Chapter 11: The Evidence Buried Underground
The drive back from the rehabilitation center was silent.
Nobody knew what to say.
Because the truth had changed again.
My uncle Richard wasn't a distant villain from a forgotten family story.
He had been there.
Watching.
Manipulating.
Waiting.
Nathan sat beside me in the passenger seat.
"You okay?""
I looked out the window.
"No.""
He nodded.
"I wouldn't be either.""
For a moment, we were quiet.
Then he said:
"I should have protected you.""
I looked at him.
"You didn't know.""
"I should have known.""
I didn't answer.
Because part of me wanted to blame him.
It would have been easier.
But the truth was more complicated.
Everyone I trusted had failed me.
Including myself.
I had ignored the warning signs.
I had believed people because I wanted them to be good.
When we returned to the hotel, Detective Vance was waiting.
"We found something.""
He placed a folder on the table.
Inside were hospital records.
My records.
The ones from five years ago.
"What is this?""
"The original files.""
I flipped through them.
My admission date.
My injuries.
Then a note.
A handwritten note.
I recognized the handwriting.
Richard's.
My hands went cold.
"What does it say?""
Detective Vance answered.
"It says Caroline Mercer must be listed as unidentified.""
Nathan stared.
"Why?""
"Because someone wanted her family to believe she was dead.""
I closed my eyes.
The loneliness.
The confusion.
The years I spent believing nobody came for me.
It wasn't an accident.
It was planned.
My mother sat down.
"I'm sorry.""
I looked at her.
"You didn't know.""
"I should have.""
"No.""
My voice softened.
"You were trapped too.""
She reached for my hand.
"I spent five years trying to escape.""
I looked at Lily sleeping nearby.
"She spent five years waiting for me.""
My mother cried.
"I know.""
A knock came at the door.
Everyone froze.
Detective Vance reached for his weapon.
"Stay back.""
He moved slowly.
Then opened it.
A hotel employee stood outside.
"Sorry, detective. This was delivered for Ms. Mercer.""
He handed over an envelope.
No name.
No return address.
Just one sentence written on the front.
*You want the truth? Come alone.*
Nathan immediately shook his head.
"No.""
Detective Vance agreed.
"Absolutely not.""
But I stared at the envelope.
Because underneath the message was something else.
A symbol.
A small drawing.
A symbol my mother recognized instantly.
Her face turned white.
"Where did you get this?""
The employee looked confused.
"It was left at the front desk.""
My mother took the envelope.
Her hands trembled.
"What is it?""
She didn't answer.
Then she whispered:
"The symbol of the Mercer family trust.""
I looked at her.
"What's wrong with that?""
She looked at me.
"Only one person has that seal.""
"Who?""
My mother's voice dropped.
"Your grandfather.""
I frowned.
"My grandfather died before I was born.""
She nodded slowly.
"Exactly.""
The room became silent.
Detective Vance opened the envelope carefully.
Inside was a single photograph.
An old photograph.
It showed my family.
My father.
My mother.
Richard.
And me.
But there was someone else.
A young man standing behind us.
Someone I had never seen before.
May you like
On the back of the photograph were six words.
*The fourth Mercer is still alive.*
