Chapter 3 - THE NIGHT MY FATHER DIED
The police took Mr. Lawson into a private room.
Anna refused to leave.
Neither did I.
Daniel and Rebecca were separated.
Sophie sat beside Anna, gripping her hand.
She still hadn't let go.
“Mommy,” she whispered.
Anna kissed her forehead.
“I'm here.”
Sophie looked at me.
“Uncle Marcus, is Daddy going to jail?”
I didn't know what to say.
So I told her the truth.
“If he did something wrong, the police will find out.”
She nodded.
Then she whispered:
“Daddy did something bad before Mommy disappeared.”
Anna froze.
“What did he do?”
Sophie looked frightened.
“He took Mommy's phone.”
“When?”
“Before she went away.”
Anna's eyes widened.
“What else?”
Sophie looked toward Rebecca.
“She told Daddy to make Mommy sleep.”
Rebecca suddenly stood.
“That's enough.”
The police officer stopped her.
“Sit down.”
Rebecca sat.
Anna stared at her.
“What did you give me?”
Rebecca began crying.
“I didn't know it would hurt you.”
“What did you give me?”
“A sedative.”
Anna's face went blank.
“You drugged me.”
“I was told it would only make you unconscious.”
“Who told you?”
Rebecca said nothing.
Anna leaned closer.
“Who?”
Rebecca whispered:
“Your father.”
I felt my stomach twist.
“That doesn't make sense,” I said.
“Our father had been dead for years.”
Rebecca looked at me.
“He wasn't.”
Silence.
“What?”
Rebecca's tears continued.
“Your father was alive when you were told he died.”
Anna stepped backward.
“No.”
“He went into hiding.”
“Why?”
“Because someone wanted him dead.”
“Who?”
Rebecca looked toward Mr. Lawson's room.
“Your father discovered that the trust had been manipulated.”
Anna shook her head.
“Then why didn't he come home?”
Rebecca lowered her voice.
“Because he was afraid of your mother.”
The words hit harder than anything else that night.
Our mother.
The woman whose recording had just accused the family of hiding secrets.
Anna whispered:
“My mother?”
Rebecca nodded.
“She knew everything.”
“No.”
“She helped your father disappear.”
I felt dizzy.
“What are you saying?”
Rebecca looked at me.
“Your father wasn't the victim.”
She swallowed.
“He was the person who started it.”
Before anyone could respond, Mr. Lawson returned.
He looked exhausted.
“I think it's time you know.”
He placed a folder on the table.
Inside were photographs.
Our father.
Daniel.
Rebecca's father.
And our mother.
Together.
Years ago.
There was another person in the photographs.
A woman.
Young.
Beautiful.
Unfamiliar.
Anna stared at her.
“Who is she?”
Mr. Lawson hesitated.
“Your father's first wife.”
I frowned.
“My father was married before Mom?”
“Yes.”
“Who was she?”
Mr. Lawson looked at Anna.
“Rebecca's mother.”
Nobody breathed.
Rebecca covered her face.
Anna stared at her.
“That means…”
Mr. Lawson nodded.
“Rebecca is your half-sister.”
The room exploded into silence.
Daniel looked at Rebecca.
“You never told me.”
She began crying.
“I couldn't.”
Anna stepped backward.
“Why would you marry my husband?”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Because Daniel promised me something.”
“What?”
“My inheritance.”
Anna's voice dropped.
“What inheritance?”
Rebecca looked toward the floor.
“The trust was never supposed to go to you alone.”
She looked up.
“Half of it belongs to me.”
Anna stared.
“You're my sister.”
“Yes.”
“And you helped Daniel destroy me?”
Rebecca whispered:
“I thought you were going to take everything.”
Anna's eyes filled with tears.
“You could have asked.”
Rebecca cried harder.
“You don't understand.”
Anna turned away.
“No.”
She looked toward Sophie.
“I understand perfectly.”
Then Mr. Lawson said:
“There is still one more beneficiary.”
Anna stopped.
“Who?”
Mr. Lawson opened the final page.
May you like
The name made my blood run cold.
Sophie Whitmore.
