Chapter 7: The Voice From the Past
The voice on the phone made my entire body freeze.
I knew that voice.
I hadn’t heard it in years, but some voices don’t disappear.
They stay buried somewhere in your memory, waiting for the moment they can hurt you again.
My dad stared at the phone.
“Who is this?””
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
“You don’t recognize me, Michael?””
My dad’s face tightened.
Then his eyes moved toward me.
That was when I knew.
He recognized the voice.
But he didn’t want to say the name.
“Dad?”” I whispered.
He didn’t answer.
The voice continued.
“I guess Emma never told you everything.””
My heart dropped.
Not again.
Not another person claiming I was hiding something.
Not another accusation without proof.
My dad gripped the phone.
“Say your name.””
A pause.
Then:
“Daniel.””
The room went silent.
I felt like the floor disappeared beneath me.
Daniel.
My mother’s brother.
My uncle.
The man I hadn’t seen since I was sixteen.
The man who disappeared from our lives after a massive argument with my dad.
I looked at my father.
“Uncle Daniel?””
My dad closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
The voice on the phone became sharper.
“Emma, I know you’re there.””
I stepped closer.
“Why are you calling?””
My dad immediately shook his head.
“Emma, don’t.””
But I was tired.
Tired of secrets.
Tired of everyone talking around me like I was a child who couldn’t handle the truth.
I took the phone.
“Why are you calling my dad?””
Daniel was quiet for a moment.
Then he said:
“Because I found out what Tara has been doing.””
My eyes moved toward Tara.
She looked terrified.
Not confused.
Terrified.
“What does that mean?”” I asked.
Daniel sighed.
“It means she’s been using your father’s money to fix problems she created.””
Tara stood suddenly.
“That’s a lie.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“You always say that when you get caught.””
My dad looked at Tara.
“What is he talking about?””
She shook her head.
“Don’t listen to him.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She turned toward me.
“Because he hates your father.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with anything?””
“Everything.””
My dad took the phone back.
“Daniel, explain.””
The line went quiet.
Then Daniel said:
“I saw her with Lucas.””
My stomach tightened.
“When?””
“A week ago.””
My dad looked at Tara.
“You said Lucas only contacted you.””
She looked away.
Daniel continued.
“He wasn’t just asking her for money. They were planning something.””
Tara’s voice rose.
“Stop lying!””
Daniel ignored her.
“Michael, check the security camera footage from the front door.””
My dad froze.
“We don’t have cameras.””
“You do.””
“What?””
“Your smart doorbell.””
I looked at my dad.
He slowly reached for his phone.
The house suddenly felt colder.
Because if Daniel was telling the truth, we were about to see something that someone had tried to hide.
My dad opened the app.
His thumb moved across the screen.
Then he stopped.
“There’s footage from last Tuesday.””
Tara whispered:
“Michael…”
He looked at her.
“What happened last Tuesday?””
She didn’t answer.
My dad pressed play.
The video appeared.
The front porch.
The timestamp.
And then…
Lucas walked into view.
But he wasn’t alone.
Someone opened the door from inside.
Someone who let him into our house.
Someone who had been lying.
My dad leaned closer to the screen.
Then he whispered:
“Tara…”
The video showed her standing there.
May you like
Smiling.
And handing Lucas an envelope.
