Chapter 4: The Sister They Erased
The metallic click echoed through the basement.
Vanessa stared at the ceiling.
"She locked the doors," she whispered.
I grabbed her arm.
"Who?""
"My mother-in-law.""
"Stop calling her that. Tell me what is happening.""
Vanessa looked toward the staircase.
"Marcus, we have to get out of here.""
"Not until you tell me who Emily is.""
She closed her eyes.
For a moment, I thought she was going to refuse.
Then she reached into her handbag and pulled out the photograph again.
Emily was about five years old in the picture. She had curly brown hair, a missing front tooth, and a yellow ribbon tied around her wrist.
I remembered the ribbon.
Not the girl.
The ribbon.
A strange memory flashed through my mind.
A little girl crying in a hospital corridor.
A woman screaming.
My father's voice saying, "Take Marcus outside!""
I pressed my fingers against my temples.
Vanessa noticed.
"What is it?""
"I've seen this before.""
"Of course you have.""
"What do you mean?""
She looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand.
"You and Emily were inseparable.""
"Why would my mother tell me she died?""
"Because she needed you to stop looking for her.""
I stepped closer.
"Start talking.""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Emily wasn't your biological sister.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"Your father had an affair before he married Eleanor. Emily was his daughter. He brought her into the family when she was two.""
I shook my head.
"My mother raised her.""
"At first, yes.""
"Then what happened?""
Vanessa sat on the edge of the desk.
"Emily developed a serious heart condition when she was five. Your father paid for treatment, but the money came from the Carter Foundation. Eleanor discovered the payments and accused him of stealing from the family business.""
"That doesn't explain why she disappeared.""
"Because your father refused to stop paying.""
Vanessa looked down at the photograph.
"Your mother arranged for Emily to be transferred to a private facility. She told everyone the operation had failed.""
I felt sick.
"Was she dead?""
"No.""
"Where is she?""
"I don't know.""
I grabbed Vanessa's shoulders.
"You've been with my family for years. You know where she is.""
Vanessa flinched.
"I know where she was three years ago.""
"Tell me.""
"St. Agnes.""
The same facility Harold had named.
The same place where Nia had been taken.
My stomach twisted.
"Why was Nia there?""
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because she discovered Emily was alive.""
A noise came from the hallway.
Someone was moving furniture upstairs.
Vanessa stood abruptly.
"We need to leave.""
"Not without the truth.""
She reached into her coat and handed me a small flash drive.
"Your mother paid me to get close to you.""
I looked at the device.
"What?""
"She knew you were grieving. She knew you'd eventually start asking questions. She wanted someone around you who could monitor your behavior.""
My jaw tightened.
"So our relationship was a lie?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
I laughed bitterly.
"Was there anything real?""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Yes.""
"Name one thing.""
"The night you had that panic attack after dreaming about Nia. I stayed awake holding your hand until morning.""
I looked away.
She continued.
"I was supposed to report everything you said. I didn't report that.""
"How generous.""
"I know you hate me.""
"You have no idea.""
A loud crash came from the stairwell.
Vanessa grabbed my wrist.
"Marcus, please. Your mother isn't sending people to frighten us. She's sending people to make sure neither of us leaves.""
We ran toward the storage cabinets.
Behind them was a narrow maintenance passage.
I found it by accident when my shoulder struck a loose wooden panel.
The panel shifted.
A dark opening appeared.
"Go!"" Vanessa shouted.
I crawled inside first.
The passage smelled of rust and damp concrete. Vanessa followed, pulling the panel closed behind her.
We moved through the darkness until we reached a metal ladder.
At the top was a small service hatch leading into the alley.
I pushed it open.
Cold morning air hit my face.
We climbed out.
A black SUV was parked at the end of the alley.
Two men stood beside it.
One recognized me.
"Mr. Carter!""
I grabbed Vanessa's hand.
We ran in the opposite direction.
A horn blared.
A delivery truck turned into the alley, blocking the SUV.
We escaped through a side street and didn't stop until we reached my car.
Inside, Vanessa was shaking.
I locked the doors.
"Give me one reason not to hand you over to the police.""
She looked at me.
"Because the police are already involved.""
"What?""
"Your mother has people inside the department. The original accident report was altered. The hospital records were changed. Even the death certificate was replaced.""
I pulled out my phone.
"Then I'll call someone who isn't connected to her.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Your mother knows every person you've ever trusted.""
I stared at her.
"Except one.""
"Who?""
"Dr. Hale.""
Vanessa looked away.
"Richard is the one who helped your mother.""
I went still.
"What?""
"He signed the documents that declared Nia dead. He signed the report saying you were mentally unstable. He also helped Eleanor arrange Emily's transfer.""
I gripped the steering wheel.
"Then why did he send me to the clinic?""
"Because he knows your mother is going to kill him next.""
Before I could respond, the flash drive vibrated against my palm.
It was attached to a small electronic device.
A red light blinked.
One new file appeared on my phone after I connected it.
The filename was simple.
*NIA_FINAL_RECORDING.mp4*
I pressed PLAY.
The screen showed Nia sitting in a small white room.
Her face was bruised.
Her hair was shorter.
She looked directly into the camera.
"If Marcus is watching this, then something has gone wrong.""
She took a shaky breath.
"Your mother didn't take Emily because of the money.""
Nia leaned closer.
"She took her because Emily witnessed what happened to your father.""
The video suddenly distorted.
Then Nia whispered one final sentence.
May you like
"Marcus, your father didn't die that night.""
The screen went black.
