Chapter 6: The Brother Who Knew Too Much
The police searched for Michael Carter before sunrise.
But he was already gone.
Again.
Detective Harris stood near the hospital window, speaking quietly into his phone.
Daniel sat beside me.
But for the first time since we met, there was distance between us.
Not physical distance.
Something worse.
A wall.
“You should have told me,” I said.
Daniel looked down.
“I know.””
“When did you find out?””
He swallowed.
“Three days before the attack.””
I stared at him.
“You knew someone was threatening my baby?””
“No.””
“Then what did you know?””
He rubbed his hands over his face.
“Michael came to our house late at night.””
I remembered that night.
Daniel had said he was working.
He had slept on the couch.
I thought he was stressed.
I thought he was tired.
I never imagined he was hiding something.
“What did he say?””
Daniel’s voice became quieter.
“He said Rachel and your parents were planning something.””
I looked at him.
“And you did nothing?””
“I tried to figure out if he was telling the truth.””
I laughed bitterly.
“My sister kicked me in the stomach.””
“I know.””
“My blood was poisoned.””
“I know.””
“My doctor was involved.””
“I know.””
I wiped my tears.
“And you still kept secrets.””
Daniel looked like he wanted to disappear.
“I was scared.””
That answer broke something inside me.
“Scared?””
“Yes.””
“Daniel, I was the one carrying our child.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice cracked.
“You don’t know what it feels like to wonder if every person around you wants your baby gone.””
He looked away.
And for once, he had no answer.
A few minutes later, Detective Harris returned.
“We found something.””
I looked up.
“What?””
He placed a small envelope on the bed.
“This was hidden inside Michael Carter’s abandoned vehicle.””
Daniel immediately recognized it.
“That’s his.””
Inside was a handwritten letter.
No address.
No name.
Just one sentence on the front.
*If anything happens to me, Emma deserves the truth.*
My hands trembled as I opened it.
The handwriting was rushed.
Messy.
But readable.
Emma,
If you are reading this, then I failed.
I tried to stop them.
I tried to expose everything before they could hurt you.
But your family is not the only problem.
Someone closer to you has been helping them.
Someone who knows your routines.
Someone who knows every appointment.
Someone who can reach you anywhere.
I stopped reading.
My eyes lifted.
Daniel was staring at the letter.
“Keep going,” Detective Harris said.
I forced myself.
The next line made my heart race.
The person helping them is not your husband.
Daniel exhaled.
But I wasn’t relieved.
Because the letter continued.
However, Daniel is hiding the reason they targeted you.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
“What?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Emma…”
I looked at him.
“What does that mean?””
He didn’t answer.
Detective Harris watched him carefully.
“Mr. Carter?””
Daniel slowly stood.
“I wanted to protect her.””
My heart pounded.
“Protect me from what?””
He looked at the letter.
Then at me.
“My family.””
The room became silent.
“What about your family?””
Daniel’s eyes filled with pain.
“They knew something about Lily before we even knew she was a girl.””
I felt a chill.
“That’s impossible.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
He reached into his wallet.
He pulled out a photograph.
An old photograph.
A picture of his grandfather.
And my grandfather.
Standing together.
My breath caught.
“What is this?””
Daniel whispered.
“The Carter family and your family were connected long before we met.””
Detective Harris picked up the photograph.
“Why didn’t you tell us this?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
He stared at the picture.
Then said:
“That our marriage was never a coincidence.””
And before anyone could respond, Detective Harris’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“Where?””
A pause.
Then:
“Do not let anyone leave the hospital.””
He hung up.
Daniel stood.
“What happened?””
The detective looked directly at me.
“We found Michael.””
I felt relief for half a second.
Then I saw his face.
He wasn’t relieved.
He was terrified.
“Where?””
Detective Harris slowly answered.
“In the hospital basement.””
My blood turned cold.
“Alive?””
The detective hesitated.
“No.””
He looked at the letter in my hands.
“And there’s something beside his body.””
I swallowed.
“What?””
Detective Harris lowered his voice.
“A recording.””
He looked at Daniel.
May you like
“And the last person Michael called before he died…”
was you.
