Chapter 14: The Last Page
Daniel pointed the gun at me.
“Move away from her.””
I stepped in front of Laura.
“Put it down.””
He laughed.
“You always were a sentimental fool.””
Vanessa stood behind him, clutching her handbag.
Her eyes moved toward the envelope in Laura's hand.
Daniel noticed.
“Give it to me.””
Laura shook her head.
“No.””
His expression hardened.
“Don't make this difficult.””
“You've made it difficult for nine years,” Laura replied.
Daniel took another step into the room.
“You should have stayed dead.””
I felt Laura's fingers tighten around mine.
“You told Michael I was dead,” she said.
“I told him what he needed to believe.””
“You told me he was dead.””
Daniel shrugged.
“Both of you were easier to control that way.””
I stared at him.
“You destroyed two families.””
“No, Michael. I gave everyone what they wanted.””
He pointed toward Vanessa.
“She wanted children. Laura wanted you. You wanted to believe you were a perfect husband. Everyone got a little piece of happiness.””
I shook my head.
“You stole my son.””
“Your son?””
Daniel laughed.
“Biologically, he's mine.””
“Then why did you abandon him?””
His smile faded.
“Because I couldn't afford to keep him.””
The answer was so casual that I almost didn't understand it.
Daniel continued.
“I had debts. The clinic was struggling. The triplets were an inconvenience.
I arranged placements. I arranged paperwork. I arranged everything.””
Laura stepped forward.
“You sold our children.””
“I found them homes.””
“You separated them.””
“They survived.””
I felt rage rising in my chest.
“Because people like you kept them apart.””
Daniel looked at me.
“You should be thanking me. I gave you Maya.””
I took a step toward him.
“You didn't give me anything.””
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Daniel, stop.””
He turned.
“Stay out of this.””
“No.””
Her voice shook.
“It's over.””
Daniel looked at her as though she had become a stranger.
“You think you can walk away now?””
Vanessa wiped her face.
“I helped you because I thought you would let me keep the children. I believed you when you said you were protecting them.””
“You wanted the house.””
“I wanted a family!””
He laughed.
“You wanted something that belonged to someone else.””
Vanessa flinched.
I looked at her.
“Where is Sophie?””
She didn't answer.
“Vanessa. Where is she?””
Her eyes filled again.
“She isn't with me.””
“Then where?””
Daniel raised the gun slightly.
“Enough.””
He reached toward Laura.
She backed away.
I moved between them.
Daniel struck me across the face with the gun.
I fell against the dresser.
The room spun.
Laura screamed.
“Michael!””
Daniel grabbed the envelope from her hand.
Then he pulled out a small piece of paper.
The missing last page of Maya's journal.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
Daniel stared at it.
“Where did you get this?””
Laura looked at me.
“I found it in the blue box.””
He read the page.
His expression changed.
I managed to stand.
“What does it say?””
Daniel crumpled the paper.
“Nothing.””
Laura shook her head.
“Read it.””
He pointed the gun toward her.
“Shut up.””
I stepped forward.
“Read the page.””
Daniel looked at me.
“You really want to know?””
“Yes.””
He smiled.
Then he unfolded the paper.
Maya's handwriting was shaky, but every word was clear.
**Friday night. Vanessa and Uncle Daniel were arguing in Daddy's office. I heard Uncle Daniel say he had taken the money from the children's accounts.
Vanessa said he promised to give it back. He told her the house was his now. Then he said if Daddy found out, he would make sure Maya and Brielle never saw their real mother again.**
I stared at the page.
There was more.
*I saw Uncle Daniel put Mommy's picture in the fire. I asked Vanessa why he was burning it. She told me to forget what I saw. But I know Mommy isn't in heaven because I saw her picture in the office.*
I looked at Laura.
She was crying.
Maya had seen her photograph.
She had known her mother might still be alive.
And nobody had believed her.
I felt something break inside me.
Daniel shoved the paper into his pocket.
“Children imagine things.””
I looked at him.
“That's why you tore it out.””
He shrugged.
“She was getting too curious.””
Vanessa suddenly moved.
She grabbed Daniel's wrist.
The gun fired.
The bullet struck the ceiling.
I lunged forward and knocked Daniel against the wall.
We crashed into the dresser.
The gun slid beneath the bed.
Daniel punched me in the stomach.
I doubled over.
He grabbed my shirt and slammed me against the doorframe.
“You should have stayed in your office,” he hissed.
Then Vanessa struck him across the back with a heavy brass lamp.
He stumbled.
I grabbed his arm and forced him to the floor.
“Police!”” I shouted.
Footsteps thundered downstairs.
Officer Grant appeared in the doorway with two armed officers.
“Drop your hands!””
Daniel froze.
Vanessa stepped away.
The officers pulled Daniel onto his stomach and handcuffed him.
One officer recovered the gun.
Another collected the missing journal page.
Officer Grant looked at me.
“Are you injured?””
“I'll be fine.””
He glanced at Laura.
“Is this Mrs. Carter?””
Laura nodded.
“Yes.””
He lowered his weapon.
“Ma'am, we've been looking for you.””
Laura began crying.
For the first time in nine years, she was no longer hiding.
Daniel was taken downstairs.
Vanessa remained in the bedroom.
Her wrists were trembling.
I looked at her.
“Where is Sophie?””
She stared at the floor.
“I don't know.””
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it's true.””
“Did you ever adopt her?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No. Daniel told me he had placed her with another family.””
Laura stepped forward.
“That's another lie.””
She pointed toward the envelope Daniel had dropped.
“Look inside.””
Officer Grant opened it.
There were several documents, including a photograph of a little girl.
Sophie.
And beneath it was a recent medical appointment card.
The address belonged to a private residential school.
Officer Grant immediately contacted his team.
Vanessa started crying harder.
“I never wanted anyone hurt.””
I looked at her.
“You watched a nine-year-old sleep on concrete.””
She lowered her head.
“I know.””
“You helped separate three babies.””
“I know.””
“You lied about my wife being dead.””
“I know.””
I stepped closer.
“Then tell me why.””
She looked up.
For the first time, there was no anger in her expression.
Only shame.
“Because Daniel promised me that if I helped him, I would never have to be alone again.””
I stared at her.
“And you believed him?””
She nodded.
“I was afraid nobody would ever choose me.””
I looked toward Laura.
Then I thought of Maya.
Brielle.
Ethan.
Sophie.
All the children who had paid for Vanessa's fear.
“Being lonely doesn't give you the right to destroy other people's lives.””
She began sobbing.
Officer Grant led her downstairs.
Before she left, she turned toward me.
“Michael?””
I didn't answer.
“There's something else you need to know.””
I looked at her.
She swallowed.
“Daniel didn't take all the money from the children's accounts.””
“What?””
“He moved most of it into a trust.””
“Where?””
Vanessa looked at Laura.
“Under the name of the person who helped him arrange everything.””
Laura went pale.
“Who?””
Vanessa whispered:
“Catherine Hayes.””
I stared.
Catherine was supposed to be Ethan's adoptive mother.
The woman Laura had trusted.
The woman who had supposedly helped protect our son.
Officer Grant looked at the documents again.
Then his phone rang.
He listened for several seconds.
His expression changed.
“Mr. Carter,” he said slowly.
“We've located Ethan.””
I felt my breath catch.
“Where?””
“He's safe.””
I closed my eyes.
Then the officer added:
“But he's not with the Hayes family.””
“Who is he with?””
Officer Grant looked toward the staircase.
“Catherine Hayes.””
I frowned.
“Didn't you just say he wasn't with them?””
The officer nodded.
“That's the problem. Catherine Hayes died four years ago.””
He turned the phone toward me.
A recent photograph appeared on the screen.
It showed Ethan standing beside an older woman.
The woman was alive.
She was smiling.
And beneath the photograph was a name.
*Elizabeth Ward.*
The same woman who had supposedly been driving the car the night Laura died.
I looked at Laura.
May you like
She whispered one word.
“Run.””
