Chapter 8: The Brother Who Never Died
The detective’s words followed me long after she said them.
*Officially dead.*
Those two words felt impossible.
My father’s brother.
A man my mother never knew existed.
A man who supposedly died.
A man standing beside my mother in a hospital room after her accident.
I looked at my father.
“Explain.””
He sat down slowly.
“I can’t.””
I felt anger rising again.
“You can’t?””
He looked at me.
“I thought Daniel was dead.””
“When?””
“Six years ago.””
My mother shook her head.
“This makes no sense.””
Detective Harper opened her file.
“Daniel Brooks was reported dead on September 30, 2020.””
She looked at the hospital photo.
“But this was taken October 20.””
Aunt Denise crossed her arms.
“So either the report is fake…”
She looked at my father.
“…or someone has been pretending to be dead.””
Nobody liked either option.
I looked at the photo again.
The man beside my mother wasn’t smiling.
He was looking at the camera.
Like he knew someone would eventually find this.
“Why would he help Vanessa?””
My father looked confused.
“Who said he helped Vanessa?””
I pointed at the documents.
“He knew how to fake records.””
Detective Harper nodded.
“That’s likely.””
My mother touched my arm.
“Maya.””
I turned.
Her eyes were full of fear.
“I remember him.””
The room went still.
“You do?””
She nodded.
“Not his face. Not completely.””
She closed her eyes.
“But I remember someone visiting me.””
“When?””
“In the hospital.””
My father looked shocked.
“You never told me.””
“Because I thought it was a dream.””
She looked at the photo.
“But now I know it wasn’t.””
I stepped closer.
“What did he say?””
My mother swallowed.
“He told me not to worry.””
A chill went through me.
“About what?””
She looked at my father.
“He said Richard would take care of everything.””
My father looked horrified.
“I never asked him to say that.””
Detective Harper stood.
“We need to find out where Daniel went.””
She looked at my father.
“Do you have any idea where he might be?””
Dad shook his head.
“No.””
Then his phone rang.
Everyone looked at it.
The screen showed a name.
*Daniel.*
Nobody breathed.
My father stared at the phone.
“I haven’t seen this number in years.””
Detective Harper motioned.
“Answer.””
Dad hesitated.
Then picked up.
“Hello?””
At first, there was only static.
Then a voice.
Older.
Calm.
“Richard.””
My father’s face changed.
“Daniel?””
The voice laughed softly.
“I see you finally told Maya.””
My blood ran cold.
My father stood.
“Where are you?””
The voice ignored him.
“Maya.””
I froze.
The phone was on speaker now.
“Do you know why your mother survived?””
Nobody answered.
The voice continued.
“Because someone wanted her alive.””
My mother stepped closer.
“Who are you?””
A pause.
Then:
“Someone who has spent six years fixing Richard’s mistakes.””
My father shouted:
“Daniel, stop!””
But the voice only laughed.
“Maya, your father wants you to believe he was protecting you.””
My fingers tightened.
“What do you want?””
Silence.
Then:
“I want you to know the truth.””
My mother whispered:
“Why?””
The voice became colder.
“Because Angela wasn’t the only person who disappeared that night.””
My heart stopped.
“What does that mean?””
The call suddenly ended.
Detective Harper immediately tried tracing it.
Seconds passed.
Then she looked up.
Her expression was serious.
“We have a location.””
My father looked relieved.
“Where?””
The detective stared at the screen.
“It’s not a location.””
“What?””
She turned the phone around.
The trace result showed an address.
My old childhood home.
The house where I lived before my mother disappeared.
The house my father sold five years ago.
My mother whispered:
“That’s impossible.””
Detective Harper looked at me.
“Apparently not.””
May you like
Because someone had been living there.
And they had been waiting for us to find them.
