Chapter 5: The Man Who Knew My Father
I carried Lily upstairs while Mason followed close behind.
Daniel stayed downstairs.
I could hear him moving through the kitchen.
Cabinet.
Drawer.
Door.
Then silence.
“Daniel?”” I called.
No answer.
I reached the top of the stairs.
Lily clung to my neck.
“Daddy, are they going to hurt us?””
“No.””
“You promise?””
I looked at her.
I wanted to give her certainty.
Instead, I gave her the truth.
“I'll protect you.””
Mason grabbed my hand.
“Dad, there's another way out.””
“What?””
“Your bedroom.””
He pulled me toward the master bedroom.
Behind the closet was a narrow door I had never noticed.
I opened it.
A staircase descended into darkness.
I stared at Mason.
“How do you know about this?””
“Mom showed me.””
“Why?””
“She said it was for emergencies.””
A cold feeling spread through me.
Vanessa had prepared escape routes.
Not for the children.
For herself.
I grabbed a flashlight.
“Stay behind me.””
We descended.
The stairs led into the basement.
At the bottom was a steel door.
Mason pointed.
“There's another door outside.””
I opened it.
Cold night air hit my face.
We stepped into the alley behind the house.
Daniel appeared seconds later.
“Good.””
I looked at him.
“What happened?””
“Two men entered the house.””
“Who?””
“Didn't recognize them.””
“Where are they now?””
“Looking for us.””
I pulled Lily closer.
Daniel pointed down the alley.
“We need a car.””
I took out my keys.
“My truck.””
We moved quickly.
But halfway to the street, Mason stopped.
“Dad.””
“What?””
He pointed at the sidewalk.
Someone had left an envelope beside my truck.
My name was written across it.
I didn't touch it.
Daniel did.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
I took it from him.
It showed me standing beside Sarah.
We were smiling.
Lily was a baby in my arms.
On the back, someone had written:
*YOU WERE HAPPIER BEFORE YOU REMEMBERED.*
My throat tightened.
“I don't remember this.””
Daniel studied the photograph.
“That's what they wanted.””
I looked at him.
“What exactly happened to my memory?””
He hesitated.
“Sarah told me you were drugged.””
“By who?””
“She suspected Vanessa.””
“Suspected?””
“She never had proof.””
I stared at the picture.
“Why would I forget my own wife?””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Because someone wanted you to.””
We reached the truck.
I opened the driver's door.
Nothing happened.
I turned the key.
The engine didn't start.
“Battery?””
Daniel crouched.
“No.””
He looked under the hood.
“The cables were cut.””
I stepped back.
“Then they knew we'd come here.””
A voice came from behind us.
“Of course they did.””
We turned.
Victor Hale stood at the mouth of the alley.
No mask.
No weapon.
Just an expensive gray coat and a calm expression.
Two men stood behind him.
My heart pounded.
Victor smiled.
“Michael.””
I had never met him.
Yet he said my name like we'd had dinner together.
“You know who I am,” I said.
“Very well.””
“You killed my father.””
His smile disappeared.
“That's what Vanessa told you?””
“Did you?””
Victor took one step forward.
“Your father was not an innocent man.””
“He was murdered.””
“Yes.””
“By you?””
Victor didn't answer.
Daniel stepped between us.
“Stay back.””
Victor looked at him.
“You should have stayed out of this, Daniel.””
“You killed Sarah.””
Victor's jaw tightened.
“No.””
“Then where is she?””
“Dead.””
I stared at him.
“Vanessa said she was alive.””
Victor looked directly at me.
“Vanessa says many things.””
Mason whispered behind me.
“Dad…”
Victor's eyes shifted toward him.
Something changed in his face.
Recognition.
“You have him.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Mason.””
Victor stared at the boy.
“That's Sarah's son.””
I looked at Mason.
“What did you say?””
Victor smiled faintly.
“Vanessa never told you?””
“Tell me what?””
Victor's gaze moved between Mason and Lily.
“Both children are part of the reason your life was destroyed.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Don't listen to him.””
Victor laughed.
“Daniel, you know exactly what happened.””
“Not everything.””
“I know enough.””
Victor looked at me.
“Your father built the company you work for. He also built something else.””
“What?””
“A financial network.””
I said nothing.
“He used employee identities to move money,” Victor continued.
“Your identity was one of hundreds.””
I remembered the bank statement.
“Why me?””
“Because your father trusted you.””
“My father hated me.””
Victor's expression changed.
“That's not what he told us.””
My chest tightened.
“What did he tell you?””
“That if anything happened to him, you were the only person he believed could expose the operation.””
I stared at him.
“Then why erase my memory?””
Victor smiled.
“Because you found the evidence.””
Daniel whispered, “Michael…”
I looked at him.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
Victor continued.
“Sarah helped you hide it.””
My breathing became shallow.
“Where?””
Victor shrugged.
“That's what Vanessa spent years trying to discover.””
“Why did she marry me?””
“To get close to the evidence.””
“And Lily?””
Victor looked at my daughter.
“Lily was the only thing Sarah refused to surrender.””
I felt sick.
“What does that mean?””
Victor's voice softened.
“Sarah wasn't trying to escape with money, Michael.””
He looked directly into my eyes.
“She was trying to save you.””
A car horn sounded at the end of the street.
Victor turned his head.
Daniel grabbed my shoulder.
“Go.””
“Where?””
“Anywhere.””
Victor's men started moving.
I grabbed the children.
We ran.
We reached the next street and flagged down a taxi.
I threw cash through the window.
“Hospital.””
The driver looked at us.
“Which one?””
“Nearest.””
As the taxi pulled away, I looked through the rear window.
Victor stood beneath a streetlamp.
He wasn't chasing us.
He was smiling.
I turned toward Daniel.
“Why isn't he following?””
Daniel's phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
“What?””
He handed it to me.
A message from an unknown number.
*YOU'RE GOING TO THE WRONG PLACE.*
Another message appeared.
*THEY ALREADY HAVE LILY'S MEDICAL FILE.*
I stared at the words.
Then my phone rang.
The caller was the hospital.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice said, “Mr. Carter?””
“Yes.””
“There's a problem with your daughter's records.””
“What problem?””
“The system says Lily Carter died six years ago.””
I couldn't breathe.
“What?””
The woman hesitated.
“Sir, according to our records, the child currently in your possession is not Lily Carter.””
I looked down at my daughter.
She was asleep against my chest.
The woman continued:
“Mr. Carter, we need you to answer one question.””
May you like
“What?””
“Who is the little girl you're traveling with?””
