Chapter 7: The Sister Nobody Knew About
“My sister?””
The words came out of my mouth like I wasn't the one who had said them.
Victoria looked at me.
Lily sat in the back seat, watching us through the glass.
Nobody spoke.
Then I said, “How many children did Sarah have?””
Victoria's lips trembled.
“Two.””
My stomach turned.
“No.””
“Mark…”
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“Lily was our only child.””
“I know what you were told.””
“What I was told?””
Victoria looked down.
“That’s what Sarah wanted.””
I felt something hot rise in my chest.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You knew my wife had another child.””
“Yes.””
“You knew Lily had a sister.””
“Yes.””
“And you watched me raise Lily without telling me?””
“I was trying to protect both girls.””
“From what?””
Victoria swallowed.
“From the people who wanted the other child.””
“Who?””
“Your father.””
I stared at her.
“My father died before the child was born.””
“No.””
Victoria shook her head.
“He died after.””
I couldn't breathe.
“That's impossible.””
“He didn't die when you thought he did.””
The cemetery seemed to go silent around us.
Even the rain sounded farther away.
I grabbed the edge of the car door.
“My father's death certificate says—”
“Your father's death certificate is real.””
“Then what are you saying?””
“He died.””
She looked directly at me.
“But not when you think.””
I felt a headache building behind my eyes.
“Explain.””
Victoria took a breath.
“Your father had a cardiac event. Everyone thought it was natural. But before he died, he discovered Sarah was pregnant again.””
I stared at her.
“Again?””
“After Lily.””
My heart pounded.
“Twins?””
Victoria nodded.
I closed my eyes.
I remembered Sarah standing in the kitchen one winter morning, one hand resting on her stomach.
I remembered asking if she felt sick.
She had smiled and said, “I'm just tired.””
I had believed her.
I had been so blind.
“Why didn't she tell me?””
“Because she was afraid.””
“Of me?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
“Your father.””
I looked toward the lake house key in my hand.
“What did he want?””
“The second child.””
“Why?””
Victoria's voice dropped.
“Because she was the legal heir to the trust.””
I stared at her.
“Lily was born first.””
“Yes.””
“But you're saying the second child inherited?””
“Your grandfather's trust had a provision.””
“What provision?””
“The first child born after his death would inherit everything.””
I frowned.
“My grandfather died twenty years ago.””
“Yes.””
“So why does the second child matter?””
“Because your grandfather died believing your father would never have a legitimate heir.””
I couldn't follow.
Victoria continued.
“He created the trust to bypass your father.””
“So when Sarah became pregnant…”
“Your father realized the second child could control the trust.””
I looked toward Lily.
“Then why wasn't Lily the heir?””
“She was born before your grandfather's conditions were activated.””
“What conditions?””
Victoria hesitated.
“The trust required an heir born after a specific date.””
“What date?””
She looked at the key.
“The date your grandfather died.””
My mind raced.
“That makes no sense.””
“It does if the second child was born after midnight.””
I stared at her.
“Lily's sister was born the following morning.””
Silence.
I felt sick.
“Where is she?””
Victoria looked toward the cemetery entrance.
“She survived.””
My heart stopped.
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
“You just said she survived.””
“I know she survived the fire.””
“What fire?””
“The clinic.””
I turned toward Harris.
“You knew about this?””
He shook his head.
“Not the family connection.””
“Then find out.””
“I will.””
“No. Now.””
Harris pulled out his phone.
Victoria touched my arm.
“Mark.””
I pulled away.
“Don't touch me.””
She nodded.
“I deserved that.””
I looked at Lily.
She had her forehead pressed against the car window.
I opened the door.
“Sweetheart.””
She looked up.
“Is my sister alive?””
I had no answer.
So I told her the truth.
“I don't know.””
She nodded as if she had expected that.
“Mommy said she was.””
My throat tightened.
“What else did Mommy say?””
Lily looked down.
“She said my sister's name was Ava.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
I turned toward her.
“You knew her name.””
“Yes.””
“You knew everything.””
“Yes.””
“What happened to Ava?””
“I don't know.””
“You're lying.””
“I swear I'm not.””
“Then tell me what you do know.””
Victoria wiped her face.
“When Sarah realized your father was trying to take Ava, she arranged for the girls to be separated.””
“How?””
“She had Lily.””
“And Ava?””
“Ava was placed under another name.””
“Where?””
“At the clinic.””
“Why?””
“Because the clinic was connected to someone Sarah trusted.””
“Who?””
“A woman named Dr. Evelyn Reed.””
Harris looked up from his phone.
“Dr. Reed died in the clinic fire.””
Victoria nodded.
“That's what they said.””
“That's what the records say,” Harris corrected.
“You don't believe them?””
“No.””
“Why?””
He turned his phone around.
“The fire was ruled accidental.””
“So?””
“It started in two places.””
I stared at him.
“Two places?””
“Two separate rooms.””
“Wasn't that suspicious?””
“It was.””
“Then why wasn't it investigated?””
“Because the fire destroyed the evidence.””
Victoria whispered, “No.””
Harris looked at her.
“What?””
“You said the evidence was destroyed?””
“That's what the report says.””
Victoria shook her head.
“Then Daniel lied to me.””
I looked at her.
“What did he tell you?””
“That Ava died.””
My chest tightened.
“You believed him?””
“He showed me a death certificate.””
“For Ava?””
She nodded.
“Then he showed me a photograph of the burned clinic.””
“And you never checked.””
“I was being watched.””
“You keep using that excuse.””
“Because it's true.””
I stared at her.
“Where is the death certificate?””
Victoria reached inside her coat.
“I kept a copy.””
She handed it to Harris.
He unfolded it.
Then frowned.
“What?””
He held it closer to the light.
“This isn't an official certificate.””
Victoria blinked.
“What?””
Harris pointed.
“Look at the issuing authority.””
I did.
The name belonged to a county office that had closed twelve years earlier.
“It's fake.””
Victoria's lips parted.
“But Daniel gave it to me.””
“That means he wanted you to believe Ava was dead.””
I looked at Lily.
She was still watching us.
“Why would he do that?””
Harris answered.
“Because a living heir is a problem.””
The words settled heavily.
Ava wasn't just a child.
She was the legal owner of whatever my grandfather had hidden.
And someone had spent years making sure nobody found her.
I looked at Victoria.
“Where did Sarah go?””
“I don't know.””
“You saw her?””
“The night before the accident.””
“You said you gave Daniel her location.””
“Yes.””
“And after that?””
“She disappeared.””
“You never searched for her?””
“I did.””
“For how long?””
“Four years.””
“Why?””
Victoria looked directly at me.
“Because Sarah called me once.””
“When?””
“Three months after the crash.””
My breath caught.
“She called you?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
“She said one sentence.””
“What sentence?””
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“She said, ‘If Mark comes looking for me, don't let him find me until he knows the truth.’”
My heart broke all over again.
“Why would my wife hide from me?””
“Because she thought you were being watched.””
“By whom?””
“I don't know.””
I looked at Harris.
“Find the old clinic.””
“We already know where it is.””
“Then we're going.””
“No.””
I stared at him.
“Excuse me?””
“You're not going into a burned building with your daughter.””
“I won't take her inside.””
“Then what?””
I looked toward Victoria.
“You're coming.””
She shook her head.
“Mark, no.””
“You know the clinic.””
“Yes.””
“You know where Sarah kept records.””
“Yes.””
“And you know what Daniel wanted.””
“Yes.””
“Then you're the only person who can lead us.””
Victoria looked frightened.
“That's exactly why I shouldn't go.””
“Why?””
“Because if Ava survived…”
She stopped.
“Then somebody has been protecting her.””
I waited.
“And if that person realizes we're searching…”
Her voice dropped.
“They'll come for Lily.””
I looked at my daughter.
That was the one threat I could not ignore.
Harris was already speaking into his radio.
“We're establishing a protective perimeter.””
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Detective Harris.””
He listened.
His expression changed.
“What?””
He turned away from us.
“Repeat that.””
Silence.
“Are you sure?””
He ended the call.
I stood.
“What happened?””
He looked at me.
“The clinic's security system just came online.””
I frowned.
“The building has no power.””
“I know.””
“Then how?””
Harris swallowed.
“Someone is inside.””
My heart pounded.
“Who?””
“We don't know.””
“Did they get a description?””
“Just one.””
He looked at Victoria.
“A woman.””
Victoria froze.
“Who?””
Harris's voice became very quiet.
“The cameras caught her face for three seconds.””
He showed me his phone.
The image was blurry.
But not blurry enough.
Dark hair.
Pale face.
The familiar scar above the eyebrow.
Sarah.
My wife.
Alive.
Standing inside the abandoned clinic.
Lily saw the screen over my arm.
She gasped.
“Mommy.””
I looked at the photograph.
Sarah appeared to be staring directly into the camera.
And in her hand was a piece of paper.
Someone had written a message across it in thick black marker.
Harris zoomed in.
Four words.
*BRING MY DAUGHTERS HERE.*
I felt the world tilt.
“My daughters?””
Victoria whispered, “She knows.””
“Knows what?””
Victoria stared at the screen.
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
“She isn't talking about Lily and Ava.””
I looked at her.
“Then who is the second daughter?””
Victoria didn't answer.
Instead, she pointed at the screen.
At the woman standing behind Sarah.
A woman who looked almost exactly like her.
Older.
Harder.
And wearing the same silver star necklace I had bought for Lily.
Victoria whispered:
“That's Ava.””
Then the lights inside the dead clinic came on.
May you like
One by one.
And somewhere inside the building, a child began to cry.
