Chapter 11: The Mother Buried Twice
I didn't remember walking toward him.
One moment I was standing beside the police vehicle.
The next, I was facing the man I had mourned for more than twenty years.
My father.
The man who had supposedly died in a car accident.
The man who had just told me my mother might still be alive.
“Take that back,” I said.
He looked at me calmly.
“I'm afraid I can't.””
“You were at her funeral.””
“I know.””
“You let us bury an empty coffin?””
He adjusted his glasses.
“Your mother made that arrangement.””
I grabbed his jacket.
“Where is she?””
An officer immediately pulled me away.
“Sir, step back!””
My father didn't resist.
He simply watched me.
“You always were emotional, Marcus.””
I wanted to hit him.
I wanted to demand every answer he had stolen from us.
But Detective Harris stepped between us.
“Mr. Cole, let us handle this.””
He turned toward my father.
“Richard Hayes, you are being detained in connection with several ongoing investigations. You have the right to remain silent.””
My father smiled.
“Detective, I have nothing to hide.””
“Then you'll have no problem explaining the hospital records.””
For the first time, his expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
Harris continued.
“We've also recovered evidence connecting you to Daniel Mercer and the disappearance of Elena Cole.””
My father shook his head.
“Daniel is an unstable man. Whatever happened to Elena was his responsibility.””
I stepped forward.
“You gave him access to my house.””
My father looked at me.
“Your wife invited him.””
“Which wife?””
He said nothing.
I looked toward the officers.
“Where's Daniel?””
“He's being transported to the station,” Harris replied.
My father laughed.
“You should ask him about the money.””
“What money?””
“The money he was paid to keep quiet.””
Harris leaned closer.
“By whom?””
My father looked directly at me.
“Your mother.””
I felt sick.
Rachel started crying beside the vehicle.
“No,” she whispered.
My father turned toward her.
“Hello, Rachel.””
She stepped backward.
“Don't talk to me.””
He sighed.
“Your mother always made you too sentimental.””
Harris instructed the officers to take him away.
But before they put him in the vehicle, my father called my name.
“Marcus.””
I didn't answer.
“There's something you should know about Elena.””
I turned.
He lowered his voice.
“She came to see me the night before she disappeared.””
My heart began pounding.
“What did she want?””
“She wanted to know where her mother-in-law was.””
I stared.
“What?””
“She believed your mother had been hiding for years. She thought I knew where she was.””
“And did you?””
He smiled.
“Of course.””
“Where?””
My father looked toward the dark road.
“Ask Rachel.””
Then he got into the police vehicle.
I turned toward my sister.
She was crying so hard she could barely stand.
“Rachel?””
She shook her head.
“Marcus, I didn't know he was alive until I was older.””
“Where is Mom?””
“I don't know.””
“You just heard him.””
Rachel covered her face.
“He told me once that she was living under another name. He said I could never find her.””
“Did you try?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“After Elena disappeared.””
I stared.
“And?””
Rachel reached into her handbag.
She pulled out a small photograph.
It showed an older woman sitting on a park bench.
Her hair was gray.
Her face was thinner.
But I recognized her immediately.
My mother.
Alive.
The date printed on the photograph was only two months old.
I felt my knees weaken.
“Where did you get this?””
“An envelope arrived at my apartment.””
“Who sent it?””
“There was no return address.””
I took the photograph.
On the back was a handwritten sentence.
Tell Marcus the truth before his father finds the girl.
I looked at Rachel.
“What girl?””
She began crying again.
“Lily.””
I turned toward Detective Harris.
He was speaking to an officer beside the vehicle.
“Detective!””
He approached.
I showed him the photograph.
He examined it carefully.
“Where was this taken?””
Rachel shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Do you recognize the park?””
She studied it.
Then pointed toward a small building in the background.
“That's the old railway station.””
Harris immediately called his team.
“Check surveillance around the station and nearby businesses. We may have another person of interest.””
I looked at Rachel.
“Why didn't you show me this before?””
She lowered her head.
“I was afraid.””
“Of Dad?””
“Of everyone.””
I took a step closer.
“Rachel, did Mom know about Sofia?””
She nodded.
“She knew about the switch.””
“Did she help Elena?””
Rachel hesitated.
Then she said, “Mom was the person who first discovered Daniel had a daughter.””
I stared.
“What?””
“Years before Sofia was born, Dad had another relationship. Claire Bennett was pregnant.””
I felt the story turning again.
“Then why did Mom disappear?””
Rachel looked at me.
“Because she found out Dad wasn't the only person involved.””
“Who else?””
Rachel's voice dropped.
“Someone in our family.””
I froze.
“What?””
She glanced toward the police vehicle carrying our father.
“Dad told me there was another person who helped arrange everything. Someone who had access to the hospital and knew Elena personally.””
“Who?””
Rachel looked directly at me.
Then she whispered, “Your mother.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Marcus—”
“No. Mom loved us.””
Rachel's eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
“Then why would she help him?””
Rachel handed me another paper.
It was a photocopy of a hospital document.
At the bottom was a signature.
Margaret Cole.
My mother's name.
I looked at the date.
It was the day Sofia and Lily were born.
I felt the world go quiet.
Detective Harris examined the document.
“Where did you get this?””
“From the same envelope,” Rachel replied.
He studied the signature.
Then he looked at me.
“Mr. Cole, I think we need to locate your mother immediately.””
My phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice whispered, “Marcus?””
My throat tightened.
“Mom?””
There was a long silence.
Then she began crying.
“Oh, my baby.””
I closed my eyes.
“Where are you?””
“Listen to me. Your father is lying about almost everything.””
“Why did you help him?””
“I didn't know what he was planning.””
“Your signature is on the hospital document.””
“I signed it because he threatened your life.””
“Where is Elena?””
My mother began sobbing.
“She came to me after she discovered the truth.””
“Where?””
“She wanted me to help her find Lily.””
“Did you?””
“Yes.””
My heart hammered.
“Where is Lily?””
My mother took a shaky breath.
“She's closer than you think.””
I looked at Rachel.
Then at Detective Harris.
“Tell me where.””
My mother whispered an address.
It was a small private care facility outside town.
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
“Marcus, there's something else. Lily isn't the only child your father took.””
I gripped the phone.
“What?””
“There's another girl.””
“Who?””
My mother whispered a name.
“Your daughter.””
I frowned.
“Which daughter?””
She began crying.
“The one you buried seven years ago.””
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Then I looked at the DNA report in my hand.
Two babies.
Two birth certificates.
One missing child.
And now my mother was telling me there had been another little girl.
A girl everyone believed had died.
Detective Harris took the phone from my hand.
“Mr. Cole, what did she say?””
I looked at him.
“She says there was another baby.””
He frowned.
“What baby?””
May you like
I swallowed.
“Apparently, Elena gave birth to twins.””
