Chapter 11: The Brother Nobody Told Me About
Patricia grabbed my wrist.
"Go upstairs.""
"What? Why?""
"Emily, now!""
The pounding on the door grew louder.
"Patricia! Stop hiding things from me!""
I pulled my arm away.
"I'm not going anywhere until you explain that photograph.""
She looked at me with desperate eyes.
"Your mother gave birth to a little boy when she was nineteen. His name was Daniel.""
I stared at her.
"Mom had a son?""
"Yes.""
"Where is he?""
Patricia's voice cracked.
"He was adopted.""
I shook my head.
"Why didn't Mom ever tell me?""
"Because she was very young. Your grandparents believed she couldn't raise him. They arranged the adoption without giving her much choice.""
My throat tightened.
"Did she ever see him again?""
Patricia nodded.
"She found him when you were about five. She wanted to tell you eventually, but she was afraid your father would use it against her.""
Another knock shook the door.
"Patricia! I know you have the records!""
Patricia closed her eyes.
"Robert has been looking for Daniel for years.""
"Why?""
"Because Daniel's biological father wasn't the man listed on the adoption papers.""
I felt dizzy.
"What does that mean?""
Patricia looked directly at me.
"Your mother never told me everything. But she believed Daniel's biological father had a connection to Marcus's business.""
I stepped backward.
My mother had another child.
That child might have been connected to my father's business partner.
And someone had spent years trying to find him.
The front door shook again.
Deputy Collins had instructed me not to meet Robert alone.
I quickly sent her a message.
*Robert is outside Patricia's house. He's demanding records. Please come.*
Then I heard Patricia whisper:
"There's something else. Your mother left Daniel part of the inheritance.""
I turned.
"What?""
"Not the money in your trust. Something separate. A property deed and a sealed letter.""
"Where are they?""
Patricia looked toward the hallway.
"Somewhere Robert cannot find them.""
The doorbell rang.
Then the pounding stopped.
A voice came through the door.
"Emily, I know you can hear me.""
It was Robert.
"Your mother trusted me once. Your father destroyed that trust. Don't make the same mistake.""
Patricia grabbed my phone.
"Don't answer him.""
I took it back.
"Why are you so afraid of him?""
She looked at me.
"Because I know what he's capable of.""
A car engine started outside.
Through the window, I watched a black SUV pull away.
Ten minutes later, Deputy Collins arrived.
She searched the property and photographed the damaged front door.
Then she asked Patricia several questions.
When she learned about Daniel, her expression became serious.
"Do you have the adoption records?""
Patricia nodded.
"Some of them.""
"Where?""
"In a safe deposit box.""
"Which bank?""
Patricia hesitated.
I stepped forward.
"Please. No more secrets.""
Patricia finally gave the name of the bank.
Deputy Collins arranged to have the documents retrieved through the appropriate legal process.
While we waited, I searched my mother's old photographs again.
There were dozens.
In one, she stood outside a hospital holding a small baby.
In another, she sat on a park bench with a teenage boy.
The boy had dark hair and a small scar above his eyebrow.
On the back, my mother had written:
Daniel — the first time he called me Mom.
I started crying.
She had found him.
She had loved him.
And I had never known he existed.
A few hours later, Daniel Brooks called.
"We located Rachel Miller.""
My heart jumped.
"Where?""
"She's living in Savannah. She's agreed to speak with investigators.""
"Does she know about my mother's other child?""
A pause.
"Yes.""
"Does she know where he is?""
Another pause.
"Emily, Rachel says your mother asked her to protect him.""
I gripped the phone.
"Protect him from whom?""
"She believes Marcus and Robert were trying to locate him because of something your mother discovered.""
I looked at Patricia.
She had turned away.
Daniel continued.
"There's also something strange about the adoption documents. The original paperwork was altered several years after the adoption.""
"By whom?""
"We don't know yet.""
Then he lowered his voice.
"Emily, there's a detail you should hear directly from Rachel.""
"What?""
"She says your mother came to the hospital that night with a sealed envelope. Before she died, she gave it to someone.""
"Who?""
"Robert Hayes.""
I felt sick.
The man who had been trying to contact me had received something from my mother on the night she died.
I looked at Patricia.
"Did you know?""
She slowly turned around.
Her eyes were full of tears.
"Yes," she whispered.
"I knew your mother gave him something.""
"What was it?""
Patricia opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, my phone rang again.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A young man's voice spoke.
"Emily Carter?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Daniel.""
I stopped breathing.
"Daniel who?""
There was a long silence.
May you like
Then he said:
"Your brother. And I think I know why our mother was killed.""
