Chapter 7: The Man Who Called Himself Sofia's Father
For one terrible second, nobody moved.
Daniel Mercer stood in my doorway as if he owned the house.
He wore a dark jacket, expensive shoes, and the same calm expression I had seen in the photograph from Detective Harris's evidence file.
Vanessa stood beside him.
My wife.
The woman who had kissed me goodbye that morning.
The woman who had tucked my daughter into bed while telling her that her mother would never return.
And now she had brought the man who might be Sofia's biological father into our home.
Daniel glanced at the papers in my hand.
“I see you've been doing some reading.””
I stepped between him and the staircase.
“Get out.””
He smiled.
“That's no way to greet family.””
“Don't you ever call Sofia your daughter again.””
Daniel slipped his hands into his pockets.
“Biology doesn't care about your feelings, Marcus.””
Detective Harris moved toward him.
“Daniel Mercer, I'm Detective Harris. I need you to keep your hands where I can see them.””
Daniel raised both hands.
“Of course, officer.””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Marcus, please. Just listen to him.””
I turned toward her.
“You brought him here?””
“He wanted to talk.””
“He has been watching my house!””
“He's not going to hurt anyone.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“Your wife has a very generous opinion of me.””
Harris stepped forward.
“Mr. Mercer, you need to explain why your vehicle was seen outside this property yesterday and why photographs of a minor child were found in your storage unit.””
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
“Then you won't mind answering a few questions.””
“Not at all.””
He glanced toward the staircase.
“Where is Sofia?””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Why?””
“I'd like to see her.””
“You're not going anywhere near her.””
Daniel sighed.
“Marcus, I understand this is difficult. But you're making a situation that should be simple unnecessarily complicated.””
I held up the DNA report.
“Are you Sofia's biological father?””
He looked at the document.
Then he nodded.
“Yes.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
I stared at him.
“Did you know Elena was pregnant?””
“Yes.””
“Did you know she was having a baby?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she tell me the baby was mine?””
Daniel tilted his head.
“Because she believed I would never be allowed near her.””
I took a step forward.
Harris immediately moved between us.
“Marcus, stay back.””
I could barely control my breathing.
“What did you do to Elena?””
Daniel's expression became cold.
“I didn't do anything to Elena.””
“Then where is she?””
He looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head slightly.
That tiny movement told me more than any confession could have.
Daniel knew where Elena was.
And Vanessa knew he knew.
Harris noticed it too.
“Mr. Mercer, you're coming with us.””
Daniel gave a short laugh.
“On what grounds?””
“We have questions concerning a missing woman, possible financial crimes, and the unlawful surveillance of a minor.””
“Those are questions, detective. Not charges.””
“Then you should have no problem accompanying us.””
Daniel glanced at Vanessa.
“Tell him.””
Vanessa looked confused.
“Tell him what?””
“Tell him what Elena did with the original records.””
Her face drained of color.
I looked between them.
“What original records?””
Daniel smiled again.
“Ask your wife.””
Harris stepped closer.
“That's enough.””
But Daniel wasn't finished.
He turned toward me.
“You think Elena disappeared because of something I did. You think Vanessa is the villain because she lied to you. But you have no idea what your first wife was planning.””
I shook my head.
“Whatever she was planning, she was protecting Sofia.””
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Was she?””
A sound came from upstairs.
A small footstep.
Then Sofia appeared at the top of the staircase.
“Daddy?””
I immediately turned.
“Sweetheart, go back to Rachel.””
But Sofia was looking at Daniel.
Her face had gone completely white.
Then she whispered, “That's him.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Sofia gripped the banister.
“He came to our house before Mommy disappeared.””
Daniel looked at her.
For the first time, his confidence faltered.
Sofia continued.
“He was the man Mommy told me to hide from.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I climbed two steps toward my daughter.
“Baby, are you sure?””
Sofia nodded.
“He had a black watch. And he smelled like the medicine at the hospital.””
Daniel slowly lowered his hands.
“She's confused.””
Sofia began crying.
“He told Mommy to give him the little girl.””
The room became silent.
Detective Harris turned sharply toward Daniel.
“What little girl?””
Daniel didn't answer.
Then Sofia said something none of us expected.
“He wasn't talking about me.””
I froze.
“What do you mean, sweetheart?””
She looked toward the photograph on the table.
“The other baby.””
Daniel's face changed.
Rachel stood up.
Vanessa began shaking.
I looked at the two birth records.
Then back at Sofia.
“Did you hear them talking about another baby?””
Sofia nodded.
“Mommy said there were two little girls. She said one was missing.””
Daniel suddenly lunged toward the table.
Harris grabbed his arm.
“Don't move!””
The two officers forced him against the wall.
Vanessa screamed.
“Daniel!””
But Daniel wasn't looking at her.
He was staring at the photograph of the two newborn babies.
And for the first time, I understood that Sofia's birth was only one part of a much bigger secret.
Because the second child hadn't simply disappeared from the hospital records.
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Someone had spent seven years making sure nobody ever found her.
And according to the papers in my hand, her name was Lily Bennett.
