Chapter 8 - THE FATHER WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Evan stared at Grace.
“No.”
Grace nodded.
“I have the bank records.”
Detective Torres lowered her weapon slowly.
“My father died nine years ago.”
“I know.”
Torres’s jaw tightened.
“Then whatever he did has nothing to do with me.”
Grace looked directly at her.
“Maybe.”
The single word poisoned the room.
Claire’s monitor began beeping faster.
A nurse entered, confused by the crowd.
“Everyone needs to calm down.”
Grace immediately stepped away from the bed.
Claire reached toward her.
“You sent the letters.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
Grace’s expression softened.
“You believed me before my own family did.”
Evan looked down.
Again, the truth found him.
Torres stepped into the hallway to contact her supervisor.
Grace waited until she was gone.
Then she locked the door.
Evan stared.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure nobody interrupts us.”
She removed a flash drive from inside her coat.
Another one.
Claire almost laughed at the terrible familiarity.
“How many secrets does this family keep on flash drives?”
Grace didn’t smile.
“Enough.”
She plugged it into the room television.
Folders appeared.
Bank transfers.
Hospital payments.
Photographs.
Audio recordings.
Robert Mercer’s name appeared repeatedly.
Evan moved closer.
“These payments were from Dad?”
“Yes.”
“To Torres’s father?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Grace stared at her brother.
“To keep me committed.”
Evan backed away.
“He said he thought you escaped.”
“He lied.”
Claire watched his face collapse.
Grace continued.
“Dad visited me twice.”
“When?”
“Year four and year nine.”
Evan looked sick.
“He knew exactly where you were.”
“Yes.”
“Why would he do that?”
Grace took a breath.
“Because I knew about Daniel.”
The room went still.
“Tell me.”
Grace looked toward Claire.
“You need to understand what our parents were like before we were born.”
Evan shook his head.
“No more setup.”
He sounded desperate.
“Just tell me.”
Grace did.
“You had a twin.”
Evan stared.
Claire gripped the bed rail.
“A twin?”
“A boy.”
“Daniel?”
Grace nodded.
Evan whispered:
“What happened to him?”
“I don’t know.”
“How can you not know?”
“Because every record ends three days after your birth.”
Grace pulled up two certificates.
Evan Mercer.
Daniel Mercer.
Same parents.
Same hospital.
Same birth date.
Born seventeen minutes apart.
Evan looked physically ill.
“I would remember having a brother.”
“You were three days old.”
“What did Mom do?”
“That’s what I was trying to find out before she had me committed.”
Grace opened another file.
A hospital security photograph.
Grainy.
Judith carried one infant carrier.
Robert carried another.
They walked toward the parking lot.
“So both babies left the hospital,” Claire whispered.
Grace nodded.
“The next morning, only one was registered at the family pediatrician.”
Evan looked at the screen.
“Me.”
“Yes.”
“What about Daniel?”
Grace shook her head.
“Gone.”
Claire’s contraction monitor suddenly spiked.
She winced.
Evan immediately turned toward her.
“We can stop.”
“No.”
Claire breathed through the pain.
“Finish.”
Grace hesitated.
Then opened an audio file.
Robert’s voice filled the room.
Recorded six months earlier.
Grace: Tell Evan.
Robert: I can’t.
Grace: He deserves to know.
Robert: If Judith finds out Daniel is alive, she’ll kill to keep this buried.
Evan’s face emptied.
The recording continued.
Grace: You’re still protecting her.
Robert: No. I’m protecting Evan.
Grace: From what?
A long silence.
Then Robert said:
From his brother.
Evan stared at the television.
“What does that mean?”
Grace whispered:
“I never found out.”
A knock sounded at the door.
Everyone froze.
“Mr. Mercer?”
A male voice.
Hospital administrator.
“We need to move Claire to another room.”
Grace’s expression changed.
“Don’t open it.”
Evan looked at her.
“Why?”
She pointed toward the security glass.
The man outside wore hospital scrubs.
But his shoes were wet and muddy.
May you like
Grace whispered:
“That’s the man who was driving Judith’s SUV.”
