them,” I whispered.
His lips moved.
“Don't.””
“Tell them who you are.””
He shook his head.
Then he looked at Terrence.
“Your father…”
His breath caught.
“Your father wasn't your father.””
Terrence stared at him.
“What?””
Raymond's eyes closed.
The ambulance siren grew louder outside.
The officers exchanged another look.
Then one of them reached for his radio.
And from the basement came a loud metallic crash.
Everyone froze.
The older officer drew his weapon.
“Who's down there?””
No one answered.
I knew immediately.
There was only one person who could still be in my basement.
May you like
Lennox.
And she had just found whatever my father had spent twenty-three years hiding.
