Chapter 4: The Car That Was Never Investigated
My father stared at the photograph for nearly a minute.
Then he turned it over again, carefully tracing my mother's handwriting with his thumb.
"If anything happens to me, trust nobody.""
His voice cracked on the last word.
I had never seen him look so frightened.
"Richard," Nicole said, forcing a calmness into her voice, "you need to stop letting these children manipulate you.""
Dad didn't look at her.
"Whose car is this?""
Nicole crossed her arms.
"I don't remember.""
"That's Daniel's car. The silver Mercedes he owned eight years ago.""
"Then ask Daniel.""
"I intend to.""
Dad reached for his phone.
Nicole stepped forward and grabbed his arm.
"Don't call him.""
Dad slowly looked down at her hand.
"Take your hand off me.""
She released him.
I watched her face. Her usual confidence had disappeared, replaced by something desperate.
"Dad," I whispered, "what happened the night Mom died?""
He closed his eyes.
"Your mother called me at 8:12 that evening. She said she had something important to tell me when I got home.""
"What was it?""
"I don't know. I was at work. I told her I'd be home in an hour.""
He swallowed.
"At 8:46, the police called. They said her car had gone off the road.""
I looked at the photograph.
"And Daniel?""
Dad rubbed his forehead.
"Daniel told me he'd been at home that evening. He said he hadn't spoken to Isabelle in weeks.""
Nicole suddenly laughed.
"Richard, you're going to destroy your family over an old photograph?""
Dad turned toward her.
"You told me Daniel was with you that night.""
Her mouth fell open.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What?""
Dad continued.
"You told me you were at Daniel's apartment because he was having a problem with his business. You said you didn't know Isabelle had been driving that road.""
Nicole shook her head.
"I never said that.""
"You did. I remember because I asked why you were there instead of helping me at the hospital.""
She looked away.
Ethan squeezed my hand.
"Daddy, can we go somewhere else?""
Dad immediately knelt.
"Yes, buddy. We're going to be okay.""
But before he could stand, Nicole grabbed the photograph from the table.
"Give that back," I shouted.
She held it above her head.
"You have no idea what you're doing, Maya!""
"That's my mother!""
Nicole ripped the photograph down the middle.
The sound was small.
But something inside me broke.
Dad seized the two pieces.
"GET OUT!""
Nicole stared at him.
"You cannot throw me out without understanding what happens next.""
"I understand enough.""
She pointed at Ethan.
"He's my son. You're not taking him away from me.""
Dad stepped between them.
"Nobody is taking him anywhere. But you're not going near Maya again.""
Nicole's expression turned poisonous.
"You think you're protecting her? Ask your precious daughter what she was doing in Isabelle's room last month.""
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
Nicole smiled.
"She found something. Didn't you, Maya?""
My blood ran cold.
Three weeks earlier, I'd found a small brass key inside an old jewelry box in my mother's closet.
I'd hidden it inside my school pencil case because Nicole had been searching through Mom's belongings.
I hadn't told anyone.
Not even Dad.
Nicole knew.
Dad turned toward me.
"Maya?""
"I don't know what she's talking about.""
Nicole laughed.
"Of course you don't.""
Dad reached for my hand.
"We'll discuss it later.""
He called the police and asked them to come to the house. Then he helped Ethan collect his school things while I gathered a few clothes.
Nicole stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching us.
As I passed her, she leaned close enough for only me to hear.
"You should have stayed out of your mother's closet.""
I stopped.
She smiled.
"Your mother made the same mistake.""
Before I could answer, Dad called my name.
I hurried upstairs.
Ten minutes later, we were in Dad's car, driving toward his lawyer's office.
Ethan sat beside me, clutching his backpack.
I looked down at the photograph.
The torn halves had been placed inside a plastic folder.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
*Maya, this is Uncle Daniel. Your father doesn't know the whole story. If you want to know what really happened to your mother, meet me alone tonight.*
May you like
A second message appeared.
*And bring the brass key.*
