Chapter 11: The Girl Everyone Was Told Had Disappeared
The address belonged to a small apartment complex outside Atlanta.
Detective Harris arranged for two officers to accompany us.
My father insisted on coming.
So did my mother.
Margaret stayed behind to assist investigators with the financial documents and recording.
Before we left, Kayla approached me.
"Emily?""
I turned.
Her eyes were swollen.
"Can I talk to you?""
I looked at the officers.
One nodded.
I stepped into the hallway.
Kayla twisted her fingers together.
"I'm sorry.""
I didn't answer.
"I know you probably hate me.""
I looked at her.
"You destroyed something I'd worked four months to buy. You lied about me in court. And you helped your mother try to take my inheritance.""
She nodded.
"I know.""
"Why?""
She looked down.
"Because Mom always told me you were the reason she wasn't happy.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"She said Dad only cared about you. She said your mother left you everything, and I was going to end up with nothing.""
I stared at her.
"So you decided to hurt me?""
Kayla began crying.
"I thought if you weren't around, things would finally be normal.""
"Normal for who?""
She couldn't answer.
I looked at her for a long moment.
"Your mother made choices. You made choices too. You don't get to blame everything on her.""
She nodded.
"I know.""
I walked away.
I wasn't ready to forgive her.
And I wasn't going to pretend an apology could repair six years of lies.
The apartment complex was quiet when we arrived.
A woman at the reception desk checked the address.
"You're looking for Sophie Carter?""
Dad nodded.
"Yes. We're family.""
The woman's expression changed.
"She hasn't been here for several days.""
My mother stepped forward.
"Do you know where she went?""
The woman shook her head.
"She left a message saying someone had been following her.""
Detective Harris immediately asked for the security footage.
The woman led us into a small office.
A monitor showed the apartment entrance.
The footage from three days earlier revealed a young woman leaving the building carrying a backpack.
She looked about eighteen.
Dark hair.
A gray jacket.
Then a black SUV pulled into the parking lot.
The driver stepped out.
Dad leaned closer.
"Michael.""
My stomach dropped.
My uncle had been following Sophie.
The footage showed him speaking to her.
She shook her head.
He reached for her backpack.
She pulled away and ran toward the street.
The video ended.
Detective Harris immediately requested the vehicle registration details.
Dad paced across the office.
"He's been doing this all along.""
My mother sat down.
"Rebecca must have known.""
"Known what?""
"That Michael was involved. That's why she disappeared.""
I looked at the screen.
"Could Sophie have gone somewhere else?""
The receptionist nodded.
"She mentioned a church once. Said there was someone there she trusted.""
My mother looked up.
"Which church?""
The woman gave us an address.
It was a small community church near the apartment complex.
When we arrived, an elderly pastor was locking the side entrance.
Detective Harris showed him Sophie's photograph.
The pastor's expression softened.
"She's safe.""
Dad stepped forward.
"Where is she?""
"Inside.""
He opened the door.
We followed him into a small office.
A teenage girl was sitting beside a window, reading a book.
She looked up.
Then her eyes landed on my mother.
Her book fell to the floor.
"Aunt Laura?""
My mother rushed toward her.
"Sophie.""
The girl stood and ran into her arms.
They held each other for a long time.
Dad wiped his eyes.
I stood nearby, watching someone I'd believed was lost forever return to our family.
Finally, Sophie stepped back.
"Where have you been?""
Mom touched her face.
"I've been trying to find you.""
Sophie shook her head.
"Uncle Michael said you were dead.""
Dad frowned.
"What did he tell you?""
Sophie looked at him.
"He said Aunt Laura had died, and that I couldn't trust anyone from the Carter family.""
My father looked devastated.
"Why didn't you come to me?""
"Because he said you helped Vanessa.""
Dad opened his mouth, then closed it.
Sophie reached into her backpack.
"I kept something.""
She pulled out a small plastic folder.
Inside were handwritten notes, printed emails, and several photographs.
"I found these in my mother's old bedroom.""
My mother examined them.
One photograph showed Rebecca standing beside Daniel Morgan.
Another showed Michael handing Vanessa a large envelope.
But the most important item was a handwritten letter.
It was addressed to Sophie.
My sweet girl,
If you're reading this, it means your uncle has already told you that I am gone.
Please don't believe everything he says.
Your mother discovered that Michael and Vanessa were working together to steal Laura's inheritance. She confronted them, and they threatened to make sure neither of us could speak again.
Sophie began crying.
"My mother wrote this before she died.""
Dad took the letter carefully.
"Did you know where Rebecca was?""
Sophie nodded.
"She called me once. A few months after the funeral.""
My mother leaned forward.
"What did she say?""
Sophie wiped her face.
"She told me she was hiding. She said she had proof that Vanessa had arranged the fake death.""
I looked at her.
"Did she say where?""
Sophie nodded again.
"She said there was a second recording.""
Detective Harris looked up.
"Another recording?""
Sophie opened the folder and removed a small memory card.
"She gave this to me before she disappeared.""
Dad stared at it.
"Why didn't you give this to the police?""
"Because Uncle Michael told me he'd hurt anyone who tried to expose him.""
Detective Harris took the card.
"We'll have it examined.""
Sophie looked at my mother.
"There's something else.""
Mom held her hand.
"What is it?""
Sophie hesitated.
"My mother didn't die in a car accident.""
Dad went completely still.
"What?""
Sophie lowered her voice.
"She told me she was going to meet someone the night she disappeared. She said she had arranged to hand over the evidence.""
My mother covered her mouth.
"Who was she meeting?""
Sophie looked directly at Dad.
"You.""
My father shook his head.
"I never met Rebecca that night.""
Sophie opened the folder again.
There was a printed message.
The sender was Michael.
The recipient was Rebecca.
Richard will be at the warehouse at 8 p.m. Bring the documents. Once he signs, everything will be finished.
Dad read it twice.
"I never received this.""
Detective Harris studied the message.
"Someone may have impersonated you.""
My mother suddenly stood.
"The warehouse.""
Everyone looked at her.
"Rebecca told me about a warehouse near the old railway station. She said Michael kept documents there.""
Sophie nodded.
"That's where she was going.""
Detective Harris immediately contacted his team.
Then another message arrived on Sophie's phone.
It came from an unknown number.
*You found the girl. Now find the woman. You have until midnight.*
My mother looked at the message.
Her face drained of color.
"That's not possible.""
Dad took her hand.
"What?""
May you like
She stared at the screen.
"That message came from Rebecca's old number.""
