Chapter 7: The Call From the Father I Lost
The phone number stared back at me from the small piece of paper.
A simple string of digits.
Nothing more.
But to me, it felt like a doorway.
A doorway to everything I had spent ten years trying to forget.
My father.
My childhood.
The night my entire life changed.
I held the paper so tightly it began to bend.
Ryan noticed.
“Emily.””
I looked up.
He looked different now.
Not angry.
Not suspicious.
Just lost.
Like he was trying to understand how the woman he married could have a whole history he never knew about.
“I didn’t lie to you,” I said quietly.
His expression softened, but only slightly.
“You didn’t tell me.””
I looked down.
“I know.””
“Those aren’t the same thing.””
The words hurt because they were true.
Before I could respond, Patricia suddenly stood.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
She looked at the phone number in my hand.
“You cannot call him.””
The room went silent.
Ryan stared at her.
“Why?””
Patricia looked at him.
“Because you don’t know what you’re doing.””
“No,” Ryan said.
His voice was calm.
“That’s what you’ve said all night.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Ryan stepped closer.
“Every time we get near the truth, you tell us we don’t understand.””
He looked at the damaged watch.
“At this point, I think that’s because you’re the only person who does.””
Patricia’s face tightened.
“You’re my son.””
Ryan nodded slowly.
“I believed that.””
The sentence hit harder than shouting would have.
Patricia looked wounded.
But then something changed.
Her sadness disappeared.
The old Patricia returned.
Cold.
Controlled.
“You think Emily is telling you the truth?””
Ryan looked at me.
Then back at her.
“I don’t know.””
The answer surprised me.
But he continued.
“I don’t know what anyone has been telling the truth about.””
His eyes moved around the room.
“My entire life is built on things I was never allowed to question.””
Nobody spoke.
Because nobody could deny it.
Mr. Harris stepped forward.
“We need to make a decision quickly.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
His expression became serious.
“Because Walter’s instructions were clear.””
He pointed to the note.
“If Patricia finds Daniel before Emily does, the final evidence may disappear.””
Patricia laughed.
“Evidence?””
She shook her head.
“You all think this is some kind of mystery.””
Her eyes moved to me.
“But you don’t know what happens when Daniel Cross enters your life.””
A chill went through me.
“You’re afraid of him.””
“No.””
Her answer came instantly.
Too instantly.
“I’m afraid of what he will tell you.””
That was the first honest thing Patricia had said.
And everyone heard it.
Ryan looked at her.
“What did you do?””
Patricia looked away.
“I made mistakes.””
Charlotte stared.
“Mistakes?””
Her voice cracked.
“You lied about Dad. You lied about Ryan. You lied about Emily’s father.””
She wiped her eyes.
“What else is there?””
Patricia said nothing.
The silence was the answer.
Mr. Harris picked up his coat.
“Emily, you should not call Daniel from here.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because if Patricia has access to this house, she may have access to other things.””
Patricia smiled.
“You think I’m dangerous.””
Nobody answered.
Because nobody needed to.
She looked at me.
“You have no idea what danger is.””
I felt anger rise.
“No. I think I’m finally starting to understand.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?””
“It means I spent years believing I was abandoned.””
I stepped closer.
“I spent years blaming my father.””
My voice shook.
“But the truth is, everyone around me made decisions for me.””
I looked at Walter’s portrait.
“Everyone decided what I deserved to know.””
Then I looked at Patricia.
“I’m done being kept in the dark.””
For once, she had no response.
Mr. Harris handed me his phone.
“Call him.””
My hand trembled as I dialed the number.
Every ring felt louder than the last.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then—
A click.
Someone answered.
Nobody spoke.
I couldn’t breathe.
“Hello?””
My voice sounded like a stranger’s.
Silence.
Then a man’s voice.
Older.
Rough.
But somehow familiar.
“Who gave you this number?””
My eyes filled instantly.
Because I knew that voice.
I knew it from somewhere deep inside me.
A memory buried under years of pain.
“Dad?””
The room froze.
Ryan looked at me.
Patricia stopped moving.
The man on the phone went silent.
Then I heard him breathe.
“Emily?””
I covered my mouth.
I couldn’t stop the tears.
“It’s me.””
Another long silence.
Then his voice broke.
“Oh my God.””
I closed my eyes.
Ten years.
Ten years wondering if he remembered me.
Ten years wondering if he cared.
And now he was crying.
“Where are you?”” I whispered.
“Emily, you shouldn’t have called this number.””
“Why?””
“Because it means Walter is gone.””
I froze.
“How did you know?””
Daniel exhaled.
“Because Walter was the only person who could have given you that number.””
Ryan stepped closer.
“Ask him about Patricia.””
I hesitated.
Then I asked.
“Dad…”
My voice shook.
“Did Patricia Whitaker know where you were?””
There was a long pause.
Then Daniel answered.
“Yes.””
Everyone went still.
“How?””
“Because she helped me disappear.””
Patricia closed her eyes.
Ryan looked at her.
Daniel continued.
“But not because she wanted to save me.””
My grip tightened on the phone.
“Then why?””
His voice became heavy.
“Because she wanted something from me.””
“What?””
“She wanted the documents.””
Mr. Harris looked up.
“What documents?””
Daniel heard another voice.
“Who is there?””
I looked around.
“The lawyer. Walter’s lawyer.””
Daniel was quiet.
Then he said:
“Put him on.””
Mr. Harris took the phone.
“Daniel Cross?””
“Yes.””
“This is James Harris.””
A pause.
“I knew you would eventually find the truth.””
The lawyer’s expression changed.
“You knew Walter was leaving evidence?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn’t you come forward?””
Daniel sighed.
“Because every time I tried, Patricia made sure someone stopped me.””
My stomach tightened.
“Someone?””
“Yes.””
A silence followed.
Then Daniel said something that made everyone freeze.
“Patricia was not working alone.””
Ryan looked at me.
“What?””
I repeated:
“Who was she working with?””
Daniel didn’t answer immediately.
When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.
“Someone inside the Whitaker family.””
Everyone looked at each other.
Charlotte stepped back.
“No.””
Daniel continued.
“I don’t know how many people were involved. I only know Walter discovered the truth too late.””
Mr. Harris asked:
“What truth?””
Daniel said:
“The person who was stealing from Walter wasn’t Patricia.””
The room became silent.
I felt cold.
“What?””
Daniel continued.
“Patricia helped cover it up.””
“Then who started it?””
Another pause.
Then Daniel said:
“The person Walter trusted most.””
Everyone looked toward Ryan.
Not because they suspected him.
Because of the impossible thought.
A family member.
Someone close.
Someone protected.
Mr. Harris asked:
“Are you saying one of Walter’s children was involved?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
That silence was worse.
Ryan stepped forward.
“Tell us.””
Daniel’s voice became softer.
“I’m sorry.””
“For what?””
“For what you’re about to learn.””
My heart started racing.
Daniel continued.
“Emily, I need you to understand something.””
I held the phone tighter.
“What?””
“Walter didn’t leave you the trust because he wanted you to have his money.””
I looked at Mr. Harris.
“Then why?””
“Because he needed someone outside the family to expose the truth.””
The room went silent.
“Expose what?””
Daniel answered:
“The person who killed him.””
My blood turned cold.
Ryan whispered:
“My father wasn’t sick.””
Daniel said nothing.
He didn’t need to.
The silence was enough.
Then a loud crash came from outside.
Everyone turned toward the front door.
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then went out.
Patricia smiled in the darkness.
A terrifying calm returned to her face.
“You should have listened to me.””
Mr. Harris pulled out his phone flashlight.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
Someone was inside the house.
Ryan moved closer to me.
“Who is that?””
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel’s voice came through the phone.
Panicked.
“Emily?””
I held the phone to my ear.
“What?””
His voice dropped.
“Leave that house.””
“Why?””
A pause.
May you like
Then he said the words that made my entire body freeze.
“Because the person who killed Walter is standing in that room with you.””
