Chapter 7: The Father Who Came Back From the Dead
"Your father didn't die either.""
Rachel's words seemed to suck all the air out of the chapel.
I stared at the photograph Detective Miller had placed on the table.
The man standing outside my house had silver hair, broad shoulders, and a familiar scar above his right eyebrow.
My father.
Thomas Carter.
The man whose funeral I had attended seven years earlier.
The man whose ashes sat inside a wooden urn in my study.
I looked at Rachel.
"That's impossible.""
She shook her head.
"I wish it were.""
"My father died of a heart attack. I saw his body.""
Rachel lowered her eyes.
"No, Ethan. You saw a closed casket.""
I remembered that funeral.
The private viewing.
The medical explanation.
My mother insisting that I shouldn't look inside because Dad's body had been badly damaged.
I had believed her.
I had trusted her.
Detective Miller pulled out a chair.
"Mr. Carter, we have reason to believe your father's death was deliberately misrepresented.""
I shook my head.
"Why would anyone do that?""
Rachel looked toward Margaret.
"Because your father knew about the insurance policy.""
My mother immediately stood.
"Don't you dare bring Thomas into this!""
Rachel turned toward her.
"He discovered the forged signatures. He knew Vanessa and Daniel were trying to take control of the properties.""
Margaret's hands began shaking.
I looked at her.
"Mom, what happened to Dad?""
She wouldn't meet my eyes.
Ryan finally spoke.
"After Dad supposedly died, I received a phone call from him.""
I turned sharply.
"You spoke to him?""
Ryan nodded.
"Three weeks after the funeral.""
My chest tightened.
"And you never told me?""
"He told me not to.""
I stared at my brother.
"Why does everyone in this family know something except me?""
Ryan looked devastated.
"Because Dad said you were being watched.""
Detective Miller interrupted.
"That's consistent with what we've uncovered. Someone had access to your home, your business records, and your personal schedule.""
I looked toward Vanessa.
She was standing near the chapel doors with her arms crossed.
"Did you know my father was alive?""
She didn't answer.
I stepped toward her.
"Vanessa!""
She finally looked at me.
"Your father made his own choices.""
Rachel grabbed my arm.
"Don't.""
But I couldn't stop.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"Nothing. Unlike Rachel, your father understood that sometimes people have to disappear.""
Miller immediately stepped between us.
"That's enough.""
Vanessa looked at him.
"You have no proof of anything.""
The detective pulled another photograph from his folder.
This one showed my father entering a small apartment building.
The timestamp was from the previous evening.
Then he placed a second photograph beside it.
My father was sitting at a restaurant with Daniel Mercer.
And beside Daniel was Vanessa.
I felt my stomach turn.
"Why were they meeting?""
Miller answered carefully.
"We don't know yet.""
Rachel leaned closer.
"Because Thomas was trying to get the original trust documents.""
I turned.
"What original documents?""
"My father-in-law made copies before he disappeared. He told me once that if anything happened to him, I should find the blue ledger.""
Ryan nodded.
"That's why Dad contacted me.""
I looked at my brother.
"Where is it?""
He hesitated.
"I don't know.""
Vanessa suddenly laughed.
"Of course you don't.""
Ryan turned toward her.
"At least I never tried to kill anyone.""
Her smile vanished.
Miller signaled to another officer.
"Ms. Blake, we'd like you to accompany us for further questioning.""
Vanessa immediately lifted her chin.
"On what grounds?""
"We have sufficient grounds to detain you while we investigate the evidence presented today.""
She looked at me.
"Ethan, if you let them take me, you'll regret it.""
I stared at her.
"I've regretted meeting you every day since Rachel disappeared.""
For the first time, Vanessa looked genuinely angry.
She pointed at Nora.
"You have no idea what that child has done.""
I stepped in front of my daughter.
"Don't you ever speak about her again.""
The officers escorted Vanessa toward the chapel entrance.
But before she crossed the doors, she turned around.
"Ask your father why he disappeared, Ethan!""
I froze.
She smiled coldly.
"Ask him what he did to your real mother.""
The chapel went silent.
My mother dropped into a chair.
I turned toward her.
"What does that mean?""
Margaret began crying.
"Please don't.""
I felt my pulse racing.
"Mom, what did Vanessa mean?""
Rachel looked at Margaret.
"Tell him.""
My mother covered her face.
"I didn't want you to find out this way.""
"Find out what?""
She finally looked up.
"Thomas wasn't your biological father.""
For several seconds, I couldn't understand the sentence.
Then I laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because the alternative was accepting that every part of my life had been built on lies.
"What?""
Margaret whispered, "I was pregnant when I met Thomas.""
I stepped backward.
"Who was my real father?""
She opened her mouth.
But before she could answer, Detective Miller's phone rang.
He listened briefly.
Then his expression changed.
"What do you mean he's here?""
He looked at me.
"Mr. Carter, your father has just walked into the police station.""
My heart began pounding.
May you like
Miller added quietly:
"And he's asking specifically for you.""
