Chapter 6
I ripped the headphones off.
Detective Lopez reached for them before they hit the floor.
“What does that mean?”
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
She kept her tone controlled.
“We don’t know yet.”
“Yes, we do.”
“Mr. Carter—”
“He said Lily wasn’t supposed to be in the car.”
“He said he didn’t know she was in the car.”
“Why would that matter unless the crash wasn’t an accident?”
Lopez didn’t answer immediately.
That was answer enough.
I stood.
“I need to talk to Ryan.”
“You can’t.”
“He’s my brother.”
“He’s being questioned.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
She stepped between me and the door.
“If this is connected to your first wife’s death, the last thing you want is to compromise the investigation.”
I stared at her.
She was right.
I hated that she was right.
I turned toward Lily.
She was still asleep.
Her tiny hand rested outside the blanket.
I forced myself to sit.
“What else is on the recording?”
Lopez hesitated.
“You need to understand something first.”
“What?”
“People say things during arguments that can be misleading without context.”
“Play it.”
She did.
Amanda’s voice returned.
“You knew exactly what you were doing.”
Ryan answered.
“No. I was drunk. I was angry. I wanted her to stop the car.”
“You followed her for six miles.”
“Because I wanted the drive.”
My chest tightened.
The drive.
The flash drive.
Amanda said, “And when she wouldn’t give it to you?”
“I tried to scare her.”
“With a truck.”
“I never meant to hit her!”
Amanda laughed.
“Tell that to Michael.”
Silence.
Then Ryan’s voice broke.
“I’ve told you a hundred times. I clipped her car. That’s all. The rain did the rest.”
“You still ran.”
“I thought Sarah was dead.”
“And Lily?”
“I didn’t know she was there.”
“You saw the child seat.”
“Afterward.”
The recording shifted.
Lily must have moved the hidden phone.
Then Amanda said, “If Michael ever learns Sarah found out about the money, you’re finished.”
“You’re the one who stole it.”
“And you moved it.”
“Because you lied to me.”
“You still helped.”
“I gave it back.”
“Not all of it.”
Ryan cursed.
The video ended.
I stared at the black screen.
“Sarah died because of stolen charity money.”
Lopez took the phone.
“We don’t know the full chain of events yet.”
“He followed her because she had proof.”
“It appears possible.”
“And Amanda knew.”
“Yes.”
“Before she married me.”
Lopez’s expression tightened.
“That is one of the questions we need answered.”
A dark thought entered my mind.
“Why did she marry me?”
Lopez did not speculate.
But I did.
Access.
Control.
Maybe the missing evidence.
Maybe Lily.
Maybe all of it.
My phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Then I read it.
ASK AMANDA WHAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR IN YOUR ATTIC.
I stared at the screen.
Lopez noticed.
“What is it?”
I showed her.
Her expression sharpened.
“Don’t respond.”
“Who sent it?”
“We’ll try to trace it.”
I looked toward the hospital window.
“Someone knows what’s happening.”
“Possibly.”
Another text arrived.
SARAH HID IT BEFORE SHE LEFT.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“The flash drive.”
Lopez read the message.
“Your house needs to be secured.”
“It is.”
“Do you have cameras?”
“Doorbell. Backyard. Garage.”
“Interior?”
I shook my head.
She made a call.
Then she looked at me.
“Officers are going back to the residence.”
“I’m going too.”
“No.”
“That’s my house.”
“And potentially a crime scene.”
“My daughter’s things are there.”
“We’ll retrieve what you need.”
I wanted to argue.
Lily woke before I could.
“Daddy?”
I immediately moved beside her.
“I’m here.”
“Go home?”
“Not yet, sweetheart.”
She looked around.
“Is Amanda gone?”
“Yes.”
“Forever?”
I hesitated.
“As long as I can make sure.”
Lily nodded.
Then something unexpected happened.
She smiled.
Barely.
But she smiled.
“I can sleep in my room?”
“Of course.”
“No lock?”
I felt my throat close.
“No lock.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
She reached for me.
I held her.
Over her shoulder, Detective Lopez looked away.
Maybe to give us privacy.
Maybe because she was affected too.
An hour later, my mother returned.
I almost refused to see her.
But Lily called out, “Grandma!”
Mom rushed to the bed.
She hugged Lily carefully.
Neither mentioned what had happened.
Mom had brought pajamas, Lily’s favorite blanket, and her purple tablet.
Then she handed me a small overnight bag.
“I packed clothes for you too.”
“Thank you.”
She looked at my face.
“What happened?”
I stepped into the hallway.
“Did you know Amanda and Ryan dated?”
Mom’s expression answered.
I almost laughed again.
“You knew that too.”
“Before Sarah died.”
“And nobody thought to tell me when I started dating Amanda?”
“I thought you knew.”
“How?”
“Ryan said you knew.”
My anger surged.
“He lied.”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you why they broke up?”
Mom shook her head.
“Only that it ended badly after Sarah died.”
“After?”
“Yes.”
I stared at her.
“How soon after?”
“A few months.”
“And then Amanda disappeared.”
“She moved away.”
“For two years.”
“I suppose.”
“And then she met me.”
Mom looked suddenly uneasy.
“What are you thinking?”
“I don’t think meeting me was an accident.”
Her face drained.
“Michael.”
“Sarah had evidence against Amanda. Sarah died. The evidence disappeared. Amanda comes back years later and marries the widower.”
Mom covered her mouth.
“No.”
“Then she starts searching the house.”
“What?”
I showed her the anonymous text.
Mom read it twice.
Her hands shook.
“Sarah hid something in your house?”
“Apparently.”
Mom stared at me.
“Michael, when Sarah was alive, she used to hide Christmas presents in the attic.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“She hated going up there.”
“So?”
“She made a joke once.”
Mom’s eyes narrowed as she searched her memory.
“What joke?”
“She said nobody in their right mind would search behind the insulation.”
My pulse jumped.
“What exactly did she say?”
“I don’t remember exactly.”
“Try.”
Mom closed her eyes.
“It was Christmas. Ryan was looking for a present early. Sarah laughed and said something like, ‘If I ever need to hide state secrets from this family, I’m putting them behind the attic insulation.’”
My phone rang.
Detective Lopez.
I answered instantly.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Carter, are you with your daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Stay where you are.”
My skin prickled.
“Why?”
“We sent officers to your house.”
“And?”
“The back door was open.”
My stomach dropped.
“What do you mean open?”
“Someone entered after officers left earlier.”
“What did they take?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“The attic.”
“What?”
“Check the attic.”
There was a pause.
Then Lopez said, “Hold on.”
I heard muffled voices.
Footsteps.
A radio.
Then she returned.
“Michael.”
It was the first time she used my first name.
“What?”
“The attic hatch is open.”
I closed my eyes.
“Did they find anything?”
“Not yet.”
Then another voice spoke in the background.
Lopez went silent.
“What happened?”
She didn’t answer.
May you like
“Detective?”
Finally she said, “They found blood.”
