Chapter 12: The Man Who Was Never Supposed to Return
For several seconds, the hallway seemed to disappear around me.
My father had always told me that my biological father died before I was old enough to remember him.
His name was Thomas Williams.
I had one photograph of him, a faded picture of a smiling man holding me as a baby.
My mother never spoke much about him.
When I was young, I asked questions.
She always gave the same answer.
"Your daddy loved you, sweetheart. Sometimes life takes people away before we're ready.""
Later, when she married Robert, he became the father who raised me.
He had never treated me as anything less than his own daughter.
But now Eleanor's letter suggested that Margaret knew something about Thomas's death.
And my father had just admitted he might not know the truth either.
"Why would Margaret know anything about my biological father?"" I asked.
Eleanor placed the letter on the table.
"Because Thomas was involved in a financial dispute with Harold Mitchell shortly before his death.""
My father sat down.
"What kind of dispute?""
"Your mother never gave me the complete details. But she told me Thomas had discovered irregularities involving a property investment company.""
I looked at the documents.
"Mitchell Heritage Holdings?""
Eleanor nodded.
"Possibly. The company existed under an earlier name.""
Rebecca stepped closer.
"Does that mean Margaret knew Thomas?""
"Yes," Eleanor replied.
"And according to your mother's notes, they had several meetings before his death.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Why would my mother hide this?""
"She may have been trying to protect you.""
My father rubbed his face.
"I need to make a call.""
He stepped away and dialed someone.
Meanwhile, Elaine began reviewing the estate documents with Eleanor.
I sat beside Rebecca.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered:
"Sarah, I really am sorry.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know Margaret was involved with Harold?""
"No.""
"Did you know Daniel was planning to take Lily?""
She shook her head.
"I knew he wanted custody. I didn't know about the passport or the international move.""
"Why did you accept the money?""
Rebecca wiped her eyes.
"My business failed. I owed money. Margaret approached me and said Daniel wanted to help me.""
I stared at her.
"Two hundred and twenty thousand dollars?""
She nodded.
"She said it was an advance against my inheritance.""
I looked away.
"Rebecca, you could have asked me for help.""
"I know.""
"You could have told me you were struggling.""
"I know.""
"Instead, you helped them destroy my life.""
She started crying again.
"I was jealous.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
"Mom always trusted you with everything. You got the house. You got the savings.
You had Daniel, Lily, and a family. I felt like I was always the one who needed help.""
I shook my head.
"You think I had an easy life?""
"No.""
"You think I never struggled?""
She lowered her face.
"I know I was wrong.""
I didn't forgive her.
Not then.
Maybe not ever.
But I finally understood how Margaret had manipulated her.
And understanding wasn't the same as excusing.
My father returned.
His face looked troubled.
"Sarah, I spoke with someone who knew Thomas.""
"Who?""
"An old colleague of his.""
He pulled out his phone.
"I asked him whether there had ever been an investigation into the accident.""
"And?""
"He told me something unexpected.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"There was no confirmed accident report matching the date your mother gave us.""
I stared at him.
"Then how did Thomas die?""
Dad shook his head.
"We don't know yet.""
Eleanor opened her document case.
"Your mother left another note concerning Thomas. I haven't shown it to you because I wanted to verify its authenticity.""
She handed it to me.
It was a small handwritten card.
If Sarah ever asks about Thomas, tell her the truth. He didn't abandon her. He was trying to come home.
My eyes filled.
"Trying to come home?""
Eleanor nodded.
"Your mother believed Thomas was planning to return shortly before he disappeared.""
My father looked at the note.
"Did she ever contact the police?""
"She said she tried. But she was advised that the matter had already been closed.""
"By whom?""
Eleanor hesitated.
"Harold.""
A cold silence settled over us.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A man's voice spoke.
"Sarah Mitchell?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Detective Collins. I'm contacting you regarding the financial investigation involving Margaret and Harold Mitchell.""
My father moved closer.
"Yes, Detective?""
The man continued.
"We've recovered some archived correspondence from Harold's office. There's a reference to an individual named Thomas Williams.""
I gripped the phone.
"What does it say?""
There was a pause.
"According to the correspondence, Thomas was scheduled to meet Harold three days before his disappearance.""
My knees weakened.
"Was there any information about what happened to him?""
"Yes. We also found a bank transfer made shortly after the meeting.""
"To whom?""
The detective paused again.
"Margaret Mitchell.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
"Seventy-five thousand dollars.""
My father stood completely still.
The detective continued.
"There's also a second document. It appears to be a signed statement from Thomas, indicating that he was voluntarily leaving the country and surrendering all parental contact with his daughter.""
I shook my head.
"That can't be true.""
"There's a problem with the document.""
"What problem?""
"The signature appears to have been witnessed by Harold Mitchell.""
I looked at Eleanor.
She was already shaking her head.
"Harold wasn't a notary," she whispered.
The detective heard her.
"Exactly. We're investigating the document's validity.""
I swallowed.
"Do you know where Thomas went?""
The detective was silent for several seconds.
Then he said:
"Mrs. Mitchell, we found a recent address connected to him.""
My heart began pounding.
"Where?""
"Charleston, South Carolina.""
I couldn't speak.
"According to records, someone using Thomas Williams's identity has been receiving mail at that address for the past six months.""
My father grabbed the edge of the table.
"Are you saying he's alive?""
"We haven't confirmed that yet.""
The detective continued.
"But there's something else. The address belongs to a residential care facility.""
I stared at him.
"Why would he be there?""
"We don't know. However, the facility's administrator has agreed to speak with investigators.""
Then the detective added something that made the entire room go silent.
"Mrs. Mitchell, the man at that address has been asking about you.""
I covered my mouth.
"About me?""
"Yes. And according to the facility's records, he's been asking for your telephone number every week.""
The call ended.
I stood motionless.
My biological father might still be alive.
The man I'd believed had abandoned me might have been trying to reach me for years.
And Margaret had apparently paid money to keep him away.
My father gently took my hand.
"Sarah, whatever we discover, you're not facing it alone.""
I nodded through my tears.
Then Elaine's phone rang.
She answered, listened briefly, and turned toward us.
"That was the investigator. They've just obtained another document from Harold's office.""
"What document?""
She placed a photograph on the table.
It was an old photograph of Thomas standing outside a building.
Margaret was beside him.
And in the background stood Daniel.
But Daniel was only a teenager in the photograph.
On the back, someone had written:
*THE BOY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO THOMAS. NEVER LET HIM TALK.*
I stared at the photograph.
Daniel had known about Thomas long before he married me.
He had known about the man I thought was dead.
And suddenly, the secret behind my husband's obsession with my family became even darker.
May you like
Because the photograph was dated eighteen years ago.
And Daniel had been standing beside the man who supposedly disappeared seven years before I married him.
