Chapter 6: The Sister They Buried
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything.
Not Emma's breathing.
Not Daniel's voice.
Not even my own heartbeat.
I stared at the photograph until the edges blurred.
The little girl was standing beside my father, one small hand wrapped around his index finger.
She had my mother's eyes.
My father's dark hair.
And my face.
Not similar.
Not close.
Mine.
I looked at Emma.
"I don't have a sister.""
Emma's lips trembled.
"I know.""
"Then why is she in this picture?""
"I don't know.""
"You just said she was my sister.""
"Because your mother told me she was.""
I turned toward Daniel.
He hadn't moved.
His face looked drained.
"You knew.""
He shook his head.
"Not this.""
"Then what did you know?""
He swallowed.
"I knew there had been another child.""
My stomach dropped.
"You knew?""
"I didn't know she was alive.""
"How long?""
"A few months.""
"And you never told me.""
"I didn't know how.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You've had three years to figure out how.""
Emma lowered the gun slightly.
"Claire, please.""
"No.""
I looked at her.
"Don't tell me to calm down.""
"I'm not.""
"Then tell me everything.""
Emma looked at Daniel.
He nodded once.
She lowered the gun completely.
"The girl was born eleven months before you.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"Your mother told everyone there was only one pregnancy.""
"Why?""
"Because the baby disappeared.""
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
"Disappeared?""
Emma nodded.
"According to the records, the baby died before being discharged from the hospital.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Was she dead?""
"No.""
His answer came quietly.
"No one knows what happened to her.""
I looked back at the photograph.
The little girl looked about four years old.
"Then who took her?""
Emma shook her head.
"That's what your mother spent years trying to find out.""
I felt sick.
"And my father?""
"He knew.""
"How do you know?""
Emma pointed to the photograph.
"Because he took it.""
I turned the photograph over.
There were more words beneath my mother's message.
I hadn't noticed them before.
I brought it closer to the emergency light.
*DAVID KNOWS WHERE SHE IS.*
David.
My father's name.
My hands started shaking.
Then another line.
*HE DID NOT TAKE HER.*
And beneath it:
*HE HELPED HIDE HER.*
I looked up.
"Why?""
Emma whispered, "Because he was afraid.""
"Afraid of whom?""
She shook her head.
"The Northbridge Foundation.""
The name hit me like ice water.
"What's Northbridge?""
Emma glanced toward Daniel.
He answered.
"Not what you think.""
"Then what is it?""
"A network.""
"Of what?""
"People.""
"That doesn't mean anything.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Politicians. Lawyers. Doctors.
Financial executives. Private investigators.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"Influence.""
"Influence over what?""
"People. Property. Cases. Records.""
My mouth went dry.
"And children?""
His silence was enough.
I stepped back.
"No.""
Daniel's eyes closed.
"Claire.""
"No.""
I held up the photograph.
"My mother didn't lose a child.""
He said nothing.
"She had a child taken from her.""
Emma nodded.
"And your father helped cover it up.""
I looked at the little girl again.
"Why would my father help them?""
"Because they threatened you.""
I froze.
"Me?""
Emma nodded.
"You were only three.""
A memory surfaced.
A red balloon.
A hospital corridor.
My mother's hand gripping mine too tightly.
I hadn't thought about that day in years.
I remembered asking why Daddy wasn't coming home.
I remembered my mother crying.
Then nothing.
"I was three," I whispered.
Daniel looked at me.
"Your father believed they'd take you too.""
"Who?""
"The people who took your sister.""
I shook my head.
"Then why didn't he tell my mother?""
"He tried.""
"When?""
"Several times.""
"Did she know?""
"Eventually.""
"Then why did she let him help hide it?""
Daniel looked toward the photograph.
"Because your mother believed your father was already compromised.""
I stared at him.
"You mean she didn't trust him.""
"No.""
"Did she love him?""
Emma gave a small, bitter smile.
"She loved him enough to hate what he became.""
I sat down on the edge of the workbench.
The room felt too small.
Too dark.
Every truth seemed to create another question.
"Where is she?""
Neither answered.
I stood.
"My sister. Where is she?""
Emma looked at Daniel.
Daniel looked at me.
"We don't know.""
"But my mother does.""
"Probably.""
"Then we find her.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's what the envelope is about.""
I looked at him sharply.
"The sealed envelope.""
"Yes.""
"What is inside?""
"Your mother's final instructions.""
"Instructions for what?""
"Finding your sister.""
The room went silent.
I held the microSD card in my palm.
"Then we need to read this.""
Daniel glanced at the card.
"There may not be a computer here.""
Emma pointed toward a cabinet.
"There's an old laptop.""
She opened it.
The machine looked ancient.
She plugged it in.
I inserted the card.
One folder appeared.
No name.
Just a date.
*07-14-2011.*
I clicked it.
Three video files.
The first was only thirty seconds.
I opened it.
My mother appeared on screen.
Older than I remembered.
Thinner.
But alive.
My knees nearly gave way.
She sat behind a desk I recognized from her old office.
She looked directly into the camera.
"Claire.""
I covered my mouth.
Her eyes softened.
"If you're watching this, then Daniel failed to keep you away.""
Daniel lowered his head.
My mother's expression changed.
"Or he finally chose you over them.""
Daniel whispered, "I'm sorry.""
My mother continued.
"I need you to understand something. Everything you were told about our family was constructed to protect you.""
The screen flickered.
"Your sister's name is Lily.""
I froze.
Lily.
The name felt strangely familiar.
"She was taken on the night your father tried to expose Northbridge.""
My mother paused.
"Your father did not betray me.""
Daniel looked at me.
"He was forced to cooperate after they threatened to take Claire.""
I stared at the screen.
My mother continued.
"Your father was told Lily was already dead.""
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"He believed them.""
The video paused for a second.
Then she said:
"But I eventually discovered the truth.""
I leaned closer.
"Lily was alive.""
The second file began automatically.
A timestamp appeared.
*Three years ago.*
The screen showed my mother's face again.
But this time she looked frightened.
"Claire, I know where Lily is.""
My heart stopped.
"I found her.""
Daniel stepped closer to the laptop.
My mother looked over her shoulder.
Someone was outside the room.
She lowered her voice.
"She's been raised under another name.""
My hands shook.
"I can't say it here.""
She reached beneath the desk.
Pulled out a photograph.
Then she held it toward the camera.
The image was too blurred to identify the person.
But a hospital bracelet was visible.
My mother's voice trembled.
"The woman who has raised her doesn't know who Lily really is.""
Emma whispered, "Oh God.""
My mother continued.
"That is why Northbridge hasn't found her.""
The video abruptly ended.
The room was silent.
I looked at Daniel.
"Play the third.""
He nodded.
The third file opened.
My mother was standing outdoors.
Wind moved through her hair.
Behind her was a building.
A children's clinic.
She looked directly into the camera.
"Lily is closer than you think.""
My breath caught.
My mother took a folded piece of paper from her pocket.
"Claire, I need you to remember something from childhood.""
I leaned closer.
"The woman who used to visit your school every Thursday.""
I frowned.
I remembered nothing.
My mother smiled sadly.
"You called her Aunt May.""
My entire body went cold.
Aunt May.
The name surfaced from somewhere deep in my memory.
A woman with red lipstick.
A lavender scarf.
A silver bracelet.
The exact bracelet from the woman in the camera footage.
I stopped breathing.
My mother spoke again.
"She is not your aunt.""
The screen flickered.
"She is Lily's guardian.""
Daniel suddenly grabbed the laptop.
"Turn it off.""
"What?""
"Now.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
His eyes were fixed on the video.
"Because I know that building.""
"What building?""
"The children's clinic.""
He pointed at the screen.
"That footage was recorded three years ago.""
"So?""
He looked at me.
"That clinic burned down two years ago.""
Emma went pale.
"But there was another location.""
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"Where?""
He stared at the hospital bracelet in the frozen frame.
Then his eyes widened.
"No.""
"What?""
He looked at me.
"The address isn't the clinic.""
"Then what is it?""
"It's a maternity hospital.""
I waited.
Daniel's voice became a whisper.
"The hospital where you and Lily were born.""
My phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
One message.
*YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.*
Another message arrived immediately.
*LILY ISN'T HIDING FROM NORTHBRIDGE.*
I stared at the screen.
May you like
Then the final message appeared.
*SHE'S HIDING FROM YOU.*
