Chapter 7
Daniel read the message twice.
Then a third time.
What you did to Rachel.
His first reaction was confusion.
His second was fear.
Not because he had killed Rachel.
He had not.
But guilt had shaped his life for three years.
He had not been there when she needed him.
Vanessa knew that.
And Vanessa knew exactly how to twist it.
Daniel showed the message to Linda.
She immediately called hospital security.
“Do you recognize the number?”
“No.”
“Could Vanessa be using another phone?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know who took this picture?”
“No.”
Linda looked at him.
“What does the message about Rachel mean?”
Daniel hesitated.
Then told her.
Everything.
The letters.
The recordings.
Vanessa intercepting Rachel’s calls.
The final weeks before Rachel’s death.
Linda’s expression became more serious.
“Do you still have those items?”
“At the house.”
“Do not go back alone.”
Daniel nodded.
“I need them.”
“The police can help retrieve them.”
Before Daniel could answer, two officers entered the hallway.
Linda had already contacted them.
Officer Collins was older.
Calm.
His partner, Officer Ramirez, took notes.
Daniel repeated the story.
He hated every second.
Every sentence sounded impossible.
His wife abused his children.
His former assistant stole letters from his dying first wife.
His son had a sedative in his system.
A hidden camera had captured part of it.
An anonymous person was now threatening him.
It sounded like a bad movie.
Except Ethan was sleeping in a hospital bed.
That made it real.
Officer Collins asked, “Where is Vanessa now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did she remain at the house?”
“I left her there.”
“Does she have access to weapons?”
Daniel froze.
“There’s a gun safe.”
Both officers looked at him.
“Where?”
“In my office.”
“Can she access it?”
“She shouldn’t.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Daniel thought.
The safe had a biometric lock.
And a backup key.
Daniel kept the key hidden.
Vanessa knew the hiding place.
His stomach dropped.
“Yes.”
Officer Collins spoke into his radio.
Daniel’s pulse spiked.
“Is Ethan staying here?”
“For observation.”
“And Sophie?”
Linda answered.
“We’re working out placement.”
Daniel looked at her.
“She stays with me.”
Linda kept her tone calm.
“That is the goal.”
“The goal?”
“Mr. Mercer, I know this is difficult.”
“No, you don’t.”
He immediately regretted it.
Linda did not react.
Daniel rubbed his face.
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re under stress.”
“My daughter has spent the day terrified. My son has drugs in his system. Please don’t separate them from me.”
“We are not trying to punish you.”
Daniel looked through the glass.
Ethan slept with one hand wrapped around Sophie’s rabbit.
Sophie slept in a portable crib beside him.
“They need each other.”
Linda followed his gaze.
“I can see that.”
Daniel’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone looked at it.
Officer Collins said, “Answer.”
Daniel put it on speaker.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then Vanessa.
“Daniel.”
His jaw tightened.
“Where are you?”
“You called the police.”
“Yes.”
“You actually called the police on your wife.”
“You drugged Ethan.”
“I did not.”
“He tested positive.”
Silence.
Then Vanessa said, “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“The bottle is being tested.”
Another pause.
Daniel glanced at Collins.
The officer motioned for him to keep talking.
“Where are you?”
Vanessa ignored the question.
“You think those letters make you innocent?”
Daniel’s breathing changed.
“Innocent of what?”
“You abandoned Rachel.”
“You intercepted her calls.”
“I didn’t make you choose work over her.”
Daniel swallowed.
Vanessa continued.
“I didn’t make you miss appointments.”
Daniel said nothing.
“I didn’t make you ignore Ethan while she was dying.”
“Stop.”
“You know what Rachel said about you.”
“What?”
Silence.
Then Vanessa laughed softly.
“You didn’t listen to all the recordings.”
Daniel’s face went cold.
“What recordings?”
“There are more.”
“Where?”
“You’ll find out.”
“Vanessa.”
“She hated you before she died.”
Daniel’s chest tightened.
“She knew what kind of man you were.”
“Where are you?”
Vanessa’s voice became soft.
“Ask Ethan what his mother told him before she went to the hospital.”
Daniel looked through the glass again.
“You stay away from my children.”
“Our daughter is my child too.”
“You stay away from them.”
“You can’t keep Sophie from me.”
“I can while you’re under investigation.”
“You think a judge will believe you?”
Daniel’s stomach tightened.
Vanessa continued.
“You’re never home.”
“I am now.”
“Too late.”
The call ended.
Collins immediately asked technicians to trace what they could.
Daniel stood frozen.
Ask Ethan what his mother told him.
Ethan had been five when Rachel died.
Daniel had always assumed he remembered very little.
But maybe that was another mistake.
When Ethan woke, Daniel sat beside him.
“Hey.”
Ethan blinked.
“Are we going home?”
“Not tonight.”
“Why?”
“The doctors want to make sure you’re okay.”
Ethan nodded.
Daniel hesitated.
“Can I ask you something?”
Ethan’s body tensed.
“Am I in trouble?”
“No. Never.”
Daniel took his hand.
“It’s about Mom.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Rachel.”
Daniel rarely used her name when speaking to Ethan.
He usually said your mom.
“Do you remember the last time you saw her before the hospital?”
Ethan stared at the blanket.
“A little.”
“What do you remember?”
“She was crying.”
Daniel swallowed.
“What else?”
“She hugged me.”
“And?”
“She gave me something.”
Daniel’s heart started racing.
“What?”
“A blue envelope.”
Daniel froze.
“What happened to it?”
Ethan frowned.
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
“I gave it to Vanessa.”
Daniel felt sick.
“When?”
“After Mom died.”
“Why?”
“She asked if Mom gave me anything.”
“What did she say about the envelope?”
Ethan’s forehead wrinkled.
“She said it was for grown-ups.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“What did Rachel tell you?”
Ethan looked frightened now.
“She said not to let anybody take it.”
Daniel opened his eyes.
“Why did you give it to Vanessa?”
Tears formed in Ethan’s eyes.
“I was five.”
The words shattered Daniel.
He immediately pulled Ethan close.
“I know.”
“I thought she was nice then.”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
Daniel held him tighter.
“You never apologize for that.”
Ethan cried into his shirt.
Daniel stared at the wall.
A blue envelope.
Another missing piece.
Another thing Vanessa had taken.
After Ethan calmed, Daniel stepped into the hallway.
Officer Collins was waiting.
“We located your wife’s car.”
“Where?”
“Airport parking garage.”
Daniel stared.
“She left?”
“Maybe.”
“Can you stop her?”
“If there are grounds and we locate her.”
Daniel checked his phone.
No new messages.
Then Ethan called from inside.
“Dad?”
Daniel returned.
Ethan was sitting up.
“There was something else.”
“What?”
“The envelope.”
“Yes?”
“Mom wrote a name on it.”
Daniel’s heart pounded.
“What name?”
Ethan whispered, “Uncle Michael.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
Michael.
Rachel’s older brother.
The man Daniel had not spoken to since Rachel’s funeral.
The man who blamed Daniel for her death.
Daniel stared at Ethan.
“Are you sure?”
Ethan nodded.
Daniel’s stomach sank.
Because Michael had disappeared from their lives after the funeral.
No calls.
No visits.
Nothing.
Daniel had assumed Michael wanted nothing to do with him.
Maybe that was wrong too.
Daniel pulled out his phone.
He searched for Michael’s old number.
Still saved.
He called.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
A man answered.
“Hello?”
Daniel could barely speak.
“Michael?”
Silence.
Then Michael’s voice changed.
“Daniel.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I need to ask you something about Rachel.”
Michael laughed once.
Cold.
“Three years too late.”
“Did she leave a blue envelope for you?”
Silence.
Daniel’s heart stopped.
Finally, Michael answered.
“Yes.”
Daniel gripped the phone.
“What was in it?”
May you like
Michael’s response made every person in the room look at Daniel.
“Proof that your wife was trying to destroy Rachel long before Rachel died.”
