Chapter 4: The Woman Who Came Back from the Dead
Michael called the police before he finished reading the photograph's caption.
His hands were shaking so badly that he nearly dropped his phone.
"Mr. Carter, I need you to slow down," the dispatcher said.
"My seven-year-old daughter has been taken from my home. My stepmother claimed I authorized it. I did not.""
"Who took the child?""
"My stepmother, Vanessa Carter. Possibly someone pretending to be her mother.""
There was a pause.
"Her mother?""
"Her mother is supposed to be dead.""
Within twenty minutes, two police officers arrived at the mansion. Michael showed them the photograph, the handwritten note, and the message he'd received earlier.
Officer Bennett, a broad-shouldered man with tired eyes, studied the photograph.
"You're certain this is your late wife?""
Michael nodded.
"I would recognize her anywhere.""
"Have you spoken to your stepmother?""
"No. She isn't answering.""
"Do you have any idea where she might have taken Lily?""
Michael remembered the drawing on the bedroom floor.
The black car.
Then something else occurred to him.
Vanessa owned a lakeside property in Massachusetts. She had inherited it from Michael's father and rarely visited.
"There's a house in Westport," he said.
"It's about two hours away.""
Officer Bennett wrote down the address.
"We'll dispatch officers there.""
Michael grabbed his coat.
"I'm coming.""
"Mr. Carter, I understand you're worried, but—"
"That's my daughter.""
The officer studied his face before nodding.
"Stay behind our vehicle. Don't approach anyone until we secure the property.""
Michael agreed.
But as he walked toward his car, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered immediately.
"Where is my daughter?""
A woman's voice replied.
"Michael?""
He stopped breathing.
It was a voice he hadn't heard in almost two years.
A voice he had once fallen asleep listening to.
"Sarah?""
There was silence.
Then a quiet sob.
"I'm sorry.""
Michael gripped the phone.
"Where is Lily?""
"She's safe.""
"Where are you?""
"I can't tell you.""
"Sarah, I buried you!""
"I know.""
"I stood at your funeral!""
"I know, Michael.""
His voice broke.
"How could you do that to me?""
Sarah began crying.
"Because if I had come back, they would have taken Lily.""
"Who?""
"Your father. Vanessa. Richard. All of them.""
Michael shook his head.
"My father is dead.""
"That doesn't mean his plans died with him.""
A car horn sounded behind Michael.
He barely noticed.
"Tell me where Lily is.""
"She's with Vanessa. But Michael, you need to understand something. Vanessa isn't the person who arranged the first transfer.""
"Then who did?""
Sarah lowered her voice.
"Richard.""
Michael closed his eyes.
"I already know about the money.""
"No. You don't know what he did to me.""
"Then tell me!""
Sarah took a shaky breath.
"Your father discovered that Lily wasn't the only child connected to the Carter inheritance.""
Michael went silent.
"What are you talking about?""
"There's another child.""
"Whose child?""
Sarah didn't answer immediately.
Then she whispered, "Yours.""
Michael felt the phone slip against his ear.
"That's impossible.""
"Michael, I need you to listen.""
"I have one daughter.""
"You have two.""
He couldn't speak.
Sarah continued.
"The second child was born before Lily. I gave her up because your father threatened to destroy everything if I told you.""
Michael's mind raced.
"Where is she?""
"That's what Vanessa knows.""
A car door slammed in the distance.
Sarah suddenly became frightened.
"I have to go.""
"Sarah, wait!""
"Don't trust the police officer who arrives with a silver watch.""
The call disconnected.
Michael stared at his phone.
Officer Bennett approached.
"Everything all right?""
Michael looked at him.
The officer was wearing a black uniform, a radio, and a silver wristwatch.
Michael's stomach tightened.
"What's your partner's name?""
Bennett frowned.
"Officer Lewis. Why?""
"Where is he?""
"At the vehicle.""
Michael took a step backward.
Bennett's expression changed.
"Mr. Carter, is there a problem?""
Before Michael could answer, another officer called from the driveway.
"Ben! We have a vehicle!""
Bennett looked away for half a second.
Michael used the opportunity to move toward his car.
"Mr. Carter!""
He ignored the command.
He drove away.
The journey to Westport felt endless.
He called Patricia Morgan and told her everything.
When he mentioned Sarah's warning, Patricia became unusually quiet.
"Michael, don't go to that property alone.""
"I'm already on my way.""
"Listen to me. I've been checking the police report from Sarah's accident.""
"And?""
"The vehicle involved was registered to a company owned by your father.""
Michael tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"Why would my father have owned the car?""
"That's what I'm trying to establish. But the insurance records show something even stranger.""
"What?""
"The driver was never identified.""
Michael swallowed.
"You're telling me the body in that car might not have been Sarah?""
"I'm telling you the death certificate doesn't prove the identity of the person who died.""
Michael looked at the road ahead.
His entire life was collapsing around him.
When he reached the lakeside property, he saw a black SUV parked near the entrance.
The house was dark.
He approached carefully.
Through a window, he saw Vanessa sitting at a dining table.
Lily was beside her.
The little girl looked frightened.
And across from them sat a woman with dark hair.
Sarah.
Michael's breath caught.
She was alive.
He moved toward the front door.
Before he could knock, he heard Vanessa's voice.
"Your father is going to understand eventually, Lily. He always does.""
Lily shook her head.
"I want Daddy.""
Sarah reached across the table.
"Vanessa, she's terrified. Let her go.""
Vanessa laughed.
"You lost the right to tell me how to raise her when you abandoned her.""
"I never abandoned her.""
"You disappeared.""
"Because you threatened her.""
Vanessa stood.
"You should have stayed dead.""
Sarah looked up at her.
"And you should have stopped stealing from a child.""
Michael pushed the door open.
"Get away from my daughter.""
Three heads turned.
Lily jumped from her chair.
"Daddy!""
Michael rushed toward her.
But Vanessa stepped between them.
"Michael, don't be foolish.""
He stared at Sarah.
She was older, thinner, and had a faint scar near her left temple.
But it was unquestionably her.
"You're alive," he whispered.
Sarah began crying.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Before she could answer, Vanessa reached into her handbag and pulled out a document.
"Because she made a deal with your father.""
Michael looked at the paper.
It was a custody agreement.
His name appeared at the bottom.
His signature was there, too.
Except he had never signed it.
Vanessa smiled coldly.
"Your wife agreed to disappear in exchange for something.""
Michael looked at Sarah.
"What did you give them?""
Sarah closed her eyes.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"I gave them our first daughter.""
