Chapter 13: The Father Behind the Photograph
"Hello, Ethan. I've waited thirty-seven years to meet you.""
The stranger stood behind Thomas, wearing a dark coat and an expression that seemed almost amused.
He was tall, with gray hair and deep-set blue eyes.
Something about his face felt familiar.
I looked at Margaret.
"Who is he?""
She was trembling so badly that she could barely stand.
Thomas stepped forward.
"His name is James Hayes.""
I looked at Victor.
He was staring at the stranger as though he'd seen a ghost.
"James?"" Victor whispered.
The stranger smiled.
"Hello, Victor. It's been a long time.""
Detective Miller raised his weapon.
"Everyone stay where they are!""
James lifted both hands.
"Relax, Detective. I'm not here to hurt anyone.""
I turned toward Thomas.
"Explain. Right now.""
Thomas glanced at Rachel.
Then he looked at me.
"James is Evelyn's brother. He was the man she was involved with before she met me.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"You're saying he's my biological father?""
James nodded.
"That's right.""
I stared at him.
"Where have you been for thirty-seven years?""
He gave a humorless laugh.
"Running from William Carter.""
Thomas shook his head.
"That's not the whole truth.""
James's smile disappeared.
I looked between them.
"What aren't you telling me?""
Thomas removed a folded document from his jacket.
"Your grandfather discovered that Evelyn was pregnant. He wanted the child raised under his control. James refused to cooperate.""
James interrupted.
"Because William wanted to use my son as a financial asset!""
Thomas continued.
"James disappeared before you were born. Evelyn was left alone. I promised her I would protect you.""
I looked at the stranger.
"You abandoned my mother?""
James lowered his eyes.
"I was twenty-two. William threatened to have me arrested for a crime I didn't commit. I thought disappearing was the only way to keep Evelyn and you safe.""
"Then why come back now?""
"Because William is preparing to transfer the money out of the country. And because he has finally lost control.""
Detective Miller stepped forward.
"Where is William Carter?""
James looked at Thomas.
Thomas answered.
"At the old estate.""
Miller immediately spoke into his radio.
"Send units to the Carter estate. We have confirmation that William Carter is there.""
I looked at James.
"How do you know about the eighteen million dollars?""
He reached inside his coat and removed a small black notebook.
"Because I helped your grandfather establish the original investment account.""
Victor stepped forward.
"You're the one who created the offshore structure?""
James nodded.
"And I'm the only person who knows how to unlock the original account.""
I stared at the notebook.
"So all of this was about money?""
James looked at me.
"Not entirely. William wanted to control the family. The money was simply how he did it.""
Rachel moved closer to me.
"Then why did Vanessa pretend to be pregnant?""
James's expression darkened.
"Because William needed Ethan to marry her before the next estate review. The marriage would give Vanessa a stronger legal position to challenge the trust.""
I remembered the wedding.
The flowers.
The guests.
The nursery.
The tiny clothes I'd bought.
I felt sick.
"Did you know about Rachel's accident?""
James looked directly at me.
"Yes.""
My chest tightened.
"Then why didn't you stop it?""
"I tried.""
"How?""
"I sent a warning to Thomas. But William intercepted the message.""
Thomas nodded.
"I received it too late.""
Rachel shook her head.
"Everyone was trying to protect us by keeping secrets. And we were the ones paying for it.""
Nobody answered.
Then Margaret spoke.
"I need to tell Ethan something.""
I turned toward her.
She held the original birth certificate against her chest.
"When William arranged your adoption, he made me promise never to tell you about Evelyn or James. But I wasn't the only person who signed the papers.""
She removed another document.
It was an adoption agreement.
At the bottom were three signatures.
Margaret.
Thomas.
And William Carter.
But there was a fourth signature.
Evelyn Hayes.
I examined it.
"She agreed?""
Margaret nodded.
"She was told that if she didn't sign, William would have you taken away permanently.""
I looked toward James.
He lowered his head.
"I didn't know until years later.""
For the first time, I believed he might actually be telling the truth.
Then Detective Miller's radio crackled.
"Units approaching the Carter estate. We have visual confirmation of a vehicle leaving the property.""
Miller looked at Thomas.
"Is that William?""
Thomas checked his phone.
His face changed.
"Yes.""
A message had appeared.
A photograph.
William Carter stood beside a black SUV.
Underneath it was a message:
You have one hour to bring me the blue ledger, or the truth about Ethan's birth will become the least of your problems.
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I answered.
A familiar woman's voice spoke.
Vanessa.
"Ethan, I think we need to talk.""
I clenched my jaw.
"You're in custody.""
She laughed.
"Not anymore.""
I looked at Detective Miller.
His expression hardened.
Vanessa continued.
"Your grandfather just arranged my release.""
"That's impossible.""
"Nothing is impossible when William Carter has enough money.""
I heard a car door slam.
Then she whispered:
"And Ethan? I've got something that belongs to you.""
"What?""
Her answer made Rachel grab my arm.
"Our daughter.""
The call ended.
I looked at Miller.
Then at Thomas.
"Where is Nora?""
Nobody answered.
Because suddenly, every phone in the room began ringing.
May you like
And we all realized the same terrible thing.
Nora was missing.
