Chapter 6: The Stranger Who Knew My Mother's Secret
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Dad held the hospital identification card in one hand and the photograph in the other.
"Sarah disappeared?""
Vanessa looked down.
"I didn't say that.""
"You just told us someone helped her disappear.""
"I was talking about the woman in the photograph!""
Daniel took the card from Dad.
"Her name is Eleanor Bennett. She worked at Grady Memorial Hospital.""
Dad stared at him.
"Do you know her?""
"I know the name. She was involved in Sarah's medical records.""
Vanessa suddenly laughed.
"You're wasting your time. Eleanor moved away years ago.""
Daniel looked at her.
"How do you know that?""
She didn't answer.
Dad picked up the folded note again.
"If Sarah was alive after October 14, why did you tell me she died?""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because she wanted it that way.""
Dad went completely still.
"What?""
"Sarah wanted to disappear.""
"Why would she leave her daughter?""
"Because she was afraid!""
"Of whom?""
Vanessa looked at him.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely frightened.
"Of Robert.""
Dad frowned.
"Your brother?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Robert was involved in the business before you took over. Sarah discovered that he had been transferring money from the company. He knew she had evidence.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Did Robert threaten Sarah?""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"Yes.""
Dad looked confused.
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Robert said he would hurt my children if I helped Sarah.""
The room became silent.
Brianna and Tyler appeared at the top of the stairs again.
They had been listening.
"Mommy?"" Brianna asked.
Vanessa immediately turned.
"Go upstairs!""
But this time, Brianna didn't move.
"Is Uncle Robert a bad man?""
Vanessa covered her face.
Dad looked toward the children.
"Daniel, can you take them somewhere safe while we sort this out?""
Daniel nodded.
He approached the staircase gently.
"Come with me, kids. There's a television in the study.""
Brianna hesitated.
"Will Mommy be okay?""
Dad looked at her.
"That's something the adults need to figure out. But nobody is going to hurt you.""
The children followed Daniel.
When they were gone, Dad faced Vanessa again.
"Start from the beginning.""
Vanessa sat down.
Her expensive handbag rested on the floor beside her.
"Sarah discovered Robert was stealing money from the company. She collected bank statements and recordings. She wanted to report him.""
"Why did she need to disappear?""
"Robert had connections. He knew where Sarah lived. He knew where Lily went to school.""
Dad clenched his jaw.
"Why didn't you come to me?""
Vanessa looked away.
"Because Robert told me that if I warned you, he would make sure you lost everything.""
Daniel interrupted.
"That doesn't explain the forged trust documents.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Robert told me to sign them. He said it was temporary. He said he would return the money once the investigation ended.""
"And the medical authorization?"" Dad asked.
Vanessa began crying harder.
"I didn't know what it meant.""
"You signed it.""
"Robert gave me the paperwork. He said it was only to transfer Sarah to another hospital.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"That is not what the original record says.""
Vanessa looked at him.
"What does it say?""
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Then he turned toward Dad.
"Marcus, the document appears to authorize withdrawal of a specific emergency treatment.""
Dad's face went pale.
"What treatment?""
Daniel examined the page.
"An antidote administered after a severe allergic reaction.""
Dad stared at Vanessa.
"Did you know Sarah was allergic to that medication?""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"I didn't know.""
"Did you know she was alive when you signed it?""
She started shaking her head.
"I thought they were moving her!""
Dad stepped away from the table.
"Did you hear her asking for me?""
Vanessa began sobbing.
"I heard her.""
The words seemed to knock the air out of the room.
Dad stood motionless.
"What?""
"I heard her asking for you.""
He stared at her.
"Then why didn't you call me?""
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Daniel immediately contacted the authorities and arranged for the original hospital documents to be preserved.
Dad walked into the kitchen.
I followed him.
He stood beside the refrigerator, staring at the broken sneaker he'd placed on the counter.
"Daddy?""
He wiped his face.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
"Why?""
"Because I should have known. I should have noticed your shoes. I should have noticed how frightened you were.""
I hugged his waist.
"Can we find Mommy?""
He knelt and held both my hands.
"I don't know yet, baby. But I'm going to find out what happened.""
Then his phone rang.
It was Patricia.
Dad answered.
"Hello?""
"Mr. Marcus, I've found something.""
"What?""
"The original patient transfer form. Sarah was transferred out of the hospital on October 17.""
Dad's eyes widened.
"Transferred where?""
"To a private medical facility outside Atlanta.""
"Is she alive?""
Patricia hesitated.
"I can't confirm that. But I found a second record showing that a patient under a different name was discharged six weeks later.""
Dad gripped the counter.
"What name?""
"Emily Carter.""
Daniel hurried into the kitchen.
"Patricia, do you have the destination address?""
"I do. But there's something else.""
"What?""
"The discharge form was signed by someone who claimed to be Sarah's sister.""
Dad frowned.
"Sarah didn't have a sister.""
Patricia lowered her voice.
"That's what I thought. So I checked the photograph attached to the form.""
A message arrived on Dad's phone.
It contained a scanned document.
He opened it.
Then he stopped breathing.
The woman who had signed my mother's discharge papers was standing beside the hospital bed.
She had dark hair, a familiar smile, and the same small birthmark near her left eye that I had seen in the family photographs.
Dad whispered her name.
"Rebecca?""
I looked at him.
"Who is Rebecca?""
He stared at the photograph.
"Your mother's younger sister.""
Daniel looked confused.
"Marcus, I thought you said Sarah was an only child.""
Dad slowly shook his head.
"She was. Rebecca was her twin.""
He enlarged the photograph.
Then he noticed the handwritten message beneath it.
*Marcus, if you're looking at this, Sarah is alive. But you must find her before Robert does.*
Dad grabbed his keys.
And just as he reached the front door, another message appeared.
This time, it wasn't from Patricia.
May you like
It was from an unknown number.
*STOP LOOKING FOR YOUR WIFE. THE NEXT PERSON WHO DISAPPEARS WILL BE YOUR DAUGHTER.*
