Chapter 11: The Woman Outside My Brother's School
“She's been watching him?””
Dad grabbed my phone.
“Call him. Now.””
I pressed the call icon.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then someone answered.
A teenage voice whispered, “Emily?””
I nearly collapsed.
“Daniel?””
“Yeah.””
“Are you safe?””
“Not really.””
I heard a door close somewhere behind him.
Then his voice became quieter.
“I saw Vanessa outside school again.””
“Where are you now?””
“I'm at a bus station.””
“Which one?””
“Savannah.””
Dad took the phone.
“Daniel, this is Michael Carter. I'm your father.””
There was silence.
Then Daniel asked outside school again.””
“Where are you now?””
“I'm at a bus station.””
“Which one?””
“Savannah.””
Dad took the phone.
“Daniel, this is Michael Carter. I'm your father.””
There was silence.
Then Daniel asked, “Are you sure?””
Dad closed his eyes.
“Yes, son.””
“How do you know?””
“Because I've spent eleven years believing you were dead. Your mother loved you. I loved, “Are you sure?””
Dad closed his eyes.
“Yes, son.””
“How do you know?””
“Because I've spent eleven years believing you were dead. Your mother loved you. I loved you before I ever held you.””
Daniel's breathing became uneven.
“Richard said you didn't want me.””
Dad's voice broke.
“Richard lied.””
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Daniel whispered, “Can you come get me?””
Dad you before I ever held you.””
Daniel's breathing became uneven.
“Richard said you didn't want me.””
Dad's voice broke.
“Richard lied.””
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Daniel whispered, “Can you come get me?””
Dad looked at me.
“I'm coming.””
Daniel gave us the location of the bus station and agreed to stay inside near the ticket counter.
Daniel Brooks immediately called Detective looked at me.
“I'm coming.””
Daniel gave us the location of the bus station and agreed to stay inside near the ticket counter.
Daniel Brooks immediately called Detective Harris.
He explained that the missing child from the original hospital transfer might have contacted the family.
Detective Harris told us not to approach anyone suspected of involvement without police Harris.
He explained that the missing child from the original hospital transfer might have contacted the family.
Detective Harris told us not to approach anyone suspected of involvement without police assistance.
Dad agreed.
Rebecca was already reaching for her coat.
“I'm coming too.””
Dad nodded.
“Of course.””
Madison stood near the staircase.
“Can I come?””
Dad looked at her.
For a moment, I thought he would assistance.
Dad agreed.
Rebecca was already reaching for her coat.
“I'm coming too.””
Dad nodded.
“Of course.””
Madison stood near the staircase.
“Can I come?””
Dad looked at her.
For a moment, I thought he would say no.
Then he noticed the fear in her eyes.
“Stay with Daniel Brooks. If Vanessa contacts you, don't answer. Let him know immediately.””
Madison nodded.
say no.
Then he noticed the fear in her eyes.
“Stay with Daniel Brooks. If Vanessa contacts you, don't answer. Let him know immediately.””
Madison nodded.
I followed Dad and Rebecca outside.
Before getting into the car, I received another message.
Emily, I need to tell you something before you arrive.
I typed:
*What isI followed Dad and Rebecca outside.
Before getting into the car, I received another message.
Emily, I need to tell you something before you arrive.
I typed:
What is it?
His reply came slowly.
Richard isn't my biological father. But he raised me like his own.
I frowned.
Then another message arrived.
I think he actually loved me.
That complicated everything.
Because if it?*
His reply came slowly.
Richard isn't my biological father. But he raised me like his own.
I frowned.
Then another message arrived.
I think he actually loved me.
That complicated everything.
Because if Richard had raised Daniel with genuine affection, why had he threatened us?
Why had he lied about my existence?
And why was Vanessa following him?
We reached Savannah shortly Richard had raised Daniel with genuine affection, why had he threatened us?
Why had he lied about my existence?
And why was Vanessa following him?
We reached Savannah shortly after midnight.
Detective Harris had already arranged for officers to meet us.
Inside the station, a teenage boy sat beside a vending machine.
He wore a gray sweatshirt and held a worn backpack against his after midnight.
Detective Harris had already arranged for officers to meet us.
Inside the station, a teenage boy sat beside a vending machine.
He wore a gray sweatshirt and held a worn backpack against his chest.
When he saw Rebecca, he stood.
She stopped walking.
“Daniel?””
He looked at her.
“Are you my aunt?””
Rebecca began crying.
“Yes, sweetheart.””
She approached slowly, as though afraid he might disappear.
Daniel dropped chest.
When he saw Rebecca, he stood.
She stopped walking.
“Daniel?””
He looked at her.
“Are you my aunt?””
Rebecca began crying.
“Yes, sweetheart.””
She approached slowly, as though afraid he might disappear.
Daniel dropped his backpack.
Rebecca wrapped her arms around him.
For a moment, the two of them simply held each other.
Then Daniel looked past her.
His eyes met mine.
“Emily?””
I nodded.
“Hi, his backpack.
Rebecca wrapped her arms around him.
For a moment, the two of them simply held each other.
Then Daniel looked past her.
His eyes met mine.
“Emily?””
I nodded.
“Hi, little brother.””
He gave a nervous laugh.
“I'm not that little.””
I laughed through my tears.
“I'm still older.””
He stepped forward and hugged me.
He little brother.””
He gave a nervous laugh.
“I'm not that little.””
I laughed through my tears.
“I'm still older.””
He stepped forward and hugged me.
He smelled like laundry detergent and rain.
I held him tightly.
For eleven years, I had imagined having a brother.
I had never imagined meeting him in a bus station after midnight.
Dad stood several feet away.
He couldn't move.
Daniel looked at him.
“Are you really my dad?””
smelled like laundry detergent and rain.
I held him tightly.
For eleven years, I had imagined having a brother.
I had never imagined meeting him in a bus station after midnight.
Dad stood several feet away.
He couldn't move.
Daniel looked at him.
“Are you really my dad?””
Dad nodded.
“Every day I've lived since you were born, son.””
Daniel walked toward him.
Dad fell to his knees and embraced him.
I turned away, crying.
For a few minutes, everything felt right.
ThenDad nodded.
“Every day I've lived since you were born, son.””
Daniel walked toward him.
Dad fell to his knees and embraced him.
I turned away, crying.
For a few minutes, everything felt right.
Then Detective Harris approached.
“Daniel, there's something we need to discuss.””
The boy stiffened.
“Am I in trouble?””
“No. But we need to know what happened before you left Richard Detective Harris approached.
“Daniel, there's something we need to discuss.””
The boy stiffened.
“Am I in trouble?””
“No. But we need to know what happened before you left Richard's house.””
Daniel looked down.
“He found the letters.””
“What letters?””
“The ones my mother left me.””
Rebecca stepped closer.
“Your biological mother?””
Daniel nodded.
“Eleanor told me she wasn't's house.””
Daniel looked down.
“He found the letters.””
“What letters?””
“The ones my mother left me.””
Rebecca stepped closer.
“Your biological mother?””
Daniel nodded.
“Eleanor told me she wasn't my real mother. She said Claire was.””
Dad looked confused.
“Eleanor raised you?””
Daniel nodded again.
“She lived at my real mother. She said Claire was.””
Dad looked confused.
“Eleanor raised you?””
Daniel nodded again.
“She lived at St. Catherine's. When I was little, she told me my parents had died in an accident.
Richard started visiting when I was five. Eventually, he became my guardian.””
“And he told you he was your father?”” I asked.
“Not at first. But St. Catherine's.
When I was little, she told me my parents had died in an accident. Richard started visiting when I was five. Eventually, he became my guardian.””
“And he told you he was your father?”” I asked.
“Not at first. But when I was eight, he adopted me.””
Detective Harris wrote something when I was eight, he adopted me.””
Detective Harris wrote something down.
“Did he ever tell you why?””
Daniel reached into his backpack.
He removed a small plastic folder.
Inside were letters, photographs, and a folded document.
“This down.
“Did he ever tell you why?””
Daniel reached into his backpack.
He removed a small plastic folder.
Inside were letters, photographs, and a folded document.
“This is what I found.””
He handed the document to Detective Harris.
It was an adoption agreement.
The is what I found.””
He handed the document to Detective Harris.
It was an adoption agreement.
The date was eleven years earlier.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Eleanor date was eleven years earlier.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Eleanor Price.
But the section identifying the child's biological parents had been deliberately blacked out.
Daniel pointed Price.
But the section identifying the child's biological parents had been deliberately blacked out.
Daniel pointed to another paper.
“This one was hidden inside the blue blanket.””
It was a letter written by Eleanor.
Rebecca read it aloud.
to another paper.
“This one was hidden inside the blue blanket.””
It was a letter written by Eleanor.
Rebecca read it aloud.
I am sorry, Daniel. Your mother trusted me to protect you. But I made a promise to someone I should never have trusted.
She stoppedI am sorry, Daniel. Your mother trusted me to protect you. But I made a promise to someone I should never have trusted.
She stopped.
Her voice.
Her voice trembled.
The letter continued:
*The man who paid for trembled.
The letter continued:
The man who paid for your transfer was not Richard. He was someone who wanted Claire's children separated because they stood to inherit something he believed belonged to him.
Dad looked at the document.
“Who?””
your transfer was not Richard. He was someone who wanted Claire's children separated because they stood to inherit something he believed belonged to him.*
Dad looked at the document.
“Who?””
Daniel pointed to the final line.
The handwriting was faint but readable.
Ask Michael about the business partnership he signed three days before Claire died.
Dad went completely still.
“I never signed a business partnership.””
Detective Harris looked up.
“Mr. Carter, are you certain?””
“Yes.””
Daniel handed him another sheet.
It was a corporate registration document.
The company was called Carter-Hayes Holdings.
And the two listed directors were Michael Carter and Richard Hayes.
Dad stared atDaniel pointed to the final line.
The handwriting was faint but readable.
Ask Michael about the business partnership he signed three days before Claire died.
Dad went completely still.
“I never signed a business partnership.””
Detective Harris looked up.
“Mr. Carter, are you certain?””
“Yes.””
Daniel handed him another sheet.
It was a corporate registration document.
The company was called Carter-Hayes Holdings.
And the two listed directors were Michael Carter and Richard Hayes.
Dad stared at the page.
Then he whispered:
“Richard was my business partner?””
Rebecca looked horrified.
“You never told me that.””
“Because I never had a business partner named Richard.””
Detective Harris examined the signature.
“Someone used your identity to establish this company.””
Dad looked at Daniel.
“Whoever did this knew me well enough to forge my signature.””
Before anyone could respond, a uniformed officer hurried into the room.
“Detective, we have a problem.””
Harris turned.
“What?””
“The woman identified in the school photograph has arrived outside.””
My stomach tightened.
“Vanessa?””
The officer nodded.
“She says she wants to speak with Emily.””
Detective Harris looked at me.
“Do you know why?””
Before I could answer, Vanessa's voice echoed from the hallway.
“Emily! You need to hear me before Richard gets here!””
Daniel grabbed my hand.
“Don't let her take you anywhere.””
Then Vanessa said the page.
Then he whispered:
“Richard was my business partner?””
Rebecca looked horrified.
“You never told me that.””
“Because I never had a business partner named Richard.””
Detective Harris examined the signature.
“Someone used your identity to establish this company.””
Dad looked at Daniel.
“Whoever did this knew me well enough to forge my signature.””
Before anyone could respond, a uniformed officer hurried into the room.
“Detective, we have a problem.””
Harris turned.
“What?””
“The woman identified in the school photograph has arrived outside.””
My stomach tightened.
“Vanessa?””
The officer nodded.
“She says she wants to speak with Emily.””
Detective Harris looked at me.
“Do you know why?””
Before I could answer, Vanessa's voice echoed from the hallway.
“Emily! You need to hear me before Richard gets here!””
Daniel grabbed my hand.
“Don't let her take you anywhere.””
May you like
Then Vanessa said something that made my father turn pale.
“Michael, Richard isn't Daniel's father. And neither are you.””
