Chapter 10: My Brother## Chapter 10: My Brother's Secret Message
I stared at the photograph until the screen began to blur.
's Secret Message
I stared at the photograph until the screen began to blur.
The boy standing outside the school looked about sixteen. His dark hair fell across his forehead, and his backpack hung loosely from one shoulder.
The boy standing outside the school looked about sixteen. His dark hair fell across his forehead, and his backpack hung loosely from one shoulder.
But it was his eyes that made my heart ache.
They were my mother's eyes.
Underneath the photograph was another message.
I'm Daniel. Please don't let Richard find me.
I immediately typed a reply.
*I'm Emily. I'm your sister. AreBut it was his eyes that made my heart ache.
They were my mother's eyes.
Underneath the photograph was another message.
I'm Daniel. Please don't let Richard find me.
I immediately typed a reply.
I'm Emily. I'm your sister. Are you safe?
The message showed as delivered.
Then nothing.
“Dad,” you safe?*
The message showed as delivered.
Then nothing.
“Dad,” I whispered.
He came around the table and looked at my phone.
His face changed.
“That's I whispered.
He came around the table and looked at my phone.
His face changed.
“That's him.””
Rebecca grabbed the phone.
“Oh, my God.””
She touched him.””
Rebecca grabbed the phone.
“Oh, my God.””
She touched the photograph with trembling fingers.
“That's Claire's baby.””
Dad pulled out his own phone.
“I'm calling Detective Harris.””
“No!”” Rebecca suddenly cried.
Everyone the photograph with trembling fingers.
“That's Claire's baby.””
Dad pulled out his own phone.
“I'm calling Detective Harris.””
“No!”” Rebecca suddenly cried.
Everyone turned toward her.
She was staring at the photograph.
“If Richard knows Daniel turned toward her.
She was staring at the photograph.
“If Richard knows Daniel contacted us, he'll disappear again.””
Daniel Brooks considered that.
“She's contacted us, he'll disappear again.””
Daniel Brooks considered that.
“She's right. We need to establish where this message came from before alert right. We need to establish where this message came from before alerting anyone who might inadvertently expose him.””
Dad looked furious.
“I'm not waiting another eleven years to find my son.””
“You won't have to,” I said.
I was still staring at the screen.
“I'm going to talk to him.””
Another messageing anyone who might inadvertently expose him.””
Dad looked furious.
“I'm not waiting another eleven years to find my son.””
“You won't have to,” I said.
I was still staring at the screen.
“I'm going to talk to him.””
Another message appeared.
I know who you are. Richard showed me your mother's picture once. He told me you died when you were little.
I felt physically sick.
I typed quickly.
*I'm alive appeared.
I know who you are. Richard showed me your mother's picture once. He told me you died when you were little.
I felt physically sick.
I typed quickly.
I'm alive. I've been looking for you. Mom never stopped loving you.
The reply came almost immediately.
I know. I found her letter.
. I've been looking for you. Mom never stopped loving you.*
The reply came almost immediately.
I know. I found her letter.
My hands shook.
What letter?
The one hidden inside the blue blanket.
Rebecca gasped.
“Claire's blanket.””
Daniel Brooks leaned forward.
“Ask him where he is.””
Before I could type,My hands shook.
What letter?
The one hidden inside the blue blanket.
Rebecca gasped.
“Claire's blanket.””
Daniel Brooks leaned forward.
“Ask him where he is.””
Before I could type, another message appeared.
I need you to know something. Richard isn't my real father. But he didn't take me because he wanted money.
I frowned.
*Then why did he another message appeared.
I need you to know something. Richard isn't my real father. But he didn't take me because he wanted money.
I frowned.
Then why did he take you?
The typing indicator appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Finally, the answer arrived.
Because he promised my mother he would protect me from someone in your family.
I looked up.
“Someone take you?*
The typing indicator appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Finally, the answer arrived.
Because he promised my mother he would protect me from someone in your family.
I looked up.
“Someone in our family?””
Dad took the phone.
“Daniel, who told you that?””
The message came back.
My mother.
My heart stopped.
I looked at Rebecca.
“Mom?””
She in our family?””
Dad took the phone.
“Daniel, who told you that?””
The message came back.
My mother.
My heart stopped.
I looked at Rebecca.
“Mom?””
She shook her head.
“I don't understand.””
Daniel sent another message.
Your mother?
A few seconds passed.
Then my brother replied.
*Not Claire. The woman who raised me shook her head.
“I don't understand.””
Daniel sent another message.
Your mother?
A few seconds passed.
Then my brother replied.
Not Claire. The woman who raised me before Richard.
Rebecca covered her mouth.
Dad slowly sat down.
“Who was that woman?””
before Richard.*
Rebecca covered her mouth.
Dad slowly sat down.
“Who was that woman?””
Daniel's next message arrived.
Eleanor Price.
Daniel Brooks immediately opened the financial records.
“Daniel's next message arrived.
Eleanor Price.
Daniel Brooks immediately opened the financial records.
“Eleanor was the director of the children's center. If she raised him before Richard, we need to understand how she became involved.””
Another message appeared.
*I have something that belonged to my mother. It'sEleanor was the director of the children's center. If she raised him before Richard, we need to understand how she became involved.””
Another message appeared.
I have something that belonged to my mother. It's a recording. She said if I ever found Emily, I should show her.
I typed:
Can you send it?
A small audio file appeared.
Dad turned up the volume.
A woman's voice filled a recording. She said if I ever found Emily, I should show her.*
I typed:
Can you send it?
A small audio file appeared.
Dad turned up the volume.
A woman's voice filled the room.
“Daniel, sweetheart, if you're listening to this, it means someone has finally helped you find your sister.””
The voice trembled.
“I need the room.
“Daniel, sweetheart, if you're listening to this, it means someone has finally helped you find your sister.””
The voice trembled.
“I need you to understand that Richard isn't the person who separated you from your family. He only agreed to raise you because I begged him.””
Rebecca stared at the phone.
“Who you to understand that Richard isn't the person who separated you from your family. He only agreed to raise you because I begged him.””
Rebecca stared at the phone.
“Who is that?””
The recording continued.
“Your biological mother was Claire Carter. She loved you more than anything. But she was afraid that if you stayed with her, someone would hurt you.””
A pause.
Then the woman said is that?””
The recording continued.
“Your biological mother was Claire Carter. She loved you more than anything. But she was afraid that if you stayed with her, someone would hurt you.””
A pause.
Then the woman said something that made Dad grip the table.
“Michael Carter is not something that made Dad grip the table.
“Michael Carter is not the man who ordered your transfer. He was framed. And the person who arranged everything was someone Claire trusted with her life.””
The recording ended.
Dad looked at Rebecca.
the man who ordered your transfer. He was framed. And the person who arranged everything was someone Claire trusted with her life.””
The recording ended.
Dad looked at Rebecca.
“Who is the woman?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“I don't recognize her voice.””
I played the recording again.
Then I noticed something.
At the end, there was a faint sound.
A bell.
Three slow chimes.
Rebecca suddenly stood.
“I“Who is the woman?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“I don't recognize her voice.””
I played the recording again.
Then I noticed something.
At the end, there was a faint sound.
A bell.
Three slow chimes.
Rebecca suddenly stood.
“I know that sound.””
“What?””
“St. Catherine's chapel. They rang that bell every know that sound.””
“What?””
“St. Catherine's chapel. They rang that bell every evening at six.””
Daniel Brooks evening at six.””
Daniel Brooks checked the recording details.
“It was created twelve years ago.””
Dad looked at the screen.
“Whoever recorded this knew Claire.””
My phone vibrated again.
A new message.
Emily, don't trust Eleanor. She knows what happened to Mom.
I typed:
checked the recording details.
“It was created twelve years ago.””
Dad looked at the screen.
“Whoever recorded this knew Claire.””
My phone vibrated again.
A new message.
Emily, don't trust Eleanor. She knows what happened to Mom.
I typed:
Where are you?
The reply came:
At the place where Richard keeps the blue blanket.
Then another message appeared.
There's something else you need to know.
IWhere are you?
The reply came:
At the place where Richard keeps the blue blanket.
Then another message appeared.
There's something else you need to know.
I waited.
I found a second birth certificate.
My fingers went numb.
The photograph arrived a moment later.
It showed a document with Daniel's name.
But waited.
I found a second birth certificate.
My fingers went numb.
The photograph arrived a moment later.
It showed a document with Daniel's name.
But the section marked BIOLOGICAL FATHER contained a different name.
Not Michael Carter.
Not Alan Whitmore.
It read:
*RICHARD HAYES.*
Rebecca screamed the section marked BIOLOGICAL FATHER contained a different name.
Not Michael Carter.
Not Alan Whitmore.
It read:
*RICHARD HAYES.*
Rebecca screamed.
“No!””
Dad stared at the document.
“That means Richard is claiming to be.
“No!””
Dad stared at the document.
“That means Richard is claiming to be his father his father.””
Then my brother sent one final message.
Emily, there's a reason Richard never wanted you to find me.
*He isn't the.””
Then my brother sent one final message.
Emily, there's a reason Richard never wanted you to find me.
He isn't the only person who knows where I am.
A second photograph appeared.
It showed a woman standing behind Daniel outside the school.
I recognized her immediately.
Vanessa.
And beneath the picture were six only person who knows where I am.*
A second photograph appeared.
It showed a woman standing behind Daniel outside the school.
I recognized her immediately.
Vanessa.
May you like
And beneath the picture were six words:
She's been watching me for months.
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