Chapter 9: The Grandfather I Never Knew
Margaret sat on the attic floor, staring at the photograph as if it had reached out and struck her.
"My father helped Catherine hide Emily?"" she whispered.
"Then he betrayed her?""
Dad placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Margaret, did your father ever tell you anything about the night Catherine disappeared?""
She shook her head.
"He died believing Catherine had been killed in the accident. At least, that's what he told me.""
I studied the photograph.
My grandfather wore a dark suit and a silver watch. He stood beside my mother outside a hospital entrance, his hand resting protectively on her shoulder.
He looked nothing like the villain I had imagined from the recording.
But the handwriting on the back was my mother's.
The man who helped me hide Emily is the same man who betrayed us.
"Why would Mom hide me?"" I asked.
Margaret wiped her cheeks.
"I don't know. But I remember something from the year you were born.""
She looked at Dad.
"Catherine called me from a hospital in Savannah. She was terrified. She said our father had discovered something about the inheritance and believed someone was trying to steal it.""
Dad frowned.
"What inheritance?""
"Our family owned several properties and a medical business. When our mother died, most of the assets were placed in a trust. Catherine was supposed to inherit a substantial portion when she turned twenty-five.""
Margaret paused.
"But shortly before Emily was born, Catherine discovered that the trust records had been altered.""
I looked at the documents scattered across the attic floor.
"Like my inheritance.""
"Yes," Margaret said.
"She believed someone was using forged signatures to transfer the assets. Our father was investigating it.""
Dad picked up the photograph.
"And then Catherine disappeared.""
Margaret nodded.
"After that, our father became secretive. He refused to discuss Catherine with me. He said the police had handled everything and that I needed to move on.""
"Did he know Vanessa?"" I asked.
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
"Not that I knew of. But Catherine attended college with her. They were both studying business administration before Catherine switched to nursing.""
Dad looked toward the attic stairs.
Vanessa had remained silent throughout the conversation, watching us with an expression that seemed increasingly difficult to read.
"How long have you known about these documents?"" he asked her.
Vanessa shrugged.
"I found the box last month. I didn't know what was inside.""
"Madison said you removed papers.""
"I was cleaning the attic.""
"You were hiding evidence.""
Vanessa lifted her chin.
"You have no proof of that.""
Dad stepped closer.
"We have your name on a hospital record showing you took Emily into your custody while her mother was still alive.""
"I was helping a frightened woman!""
"Then why did you tell me she was dead?""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"Because Catherine asked me to!""
The words came out so suddenly that even she seemed startled.
Dad froze.
"What?""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Margaret rose slowly.
"You're lying.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"No. Catherine asked me to keep Emily safe. She was afraid someone would take her.""
"Who?"" I demanded.
Vanessa looked at me.
"Your grandfather.""
The attic seemed to tilt.
Margaret stumbled backward.
"My father?""
"Yes," Vanessa snapped.
"He believed Catherine was unfit to raise you. He thought she was unstable, that she would ruin the family, and that the only way to protect the inheritance was to remove you from her care.""
Dad's face darkened.
"Then why did you destroy Emily's prom dress? Why were you afraid she'd meet Margaret?""
Vanessa's voice dropped.
"Because Margaret would tell her about the trust.""
"And?""
"And because Catherine made me promise that Emily would never be taken away from the family again.""
I stared at her.
"You thought I would leave?""
"I thought you'd be manipulated.""
"So you tried to stop me from going to prom?""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"You don't understand what was at stake.""
"No," I said.
"I understand perfectly. You were afraid I'd meet someone who could tell me the truth.""
Madison stepped forward.
"Mom, just stop.""
Vanessa turned toward her daughter.
"You have no idea what I've sacrificed for you.""
Madison's face crumpled.
"You made me help you destroy Emily's dress.""
"I never forced you to do anything.""
"You told me Emily would ruin our lives if she met Margaret!""
Vanessa pointed at her.
"Because she would!""
Dad moved between them.
"Enough.""
He took out his phone and called Daniel Brooks, his attorney.
Within minutes, Daniel agreed to arrange a formal review of the trust documents and contact the hospital about the original admission records. He also advised Dad not to confront anyone else until the evidence had been secured.
When Dad ended the call, he looked exhausted.
"We're taking these documents with us. Nothing gets destroyed.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"You think paperwork will save you? You have no idea how many people were involved.""
Dad's eyes narrowed.
"Who else was involved?""
She looked at him.
Then she smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
"Ask your attorney who represented you when the trust was changed.""
Dad went completely still.
"Daniel?""
Vanessa said nothing.
Margaret gathered the documents quickly, placing them into the folder.
"This is getting dangerous. We need to leave.""
I reached for the cassette recorder.
As I lifted it, something rattled inside the wooden trunk.
A small metal key had slipped through a crack in the bottom.
I picked it up.
It was attached to a paper tag bearing three handwritten words.
*Savannah. Storage. Locker 214.*
Dad examined the key.
"What's in Savannah?""
Margaret shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Vanessa suddenly lunged toward me.
"Give me that!""
Dad caught her arm.
"Don't you dare touch her.""
Vanessa struggled against him, her face twisted with panic.
"You don't understand! If she opens that locker, everything is over!""
I clutched the key in my fist.
"What is inside it?""
Vanessa stopped struggling.
Her eyes filled with tears.
For the first time, she looked less like an angry stepmother and more like someone standing at the edge of a cliff.
Then she whispered, "The proof that Catherine is still alive.""
My heart stopped.
Dad released her arm.
"What did you say?""
May you like
Vanessa looked at me.
And in a voice so quiet I almost couldn't hear it, she added, "But if you find her, Emily, you may discover that your mother was the one who ordered your disappearance.""
