Chapter 5: Christmas Eve
Marcus killed the lights.
The store went dark except for the Christmas tree.
Red and gold bulbs blinked across the branches.
Samuel stood beside the window, watching the black SUV parked across the street.
Its headlights were off.
Marcus crouched behind the counter.
“How long has it been there?””
Samuel checked his phone.
“Three minutes.””
“You think it's Calvin?””
“I don't know.””
“That's not an answer.””
Samuel looked at him.
“It's the only honest one.””
Marcus pulled the photograph from his pocket.
Calvin stood behind his childhood self.
The image made Marcus's skin crawl.
“I need to know what happened that night.””
Samuel nodded.
“So do I.””
Marcus turned toward the back office.
“I have security footage.””
Samuel followed.
The monitor showed the empty parking lot outside.
Marcus rewound the previous hour.
The footage jumped backward.
He stopped.
“There.””
The black SUV.
Samuel leaned closer.
The vehicle had been parked across the street before they locked the doors.
Marcus zoomed in.
The driver's window lowered.
A face appeared.
Older.
Black.
Gray hair.
Marcus whispered, “That's him.””
Samuel's shoulders stiffened.
“You're sure?””
Marcus nodded.
“My mother has a picture of him.””
Samuel watched the screen.
The man stepped out.
He looked directly toward the toy store.
Then he raised one hand.
He was holding something.
Marcus froze the footage.
“What is that?””
Samuel stared.
“A key.””
Marcus looked at him.
“How do you know?””
“Because I saw it thirty years ago.””
The memory seemed to hit Samuel like a physical blow.
He gripped the edge of the desk.
“I was outside the hospital.””
“When?””
“After midnight.””
“Christmas morning?””
Samuel nodded.
“I saw Calvin.””
“What happened?””
“He told me Elena had left.””
“With me?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“He said she was taking you out of state.””
Marcus stared.
“Did you believe him?””
Samuel shook his head.
“No.””
“What did you do?””
“I followed him.””
The monitor flickered.
Marcus leaned forward.
“And?””
Samuel closed his eyes.
“I remember getting into my motorcycle.””
He opened them.
“Then nothing.””
Marcus stared.
“You lost your memory?””
“Not all of it.””
“What do you remember?””
“Pain.””
“Where?””
Samuel touched the back of his head.
“Behind the hospital.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You were attacked?””
“I think so.””
The SUV across the street suddenly moved.
Marcus looked through the blinds.
It rolled slowly past the store.
Then stopped.
Samuel reached inside his vest.
Marcus noticed.
“You carrying a gun?””
Samuel shook his head.
“Never needed one.””
“What do you have?””
“A wrench.””
Marcus almost laughed.
“Of course.””
The SUV accelerated.
It disappeared around the corner.
Marcus exhaled.
Then his phone rang.
Elena.
This time, she answered immediately.
“Marcus?””
“Mom, where are you?””
“Home.””
“Are you safe?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
“Is Calvin alive?””
Silence.
Marcus's stomach tightened.
“Mom?””
“Who told you that name?””
“Samuel.””
Elena inhaled sharply.
“Is he with you?””
“Yes.””
“Marcus, listen to me.””
“I've been listening my whole life.””
His voice broke.
“And you lied to me.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From who?””
Elena started crying.
“From your father.””
Marcus looked at Samuel.
Samuel went completely still.
“You told me Samuel was my father.””
“I told you what you needed to believe.””
Marcus's heart pounded.
“So Samuel isn't my father?””
Elena said nothing.
Samuel stared at the phone.
Marcus whispered, “Who is?””
His mother began sobbing.
“I can't tell you over the phone.””
“Why?””
“Because he knows.””
“Who?””
Elena's voice dropped.
“Calvin.””
Samuel stepped forward.
“Put her on speaker.””
Marcus did.
Samuel spoke.
“Elena.””
Silence.
“You owe me the truth.””
Her breathing shook.
“I thought you were dead.””
“I thought you were dead.””
Marcus looked between them.
“Why would either of you think that?””
Elena whispered:
“Because Calvin made sure everyone believed you were gone.””
Samuel's face hardened.
“What did he do?””
“I don't know everything.””
“You know enough.””
Elena cried harder.
“I found you unconscious behind the hospital.””
Samuel closed his eyes.
“I knew it.””
“You had blood on your shirt.””
Marcus stared.
“What happened to the baby?””
Elena didn't answer.
“Mom!””
“I went back inside.””
“And?””
“The nursery was empty.””
Marcus's voice disappeared.
Samuel whispered, “No.””
Elena continued.
“I thought Calvin had taken you.””
“Then why didn't you call the police?””
“I did.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
“I called them.””
“What happened?””
“They said there was no baby registered under my name.””
Marcus felt the blood drain from his face.
“That can't be true.””
Elena whispered:
“They had changed the records.””
Samuel slammed his fist against the desk.
“Who changed them?””
Elena's voice trembled.
“A doctor.””
“Which doctor?””
Silence.
Then Elena said a name.
Marcus didn't recognize it.
Samuel did.
His expression changed.
“No.””
Marcus grabbed his arm.
“Who?””
Samuel stared at him.
“Dr. Raymond Cole.””
Marcus frowned.
“Who is that?””
Samuel's voice was barely audible.
“The man who signed my son's birth certificate.””
A loud crash came from the front of the store.
The phone went silent.
Marcus looked toward the showroom.
“Mom?””
No answer.
He ended the call.
Samuel reached for the door.
“Stay here.””
Marcus followed him.
“No.””
They stepped into the dark store.
A Christmas ornament rolled across the floor.
Then another.
The front door was still locked.
Marcus whispered, “How did those fall?””
Samuel pointed.
At the center of the store stood one of the carts they'd used earlier.
On top of the toys was a white envelope.
Marcus approached slowly.
His name was written across it.
*MARCUS.*
He opened it.
Inside was a hospital bracelet.
His hospital bracelet.
The date was printed clearly.
*DECEMBER 24, 1996.*
And beneath his name was another line.
*TRANSFERRED TO: C. BROOKS.*
Marcus's hands began shaking.
Samuel stared at the bracelet.
“That's impossible.””
Marcus looked up.
“Why?””
Samuel pointed to the bottom.
There was a signature.
Not Calvin Brooks.
Not Dr. Cole.
A woman's signature.
*Elena Brooks.*
Marcus whispered, “My mother signed me away.””
Samuel shook his head.
“No.””
“It's her signature.””
“I know.””
Marcus looked toward the locked door.
A soft knock came from the other side.
Three slow knocks.
Samuel and Marcus froze.
Then a man's voice came through the glass.
“Open the door, boys.””
Samuel's face went rigid.
May you like
Calvin spoke again.
“It's time you both learned what Elena did.””
