Chapter 13: The Man Who Let My Father Die
The photograph of Robert lay on my phone like a death sentence.
His wrists were tied behind a wooden chair. Blood darkened the collar of his shirt, and one eye was swollen shut. Behind him hung a clock showing 10:17.
Richard's message had arrived at 10:21.
He wanted us to know Robert was still alive.
For now.
Anna stood beside me, staring at the screen.
"He's going to kill my father," she whispered.
Detective Harris shook his head.
"We don't know that.""
"Richard has spent his entire life making people disappear. What do you think he's going to do with a man who knows where Daniel went?""
Harris turned toward his officers.
"Trace the number. Get the photograph analyzed. I want every camera within five miles of the location checked.""
Then he looked at me.
"Mark, whatever Richard says, you are not going to meet him alone.""
I nodded.
But the decision had already been made.
I was going to the old Bennett estate.
Not because Richard had ordered me to.
Because Lily was there.
And because I had spent eight years allowing my father's lies to dictate my life.
That ended tonight.
We assembled in an unmarked police vehicle outside the perimeter. Anna sat beside me, clutching the silver crescent moon pendant she'd recovered from the textile mill. Detective Harris monitored the operation from the front seat while two officers tracked the signal from my phone.
Vanessa called just before we moved.
"Mark, I need to tell you something.""
Her voice sounded exhausted.
"What is it?""
"When Richard took Lily from the house, he left something behind. A note.""
"Where is it?""
"I gave it to Officer Cole.""
"What did it say?""
She hesitated.
"It said, 'The girl belongs to the family that made her.''"
I closed my eyes.
"Vanessa, listen to me. Whatever happens tonight, don't leave the police.""
"I won't.""
Then she whispered, "Bring our daughter home.""
I ended the call.
Anna reached for my hand.
"She loves Lily.""
"I know.""
"That doesn't excuse what she did.""
"I know that, too.""
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Anna looked through the windshield.
"Mark, if we find my father, I need you to let him speak before you judge him.""
"I will.""
She shook her head.
"You don't understand. Richard has spent years making us all believe that the people we love betrayed us. I can't survive another truth being taken away from me.""
I squeezed her hand.
"Then we hear everything.""
At 10:46, Detective Harris received a message from the surveillance team.
They had located Robert.
An abandoned farmhouse stood beyond the estate's northern boundary. Two vehicles were parked outside, and a heat signature indicated at least three people inside.
Harris ordered his officers to surround the building.
I went with him.
We entered through the back door.
The farmhouse smelled of damp wood and cigarette smoke. A television flickered in the living room, playing a news broadcast with the sound turned off. A half-empty coffee mug sat on a table.
No guards.
No movement.
Then we heard a groan from the cellar.
Robert was tied to a chair beneath a bare bulb.
When he saw Anna, he began to cry.
"You're alive," he whispered.
She rushed to him.
"So are you.""
Harris cut the restraints while another officer searched the room. I knelt in front of my uncle.
"Why did Richard send me that photograph?""
Robert looked at me with his one good eye.
"Because he wants you to know I told him everything.""
"Everything about what?""
Robert swallowed.
"Daniel.""
Anna froze.
"Tell me what happened to my father.""
Robert looked down.
"Your father came to the estate the night Richard disappeared from public view. He had the original trust documents and evidence of Richard's crimes. He wanted to take you away.""
"Did Richard kill him?""
"No.""
Robert's answer came too quickly.
Anna stepped back.
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
"Then where is he?""
Robert's face crumpled.
"I don't know.""
Anna struck the table with her palm.
"Stop protecting him!""
"I'm not protecting anyone!""
Robert's voice echoed through the cellar.
He looked at me.
"That night, Richard attacked Daniel. They fought in the east wing. Daniel fell down the stairs, hit his head, and stopped moving.""
Anna covered her mouth.
"I thought he was dead," Robert continued.
"Richard told me to help him dispose of the body. I refused. We fought, and Richard struck me. When I woke up, Daniel was gone.""
"You let him leave?"" Anna whispered.
Robert shook his head.
"I didn't know what happened to him. I spent years believing I'd failed you.""
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because Richard showed me a photograph of you standing outside your school. He said if I spoke, he'd kill you.""
Anna sank onto a wooden bench.
Robert reached toward her.
"I'm sorry.""
She stared at him for a long time.
Then she whispered, "I believe you.""
The relief on his face was immediate and devastating.
But Detective Harris had found something in Robert's pocket.
A small brass key.
He held it up.
"Where did you get this?""
Robert stared at it.
"Richard gave it to me.""
"For what?""
Robert looked at me.
"There's a room beneath the old estate. The room where Richard kept his original records. He told me that if I ever wanted to see Daniel again, I had to bring Anna there.""
Anna stood.
"See my father?""
Robert nodded slowly.
"Richard told me Daniel was alive.""
Nobody spoke.
Then my phone vibrated.
A live video call.
Richard appeared on the screen, seated behind the desk in the estate's east wing.
Lily sat beside him.
Her eyes were red from crying, but when she saw me, she leaned toward the camera.
"Daddy!""
"I'm here, sweetheart.""
Richard placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Bring Anna to the estate. No police. No Robert. No Vanessa.""
Harris leaned toward the phone.
"Richard Bennett, this is Detective Harris. We have officers surrounding your property.""
Richard smiled.
"Then I suppose you'll enjoy what happens next.""
He lifted a remote control.
A door opened behind him.
And a man stepped into the room.
He was older, with silver hair, a deeply lined face, and a scar across his forehead.
Anna screamed.
Robert staggered backward.
I stared at the screen.
The man looked directly into the camera.
"Hello, Anna," he said.
Her lips trembled.
"Dad?""
The man smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry it took so long.""
Richard's voice cut through the moment.
"Now that the family is reunited, let's finish what we started.""
The screen went black.
And for the first time in eight years, I understood why Richard had never allowed anyone to search for a body.
May you like
Daniel Mercer was alive.
And my father had kept him hidden beneath the estate.
