Chapter 8: The Man Behind the Glass
Daniel came back three days later.
This time, I wasn’t surprised.
I was ready.
I sat across from him in visitation with the photograph hidden beneath my sleeve.
He looked different.
More nervous.
Less like the man who controlled every room he entered.
Good.
Fear looked better on him.
“Emily.””
I didn’t pick up the phone immediately.
He stared at me.
“You’re angry.””
I laughed.
“You think?””
He swallowed.
“I heard about the accusation.””
“Did you?””
“Yes.””
“And you’re worried?””
His eyes dropped.
That told me everything.
“You know about the photograph.””
Daniel went completely still.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“How?””
I picked up the phone.
“Hello, Daniel.””
His face changed.
“You need to listen to me.””
“No.””
I held up the photograph.
“I need you to listen.””
His expression collapsed.
“Where did you get that?””
The question wasn’t denial.
It was confirmation.
I felt something break inside me.
“You knew.””
“Emily—”
“You knew Lily was alive.””
He closed his eyes.
“Please.””
That word made me angry.
Please.
After everything.
After years.
“You let me mourn her.””
“I was trying to protect her.””
“Protect her?””
I hit the glass with my hand.
“You stole my daughter.””
People in nearby visitation booths looked over.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“She wasn’t safe with you.””
The words were worse than any confession.
I stared.
“What did you say?””
He looked miserable.
“She saw something.””
“So you took her?””
“No.””
“Then who did?””
Silence.
I leaned closer.
“Who took my daughter?””
Daniel looked toward the guard.
Then back at me.
“My father.””
I froze.
I had never heard him say that.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
The room became quiet.
“Your father is dead.””
Daniel looked away.
“That’s what everyone thinks.””
I felt my heartbeat in my ears.
“What does that mean?””
He whispered:
“He didn’t die.””
I stared.
“Daniel, stop.””
“I’m serious.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You expect me to believe your father faked his death?””
“I don’t expect you to believe anything.””
His eyes filled.
“I expect you to survive.””
The same words everyone kept saying.
Survive.
Survive.
Survive.
I hated that word.
Because surviving was all I had done.
“I want Lily back.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I know.””
“Then help me.””
He looked at me.
“I can’t.””
“Why?””
His voice dropped.
“Because I already tried.””
I waited.
“What happened?””
Daniel’s hands tightened around the phone.
“My father found out.””
“And?””
“He took someone else.””
A chill went through me.
“Who?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Your mother.””
I stopped breathing.
“My mother died five years ago.””
Daniel looked broken.
“No.””
The room blurred.
“What?””
“She disappeared.””
I stared at him.
The funeral.
The ashes.
The condolences.
Everything.
“No.””
Daniel shook his head.
“She was part of the cover-up.””
I stood.
“Why are you telling me this now?””
Because Daniel finally looked directly at me.
“Because I’m running out of time.””
The guard approached.
“Time’s up.””
Daniel didn’t move.
“Emily.””
I stared at him.
“There’s a place called Blackwood Farm.””
My blood turned cold.
“The property.””
He nodded.
“That’s where Lily was taken.””
The guard grabbed his shoulder.
Daniel quickly said:
“Do not go there alone.””
The phone line clicked.
He was gone.
That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about one thing.
If Daniel was telling the truth…
Who had been pretending to be dead all these years?
The next morning, I received a message.
Not a letter.
Not a note.
A recorded phone call.
The prison operator announced:
“You have a collect call from…”
Then a voice played.
A voice I hadn’t heard in ten years.
A voice that made my blood run cold.
“Emily.””
My hands froze.
“Your daughter wants to see you.””
I dropped the phone.
May you like
Because the voice belonged to Richard Vale.
The man who was supposed to be dead.
