Chapter 6: The Death That Wasn't an Accident
Thomas sat down slowly.
Alexander remained standing.
"Tell me what?"" he demanded.
Thomas stared at the photograph of Rebecca.
For seventeen years, I had known my brother as a man who loved his wife and son more than anything in the world.
I had watched him carry Rebecca through chemotherapy appointments. I had held his shoulder at her funeral. I had helped Alexander choose flowers for her grave.
Now, I was beginning to understand that there were things about my brother I had never known.
"Thomas," I said.
"What happened to Rebecca?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"She died in a car accident.""
Patricia shook her head.
"That's what the report says.""
Thomas looked at her.
"What are you suggesting?""
She opened her handbag and removed a small USB drive.
"I found this among Claire's belongings.""
Thomas stared at it.
"What is that?""
"An audio recording.""
I looked at Patricia.
"Of what?""
"Rebecca and Eleanor.""
Thomas stood abruptly.
"That's enough.""
Alexander stepped between him and Patricia.
"No. We're listening.""
Patricia placed the USB drive into the small laptop she had brought.
The screen flickered.
A recording began.
At first, there was only static.
Then two women's voices became audible.
Rebecca spoke first.
"You're asking me to keep lying to him?""
Eleanor answered.
"I'm asking you to protect the boy.""
"He's my son. I don't need you to tell me how to protect him.""
"Daniel is coming back. He knows where Alexander lives.""
Rebecca's voice trembled.
"Then we go to the police.""
"You don't understand what he's capable of.""
"I understand perfectly. He's threatening a child.""
There was a pause.
Then Rebecca said something that made Thomas close his eyes.
"I know who Alexander's real father is.""
Eleanor's voice dropped.
"Then you know why this must stay secret.""
Rebecca laughed bitterly.
"No. I know why you want it to stay secret. You're protecting Daniel.""
The recording ended abruptly.
Alexander stared at the laptop.
"That's it?""
Patricia nodded.
"There's another file.""
She clicked the second recording.
This one sounded different.
A car engine hummed in the background.
Rebecca's voice came through.
"Marcus, if you're hearing this, something has happened to me.""
My stomach tightened.
"Wait.""
I leaned closer.
It was my name.
She had recorded a message for me.
Marcus, I know I should have told you everything years ago. But I was afraid. Not of you. Never of you.
There was a pause.
Thomas knows about the letters. Eleanor knows about Daniel. And someone has been following Alexander.
I looked at my brother.
His face was white.
The recording continued.
If I don't make it home tonight, please don't believe everything they tell you about the accident.
Then there was a loud metallic sound.
A car horn.
And Rebecca screamed.
The recording stopped.
Alexander stumbled backward.
"No.""
Thomas covered his face.
"Please, son.""
Alexander turned on him.
"You knew?""
Thomas shook his head.
"I didn't know about that recording.""
"But you knew she was scared!""
Thomas began crying.
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you protect her?""
Thomas looked at the floor.
"Because I thought I could.""
For the first time, I saw something in my brother's expression that wasn't guilt.
It was fear.
Patricia closed the laptop.
"Thomas, did Rebecca tell you she was going to meet Claire the night she died?""
Thomas didn't answer.
I stepped forward.
"What night?""
"The night of the accident," Patricia said.
"Rebecca was going to give Claire the original hospital records.""
Alexander turned toward his father.
"Is that true?""
Thomas nodded.
"She told me she had something important to deliver.""
"Did she ever get there?""
Thomas shook his head.
"She never came home.""
I remembered that night.
Thomas had called me just after midnight, sobbing so uncontrollably that I could barely understand him.
He had said Rebecca's car had gone off the road during a storm.
I had driven to the hospital.
I had seen her body.
I had attended her funeral.
Now Patricia was telling me the accident might not have been an accident at all.
I looked at Thomas.
"Did the police investigate?""
"They said the road was slippery. The car hit a barrier.""
"Was there another vehicle?""
Thomas shook his head.
"Not according to the report.""
Patricia placed a printed photograph on the table.
It showed the rear of Rebecca's damaged car.
There was a long scrape along the driver's side.
"That wasn't caused by hitting the barrier," she said.
Thomas looked at it.
His mouth opened.
Then he whispered:
"I've seen that mark before.""
"Where?"" I asked.
Thomas stared into the distance.
"On Daniel's car.""
Silence.
Alexander stepped forward.
"Are you saying Daniel killed Mom?""
Thomas shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"Then why did you hide this?""
"Because I was afraid he would come after you.""
Alexander's voice broke.
"He's been coming after me anyway!""
Thomas reached for his son's arm.
Alexander pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
The words hit Thomas harder than a slap.
I stepped between them.
"Nobody is leaving this house until we know what's happening.""
My phone rang.
The screen displayed Eleanor's number.
I answered.
"Mom?""
Her voice was frantic.
"Marcus, listen carefully. You need to take the children and leave immediately.""
"Why?""
"Daniel knows they're together.""
"How?""
"I don't know. But he called me.""
"What did he say?""
Eleanor was breathing heavily.
"He said the twins have everything he needs now.""
I glanced at the trust documents.
"What does he want?""
She began crying.
"He wants the original hospital records. The ones Claire kept.""
Patricia looked up sharply.
"Why?""
Eleanor whispered:
"Because the records prove that Daniel never had a biological claim to either child.""
I frowned.
"What?""
She continued.
"Marcus, I need you to understand something. Daniel lied about the paternity test. He used the hospital's confusion to convince me that Alexander was his son.""
I looked at the photograph of the twins.
"Then whose children are they?""
Eleanor was silent.
Then she said:
"Both of them are yours.""
The words filled the room.
Alexander looked at me.
Maya slowly reached for his hand.
I couldn't breathe.
For seventeen years, I had believed Maya was my only child.
For seventeen years, Thomas had raised Alexander.
And now Eleanor was telling me that both children were biologically mine.
"Why did Daniel say otherwise?""
"Because he wanted control of the trust. He knew Claire had discovered the truth. He knew that if you found out, he would lose everything.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
"At home.""
"Stay there. Don't open the door to anyone.""
"Marcus, there's something else.""
I closed my eyes.
"Tell me.""
Her voice became barely audible.
"Daniel didn't just threaten Rebecca.""
A sudden crash sounded through the phone.
Eleanor screamed.
Then the call went dead.
I immediately dialed her number again.
No answer.
I grabbed my keys.
"Thomas, you're coming with me.""
Alexander stood.
"I'm coming too.""
"No," Thomas said.
"You stay here with Maya.""
Alexander shook his head.
"She already lost one mother because people kept deciding what she could handle. I'm not staying behind.""
I looked at him.
He was frightened, but his eyes were steady.
I nodded.
"Then stay close to me.""
We rushed outside.
As I started the engine, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Eleanor's front door.
The door was open.
Beneath it were six words.
You should have left the past buried.
I drove faster.
When we reached Eleanor's house, the front door was hanging off one hinge.
The hallway light was still on.
A glass vase lay shattered across the floor.
"Mom!"" I shouted.
No answer.
Thomas ran toward the kitchen.
Alexander followed me upstairs.
We searched every room.
The bedroom was empty.
The bathroom was empty.
Then I noticed a trail of blood leading toward the back staircase.
I followed it.
At the bottom, I found Eleanor sitting against the wall, one hand pressed against her forehead.
"Mom!""
I dropped beside her.
She was conscious, but barely.
"Marcus...""
"Who did this?""
She gripped my wrist.
"Daniel.""
"Where is he?""
She looked toward the basement door.
Then she whispered:
"He wasn't alone.""
Thomas appeared behind me.
"Who was with him?""
Eleanor looked at her son.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Someone you trust.""
Thomas went completely still.
From somewhere inside the basement came the unmistakable sound of a phone ringing.
Then a man's voice called out.
"Thomas?""
I recognized it immediately.
It was the voice of Daniel.
But the next words made my brother stagger backward.
"Come downstairs, brother. We need to finish what Rebecca started.""
May you like
And then Daniel added:
"Bring Alexander. There's something he deserves to see.""
