Chapter 4: My Daughter Remembered the Night Her Mother Died
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Lily stood halfway down the staircase, clutching her pink hairbrush against her chest. Her newly shaved head made her look even smaller than she already was.
I slowly approached her.
"Sweetheart, can you tell Daddy what you remember?""
She shook her head.
"Are you going to be angry?""
My heart broke.
"Never. You could tell me anything.""
Lily looked toward Vanessa.
"She told Mommy not to tell you about the money.""
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
"Lily, that's enough. You're confused.""
I raised my hand.
"Don't you dare speak to her.""
Daniel moved between Vanessa and the staircase.
"Michael, take Lily somewhere safe. I'll handle this.""
I carried my daughter into the living room and sat with her on the couch.
"Remember, sweetheart, you don't have to tell me everything at once.""
She rested her head against my chest.
"That night, Mommy was crying.""
I closed my eyes.
"Where were you?""
"In the closet. Mommy put me there because she said we were playing a hiding game.""
Her little fingers twisted the fabric of my shirt.
"But it wasn't a game.""
"What happened next?""
"I heard the front door.""
She paused.
"Then a man said Mommy had to give him the papers.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Did you recognize him?""
She nodded.
"He was wearing a black watch. And he had a loud voice.""
I remembered the security footage.
Detective Hayes wore a black watch.
"Was Vanessa there?""
Lily nodded again.
"She told Mommy that Daddy wouldn't believe her anyway.""
My chest tightened.
"What did Mommy say?""
Lily looked up at me.
"Mommy said she had already sent everything to someone she trusted.""
I stared at her.
"Did she say who?""
Lily shook her head.
"Then the man got angry. I heard something fall. Mommy told me to stay quiet.""
Her voice became barely audible.
"Then I heard a car.""
I pulled her closer.
"Did you hear Mommy again?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
I kissed the top of her head.
"That's okay, sweetheart.""
But it wasn't okay.
Not even close.
Back in the dining room, Daniel was examining Vanessa's phone.
She stood near the kitchen counter, her arms wrapped around herself.
"You have no right to touch my personal property," she snapped.
Daniel didn't look up.
"Then explain why you have forty-seven messages from Detective Hayes.""
Vanessa went pale.
"Those are private.""
"Private conversations about a murdered woman?""
"I didn't murder anyone!""
The words came out too quickly.
I stepped into the room.
"Nobody said murder.""
Vanessa looked at me.
For the first time, she seemed to understand how much she had revealed.
Daniel placed his phone on the table.
"I've already copied the security footage. I'm contacting my attorney and the appropriate authorities.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"You don't understand what you're getting into.""
"Then help us understand.""
She began pacing.
"Hayes told me Sarah was involved in something dangerous. He said she was stealing money and planning to disappear with Lily.""
I stared at her.
"That's a lie.""
"How would you know?""
"Because Sarah was my wife!""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"And you think that means you knew everything about her?""
The question hurt more than I wanted to admit.
Daniel interrupted.
"Why did you marry Michael?""
Vanessa stopped walking.
"Because I loved him.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Then why were you discussing getting rid of his daughter?""
She said nothing.
I took a step toward her.
"Did you know about the forged bank account?""
Her silence answered me.
"Did you know Sarah was investigating Hayes?""
Still nothing.
"Did you help him take the money?""
Vanessa finally looked up.
"I never wanted Lily hurt.""
I pointed toward the staircase.
"Then look at what you did to her.""
She glanced at the pink hairbrush lying on the table.
For a moment, something resembling guilt crossed her face.
Then her phone vibrated.
A message appeared on the screen.
I read it before she could turn it over.
*HAYES: THE FATHER HAS THE RECORDING. GET THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS BEFORE TONIGHT.*
Daniel photographed the message.
"Who has the original documents?""
Vanessa backed away.
"I don't know.""
I grabbed my coat.
"Then we're going to find out.""
Daniel stopped me.
"Not without a plan.""
He showed me the message again.
"Someone knows we're investigating. If we rush into this, we'll lose the evidence.""
I hated that he was right.
Then my phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A woman spoke in a trembling voice.
"Is this Michael Carter?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Evelyn Brooks. I was Sarah's attorney.""
I straightened.
"Sarah's attorney?""
"Yes. I've been trying to reach you for two years.""
My throat tightened.
"Why didn't you contact me?""
"Because Detective Hayes told me you had been informed of everything Sarah wanted you to know.""
"That's not true.""
"I know that now.""
I glanced at Daniel.
The woman continued.
"Michael, Sarah left instructions with me. She told me that if anything happened to her, I was to give you a sealed envelope.""
I gripped the phone.
"What envelope?""
There was a pause.
"She specifically told me not to release it until I could verify that the police investigation had been compromised.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Do you have it?""
"Yes.""
"Where are you?""
Her voice dropped.
"Michael, there's something you need to understand. The envelope isn't just about Sarah's death.""
"What else is it about?""
"It's about your daughter.""
Then Evelyn whispered:
"And the man who signed Lily's birth certificate isn't the only person who knows the truth about her identity.""
The call disconnected.
I stared at my phone.
Daniel slowly turned toward me.
"Michael, what did she mean by that?""
Before I could answer, another message appeared on Vanessa's phone.
This time, it was a photograph.
It showed Evelyn standing outside her office.
Someone had circled her face in red.
May you like
Beneath it were four words.
*SHE MUST NOT TALK.*
