Chapter 10: The Night Brielle Was Never Supposed to Be There
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Nia stood beside the attic staircase, one hand pressed against her mouth.
Brielle looked at her mother.
"Mom, what are you talking about?""
Nia shook her head.
"You were supposed to be at your grandmother's house that night.""
"I was.""
"No, Brielle. You weren't.""
My stepdaughter's face changed.
I looked between them.
"Someone needs to explain what's happening.""
Nia lowered herself onto the storage box.
"After Ethan called me from the hospital, I went there alone. I thought Brielle was staying with my mother. But when I arrived, I saw her outside the hospital.""
Brielle shook her head.
"That wasn't me.""
"I recognized your coat.""
"Mom, I was fifteen. I barely remember that night.""
"You were standing beside Caleb's car.""
Brielle looked toward me.
"I don't remember.""
Nia closed her eyes.
"That's what frightened me.""
I sat opposite my wife.
"Start from the beginning. Don't leave anything out.""
Nia took a shaky breath.
"Ethan had called me earlier that evening. He said Caleb had been taking money from Brielle's trust. He wanted me to bring some documents to the hospital. I agreed.""
"Why didn't you tell me this before?""
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Caleb?""
"Of what he might do to Brielle.""
She continued.
"When I arrived, Caleb was standing outside the emergency entrance. He told me Ethan had become confused and was making accusations. He said the doctors had warned everyone not to upset him.""
I frowned.
"Did you believe him?""
"I wanted to. I was exhausted, Marcus. Ethan and I had been divorced for years.
We weren't on good terms. I thought perhaps he was trying to drag me into another argument.""
"What happened next?""
"Caleb said Brielle had already visited her father.""
Brielle suddenly looked up.
"I did visit him.""
Nia turned.
"What?""
"I remember being there.""
The room became silent.
Brielle rubbed her forehead.
"I remember the hospital lights. I remember Dad holding my hand. I remember him asking me something.""
"What did he ask?"" I said.
She began crying.
"He asked whether I trusted Uncle Caleb.""
Nia covered her mouth.
"What did you say?""
"I said yes.""
Her voice cracked.
"Then Dad started crying.""
I leaned forward.
"What happened after that?""
Brielle stared at the floor.
"Caleb came into the room. He told Dad he needed to rest. Then he took me outside.""
Nia was trembling.
"Did he tell you to leave?""
"Yes.""
"Did he give you anything?""
Brielle nodded slowly.
"A little black key.""
I immediately thought of the storage unit.
"What key?""
"I don't know. He said it belonged to Dad and that I should keep it safe.""
Nia stood.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I forgot!""
"You forgot?""
"I was fifteen! Dad was dying, Mom!""
Her voice broke.
For the first time, Nia had no response.
Brielle continued.
"Caleb said Dad was going to be okay. He told me not to worry. Then he took me home.""
I looked at Nia.
"Was Caleb the one who brought her home?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"And you?""
"I stayed at the hospital.""
My chest tightened.
"You told me you left Ethan alone.""
Nia looked at me.
"I did leave him alone. But I returned.""
"When?""
"Just after midnight.""
She began crying.
"I went back because I couldn't stop thinking about what he had said. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to tell him I would protect Brielle.""
I took her hand.
"What happened?""
"Vanessa was outside his room. She told me Ethan had been given medication and couldn't receive visitors.""
"Did you see him?""
Nia nodded.
"Through the glass. He was awake. He was moving his hand.""
"Then why didn't you go inside?""
Nia looked at me.
"Because Vanessa told me he had asked not to see me.""
Brielle started crying again.
"That's not true.""
Nia shook her head.
"I know that now.""
I looked at the hospital report on my phone.
The nurse had recorded that Ethan requested contact with his daughter at 12:18 a.m.
But Nia had returned after midnight.
Had Vanessa deliberately kept her away?
And what had happened to the black key?
I turned toward Brielle.
"Do you still have it?""
She looked confused.
"The key?""
"Yes.""
"I think so.""
She rushed down the attic stairs.
A minute later, she returned with her handbag and began searching through it.
Finally, she pulled out a small plastic pouch.
Inside was a tiny brass key.
A faded paper tag was attached.
*214.*
I stared at it.
Storage Unit 214.
The same unit mentioned in Vanessa's notebook.
Brielle looked at me.
"That's where Dad told me to keep it.""
I took the key carefully.
"Why didn't you mention this before?""
"I didn't understand what it was.""
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
"Daniel, we found a key.""
"What number?""
"214.""
He was silent for a moment.
"Mr. Carter, don't go to the storage facility.""
"Why?""
"Because I just received confirmation that someone has removed several boxes from that unit.""
"When?""
"An hour ago.""
I looked at Brielle.
"Who?""
Daniel hesitated.
"The manager couldn't identify the person. But he sent me a photograph from the security camera.""
I heard paper moving on his end.
Then he said:
"Mr. Carter, I'm sending it now.""
My phone vibrated.
I opened the photograph.
A woman was standing beside a stack of cardboard boxes.
Her face was partially turned toward the camera.
But I recognized her immediately.
Vanessa.
And beside her stood someone else.
Someone wearing a hospital employee's identification badge.
Daniel spoke again.
"There's something else. The hospital has located an archived recording from the night Ethan died. It was never included in the official investigation.""
My mouth went dry.
"What recording?""
"A security camera outside Ethan's room.""
I looked at Nia.
"Can you get it?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Yes. But I think you should prepare yourself.""
"Why?""
"Because the recording shows someone entering Ethan's room after the time he was officially declared unconscious.""
I stared at the screen.
May you like
Then Daniel said:
"And that person wasn't Vanessa.""
