Chapter 7: The Name In My Mother’s Notebook
“Who sent that message?””
Claire didn’t answer.
She stood beside the window, staring through the curtains as if she expected someone to be standing on the lawn.
“Aunt Claire.””
Her shoulders tightened.
“You said Derek isn’t the only person who’s been watching us. Who else is there?””
She slowly turned around.
“Lock the door.””
“What?””
“Please, Aaliyah. Lock it.””
I did.
Then Claire took my mother’s notebook from my hands and flipped through the pages until she found one near the back.
A name had been circled three times.
Marcus Vale.
“Who is he?””
Claire sat down.
“Derek’s father.””
I stared at her.
“Derek told me his father died when he was a teenager.””
“He lied.””
Of course he did.
“What does Marcus have to do with my mother?””
“More than Derek ever wanted you to know.””
Claire pointed to a date written beneath Marcus’s name.
“She met him when she worked for Child Protective Services.””
My stomach tightened.
My mother had worked there briefly when I was young, but she rarely spoke about those years.
“Derek was a child?””
“Sixteen.””
Claire swallowed.
“Your mother was assigned to a case involving his family.””
I looked down at the notebook.
“What happened?””
“Marcus was controlling. Violent. He humiliated Derek and Derek’s younger sister as punishment.
He made them stand for hours. Made them wear signs describing what he thought they were.””
I stopped breathing.
Signs.
My mind returned to Ava.
BAD CHILD.
“No.””
Claire nodded sadly.
“Your mother believed Derek learned those punishments from Marcus.””
I backed away from the table.
For one dangerous second, sympathy tried to enter my heart.
Then I pictured Ava on her knees.
Whatever had happened to Derek as a child did not give him the right to repeat it.
“Why didn’t Mom tell me?””
“She wanted to.””
Claire’s voice broke.
“But by the time she discovered who Derek really was, you were already in love with him.””
“That didn’t stop her from warning me.””
“She tried.””
I stared at her.
“When?””
Claire turned another page.
There was a photocopy of an envelope.
My name was written on it.
“I never got that.””
“I know.””
“Why?””
Claire hesitated.
“Because I stopped her.””
I looked up sharply.
“You did what?””
“She was sick, Aaliyah. Her heart condition was getting worse. Derek had already threatened her.””
My voice rose.
“So you decided I didn’t deserve to know?””
“I thought I was buying time.””
“You bought Derek time.””
Claire flinched.
I hated the anger in my voice.
But I couldn’t stop.
“My daughter paid for your silence.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
I slapped the notebook onto the table.
“You weren’t there when Ava begged him to let her stand up.””
Claire covered her mouth.
“He told me he’d changed.””
“Derek?””
“No.””
Her answer came too quickly.
I froze.
“Then who?””
Claire looked terrified.
“Marcus.””
A cold sensation moved down my spine.
“You talked to Derek’s father?””
“He contacted me after your mother died.””
“Why?””
“He wanted the notebook.””
I stared at her.
“You had evidence about his family, and you talked to him?””
“He threatened you.””
Claire stood.
“He knew where Ava went to school. He knew where you worked. He knew Derek had married you.””
My anger disappeared beneath something colder.
“How?””
“I don’t know.””
“Yes, you do.””
Claire shook her head.
“I swear I don’t.””
I pointed toward the message on my phone.
“Then how did someone know I was standing inside your house?””
Claire had no answer.
I grabbed my keys.
“I’m getting Ava.””
Claire caught my arm.
“Wait.””
“No.””
“Listen to me.””
I pulled away.
“My daughter is with my neighbor because I thought she was safer away from Derek. If someone else is watching her—”
“Aaliyah.””
Claire’s voice cracked.
“There’s something about Emma you need to know first.””
I stopped.
“What?””
Claire opened a cabinet beneath the bookshelf and removed a sealed folder.
Across the front was my mother’s handwriting.
EMMA CARTER — PRIVATE.
I stared at it.
“Why do you have this?””
“Your mother gave it to me.””
“When?””
“Three days before she died.””
I opened the folder.
Inside were copies of court documents, handwritten notes, and several photographs.
One showed Emma leaving a courthouse.
Another showed Derek standing beside Marcus.
Then I found the photograph that made my hands shake.
Emma.
Marcus.
Together.
The date was only six months old.
“That’s impossible.””
“It isn’t.””
“But Emma told me she was hiding from Derek.””
“She was.””
Claire paused.
“Maybe she was also hiding something from you.””
My phone rang.
Emma.
Claire looked at the screen.
“Don’t answer.””
I answered.
“Emma?””
Her voice came fast.
“Aaliyah, where are you?””
“Why?””
“Get Ava and leave Texas.””
I looked at the photograph.
“Were you with Marcus Vale six months ago?””
Silence.
Then Emma whispered:
“Who showed you that?””
“So it’s true.””
“Aaliyah, listen—”
“You lied to me.””
“I was trying to keep you alive.””
My blood ran cold.
“By meeting Derek’s father?””
Emma started crying.
“You don’t understand who Marcus is.””
“Then explain.””
“I can’t over the phone.””
“Why?””
A sound came from Emma’s end of the call.
A door.
Then footsteps.
Emma stopped breathing.
“Emma?””
She whispered so softly I almost missed it.
“He found me.””
The line went dead.
Before I could call back, another message appeared.
This one wasn’t from an unknown number.
It came from my neighbor.
Aaliyah, I’m sorry. A man came for Ava. He said he was family.
My knees nearly gave out.
May you like
Then the second message arrived.
She’s gone.
