Chapter 5: The Woman Who Came Back from the Dead
I couldn't stop staring at the photograph.
Margaret Vale was alive.
The woman whose funeral had been held twenty years earlier, whose name appeared on a marble gravestone in a private cemetery, was standing outside a house in Lake Forest.
And my mother was standing beside her.
"How long have they been together?"" I asked.
Caleb looked at the photograph.
His hands moved.
*“I don't know.””*
"Your mother faked her death?""
He shook his head.
*“I was told she died in a hospital. Dominic showed me the death certificate. I attended the funeral.””*
"Then what are we looking at?""
Marcus enlarged the photograph.
"Could be an impersonator.""
Caleb shook his head immediately.
He pointed to a small scar near the woman's right wrist.
Then he signed.
*“That's my mother.””*
His hands trembled.
For the first time since I'd met him, Caleb looked like a frightened child.
I sat beside him.
*“We'll find out what happened.””*
He nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on the screen.
Marcus drove toward Lake Forest.
The closer we got, the larger the houses became. Tall iron gates separated the properties from the road. Security cameras watched every entrance.
My father's supposed retirement home was a white stone mansion surrounded by trees.
A black SUV stood in the driveway.
Marcus parked two streets away.
"Nobody gets out until I check the perimeter.""
He disappeared into the darkness.
I turned to Caleb.
"Why didn't your father tell you Margaret was alive?""
Caleb typed.
Because she knew what he had done.
"To Ethan?""
He nodded.
Then he opened another file.
A scanned letter appeared.
It was addressed to him.
My dearest Caleb,
If you're reading this, then Dominic has probably convinced you that I abandoned you. I never did. I spent years trying to find a way to take you away from him.
Your father knows the truth about Robert. He also knows what happened to Ethan.
Don't believe the story about the accident.
And never trust the man who tells you that family is something you must earn.
There was no signature.
Only a small handwritten symbol at the bottom.
A crescent moon.
I recognized it.
My mother had worn a silver necklace with that exact symbol for as long as I could remember.
Before I could say anything, Caleb pointed at the letter.
His hands moved.
*“My mother used that symbol on everything important.””*
I looked toward the mansion.
"Then why is she with my mother?""
Caleb shook his head.
*“Maybe they're working together.””*
Marcus returned.
"We have a problem.""
He opened the driver's door.
"Two guards at the front. One at the rear. And there's a police cruiser parked inside.""
"Police?"" I asked.
"Private security detail. But they're wearing official badges.""
Caleb looked at me.
Then he typed.
Robert is expecting us.
My heart sank.
"How do you know?""
He pointed toward the front entrance.
A curtain moved.
A man stood behind the window.
My father.
I hadn't seen him in four years.
He looked older, thinner, and considerably more tired than I remembered.
But it was definitely Robert Mercer.
Then he lifted his hand.
He waved.
Not at Caleb.
At me.
I stepped out of the car.
Marcus immediately grabbed my arm.
"Don't.""
"That's my father.""
"That's a man who helped bury evidence connected to your brother's murder.""
I pulled free.
"I'm not leaving without answers.""
Caleb stepped out behind me.
His hands moved.
*“I will go with you.””*
We approached the gate.
A guard opened it before we reached the intercom.
Inside, the front door was already open.
My father stood in the entrance.
"Hannah.""
His voice sounded exactly as I remembered.
I hated that.
I hated that some part of me still wanted to walk toward him and ask whether he'd been lonely.
Instead, I asked, "Why did you sign the evidence transfer?""
His expression changed.
"Come inside.""
"Answer me.""
Robert looked at Caleb.
"You're Margaret's boy.""
Caleb's hands moved sharply.
*“You knew about me.””*
Robert nodded.
"I knew from the beginning.""
"Then why did you let Dominic raise me?""
My father looked exhausted.
"Because I thought he'd give you a safer life.""
Caleb's expression hardened.
I stepped forward.
"You let me believe Ethan died in an accident.""
Robert closed his eyes.
"I know.""
"You let me bury my brother without telling me someone had murdered him.""
"I didn't know he was going to die.""
"That's convenient.""
My father flinched.
A voice came from behind him.
"Robert, stop making excuses.""
A woman stepped into the hallway.
Margaret Vale.
She looked older than the photographs, but her eyes were unmistakable.
Caleb froze.
His mother raised both hands.
*“My beautiful boy.””*
Caleb didn't move.
She approached him carefully.
He stepped backward.
Margaret's hands dropped.
"I understand.""
Caleb signed.
*“You let me believe you were dead.””*
Margaret began crying.
"Dominic told me he would kill you if I contacted you.""
*“You could have found a way.””*
"I tried.""
*“For twenty years?””*
She had no answer.
My mother appeared behind her.
She looked directly at me.
"Hannah, sweetheart.""
I stared.
"How long have you known?""
She lowered her eyes.
"Since Ethan was born.""
The words hit harder than a slap.
"Since he was born?""
My mother nodded.
"Your father and Margaret had a relationship before I met Robert. When Margaret became pregnant, Dominic threatened to destroy them both. Robert agreed to raise Caleb's identity as a secret.""
I looked at my father.
"And Ethan?""
My mother began twisting her wedding ring.
"Ethan discovered the truth.""
"Which truth?""
Robert answered.
"That Caleb wasn't Dominic's biological son. That Margaret was alive. And that Dominic had been using Caleb's name to conceal money and property.""
Caleb looked at him.
*“Why did Ethan have the evidence?””*
Robert sighed.
"Because he found the original records while repairing a computer system for one of Dominic's companies.""
I looked at my mother.
"Did you know?""
She nodded.
"Your brother came to me the night before he died.""
My stomach turned.
"What did he say?""
My mother covered her mouth.
"He said someone was following him. He wanted me to take you away.""
I felt tears burning behind my eyes.
"And you did nothing?""
"I was afraid.""
"Afraid?""
My voice broke.
"He was seventeen!""
My mother started sobbing.
Robert reached toward me.
I stepped away.
Then a voice came from the staircase.
"How touching.""
Dominic Vale descended slowly.
Two armed men followed him.
He wore the same charcoal suit I'd seen at Bellamy's.
He looked at Caleb.
Then at Margaret.
"Family reunions are always so emotional.""
Caleb moved in front of me.
Dominic laughed.
"Still playing protector?""
He turned toward Robert.
"You were supposed to keep the girl away from this.""
Robert raised his hands.
"You promised no one would get hurt.""
Dominic's smile disappeared.
"I promised you many things, Robert.""
He removed a small black pistol from inside his jacket.
May you like
Then he pointed it at Caleb.
"But I never promised to let your mistakes live forever.""
