Chapter 5: The Brother Who Knew Too Much
The next morning, I drove to the police station with Jayla beside me.
Neither of us said much.
The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable anymore.
It was heavy.
Filled with everything we still needed to say.
Halfway there, Jayla spoke.
“Mommy?””
I glanced at her.
“Yes?””
“Do you hate Uncle Daniel?””
The question surprised me.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
“I don’t know.””
She looked out the window.
“I used to think he was nice.””
“So did I.””
“He used to bring me ice cream after school.””
I swallowed.
“I know.””
“He told me I was like his daughter.””
My chest tightened.
“Jayla…”
“I don’t understand how someone can say they love you and still hurt you.””
I pulled the car over.
Not because we were late.
Because my daughter needed me.
I turned toward her.
“Some people say loving words because they want you to trust them.””
She looked at me.
“But real love doesn’t make you afraid.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I should have known.””
“No.””
I said it firmly.
“You were a child.””
She looked down.
“I’m fifteen.””
“You are still my child.””
For the first time, she didn’t argue.
At the station, Detective Harris met us.
He had been assigned to the case after reviewing the messages.
“We found something interesting,” he said.
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
He placed a folder on the table.
“Your brother Daniel has been contacted by Michael several times over the past year.””
I stared at him.
“How many?””
“Forty-seven.””
The number felt unreal.
“About what?””
“We’re still investigating.””
Jayla suddenly spoke.
“He knows.””
Everyone looked at her.
Detective Harris leaned forward.
“What does he know, Jayla?””
She looked nervous.
But this time, she didn’t look away.
“He knows Michael was lying to my mom.””
“About what?””
She took a breath.
“About where he was.””
I frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Jayla looked at me.
“Mommy, remember when you worked late last summer?””
“Yes.””
“You thought Michael was always home.””
I nodded slowly.
“He wasn’t.””
The room went cold.
“What?””
“He would leave after you went to work.””
My heart pounded.
“Where did he go?””
Jayla’s fingers trembled.
“I don’t know.””
Detective Harris wrote something down.
“How do you know he left?””
“Because I heard him.””
“When?””
“Almost every Thursday.””
Thursday.
My hospital shift.
The night I thought my family was being taken care of.
Detective Harris looked at me.
“Did Daniel ever visit on Thursdays?””
I couldn’t answer.
Because suddenly I remembered.
Yes.
He did.
Not every week.
But often.
He would say things like:
“I was nearby.””
“I wanted to check on you guys.””
“I missed my niece.””
I had thanked him.
I had opened my door.
I had welcomed him inside.
The detective continued.
“Mrs. Bennett, we also found something else.””
He opened another document.
“A bank transfer.””
“To who?””
“Daniel.””
I stared.
“From Michael?””
He nodded.
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
The same month Jayla said she started saving proof.
I felt the room spinning.
“What was the amount?””
Detective Harris looked at the paper.
“Twenty thousand dollars.””
Jayla covered her mouth.
“Why would Michael give him that much money?””
Nobody answered.
Because we all knew the question wasn’t why.
It was what they were paying for.
My phone rang.
I looked down.
Michael.
Again.
This time, I answered.
Everyone in the room went silent.
“Emily.””
His voice sounded calm.
Too calm.
“Where are you?””
I said nothing.
“Please don’t do this.””
My anger rose.
“Do what?””
“Destroy everything because you’re upset.””
I almost laughed.
“Upset?””
“Emily, you don’t understand what happened.””
“Then explain.””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then he said:
“I was trying to protect you.””
I looked at Jayla.
My daughter’s face showed fear.
Not anger.
Fear.
“Protect me from what?””
Michael exhaled.
“From the truth about Daniel.””
My heart stopped.
“What truth?””
Another silence.
Then Michael whispered:
“Your brother isn’t the person you think he is.””
I stood.
“You don’t get to say that.””
“Emily, listen to me. Daniel has been manipulating you for years.””
“Funny.””
“What?””
“Because my daughter says the same thing about you.””
His breathing changed.
For the first time, he sounded scared.
Then he said something I never expected.
“Jayla never told you the whole story.””
My eyes moved to my daughter.
“Then tell me.””
“Not over the phone.””
“Why?””
“Because when you hear the rest…”
He stopped.
“Michael?””
His voice dropped.
“You’ll understand why Daniel wanted that page gone.””
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Then Detective Harris asked:
“What did he say?””
I looked at Jayla.
She was already crying.
Because she knew.
“He knows about the missing page.””
Detective Harris stood.
“Mrs. Bennett, we need to find that page.””
I nodded.
But before I could speak, Jayla reached into her backpack.
Her hands were shaking.
“There’s something else.””
She pulled out a small notebook.
“I didn’t put this in the envelope.””
I opened it.
Inside were pages filled with dates.
Times.
Names.
And at the bottom of the last page was a sentence written in Jayla’s handwriting.
“If they both deny it, ask them about the night Mom almost died.””
I looked up.
“What night?””
May you like
Jayla’s face turned pale.
“The night they thought you wouldn’t wake up.””
