Chapter 11: ## Chapter 11: The Face Behind My The Face Behind My Mother's Necklace
The old Carter house looked smaller than I remembered.
Mother's Necklace
The old Carter house looked smaller than I remembered.
The iron gates were rusted. The white paint hadThe iron gates were rusted. The white paint had peeled from the columns, and weeds had swallowed peeled from the columns, and weeds had swallowed most of the driveway.
But the upstairs window most of the driveway.
But the upstairs window was still there.
The window where Michael was still there.
The window where Michael and I used to watch our father arrive and I used to watch our father arrive home from work.
A police vehicle stopped behind home from work.
A police vehicle stopped behind us.
Detective Harris turned toward me.
"Stay in us.
Detective Harris turned toward me.
"Stay in the car until we confirm the building is secure.""
I nodded.
My the car until we confirm the building is secure.""
I nodded.
My phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID displayed Michael's name.
I answered.
"Where is phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID displayed Michael's name.
I answered.
"Where is my daughter?""
His voice sounded strained.
"Daniel, you need to listen to my daughter?""
His voice sounded strained.
"Daniel, you need to listen to me.""
"Put Maya on the phone.""
"I can't.""
"Then tell me.""
"Put Maya on the phone.""
"I can't.""
"Then tell me why you're standing beside the me why you're standing beside the woman who kidnapped her.""
He exhaled.
" woman who kidnapped her.""
He exhaled.
"Because she's my mother.""
I wentBecause she's my mother.""
I went completely still.
"What?""
"Her completely still.
"What?""
"Her name is Evelyn. She's Margaret's younger sister.""
I name is Evelyn. She's Margaret's younger sister.""
I looked through the windshield toward the house.
My mother's looked through the windshield toward the house.
My mother's sister.
The woman who had been pretending to be her.
Michael continued.
"She came back sister.
The woman who had been pretending to be her.
Michael continued.
"She came back into our lives after Dad died. She said she had proof into our lives after Dad died. She said she had proof that Grandma's estate had been stolen from her.""
"Your grandmother?""
"Yes that Grandma's estate had been stolen from her.""
"Your grandmother?""
"Yes. Dad inherited everything after she. Dad inherited everything after she died. Evelyn claimed he had manipulated the will.""
I struggled to follow.
" died. Evelyn claimed he had manipulated the will.""
I struggled to follow.
"Why would she take Maya?""
"Because she believes the Carter family owes her.""
Why would she take Maya?""
"Because she believes the Carter family owes her.""
"That doesn't explain why"That doesn't explain why you helped her.""
He went you helped her.""
He went silent.
I gripped the phone.
"Michael, silent.
I gripped the phone.
"Michael, did you help her take my daughter?""
"I didn't know she was did you help her take my daughter?""
"I didn't know she was going to do that.""
"You're in the photograph!""
going to do that.""
"You're in the photograph!""
"I was trying to get Maya out of the house before Evelyn did something worse.""
I almost laughed.
"You're standing next to her!""
""I was trying to get Maya out of the house before Evelyn did something worse.""
I almost laughed.
"You're standing next to her!""
"Daniel, I made a terrible mistake.""
A police officer approached myDaniel, I made a terrible mistake.""
A police officer approached my window and sign window and signaled that they had identified movement inside.
aled that they had identified movement inside.
I lowered my voice.
"Where is Maya?""
"Upstairs. She's scared.""
"Then get her out.""
"I can't. Evelyn has the original documents.""
I looked at Eleanor's sealed folder.
"She doesn't have anything.""
"She thinks you do.""
"Michael, listen carefully. If my daughter gets hurt, I swear—"
"She'sI lowered my voice.
"Where is Maya?""
"Upstairs. She's scared.""
"Then get her out.""
"I can't. Evelyn has the original documents.""
I looked at Eleanor's sealed folder.
"She doesn't have anything.""
"She thinks you do.""
"Michael, listen carefully. If my daughter gets hurt, I swear—"
"She's not going to hurt Maya.""
I heard a door slam through the phone.
Then a woman's voice.
not going to hurt Maya.""
I heard a door slam through the phone.
Then a woman's voice.
"Michael! Bring him inside!""
The"Michael! Bring him inside!""
The call disconnected.
Detective Harris opened my call disconnected.
Detective Harris opened my car door.
"We have a problem.""
car door.
"We have a problem.""
"What?""
"Someone inside has"What?""
"Someone inside has been watching the road. Our team spotted a second vehicle leaving through been watching the road. Our team spotted a second vehicle leaving through the rear entrance.""
"Is Maya in it?""
"We don't know yet.""
I felt panic rising the rear entrance.""
"Is Maya in it?""
"We don't know yet.""
I felt panic rising.
Harris held up his hand.
".
Harris held up his hand.
"Listen to me. We have officersListen to me. We have officers covering both exits. Nobody is leaving without being identified.""
Then my phone covering both exits. Nobody is leaving without being identified.""
Then my phone received a video.
It showed Maya sitting received a video.
It showed Maya sitting on an old sofa.
She was crying quietly.
A on an old sofa.
She was crying quietly.
A woman stood behind her.
The woman woman stood behind her.
The woman wore my mother's necklace.
" wore my mother's necklace.
"Daniel," she said, looking directly into the camera.
"I knowDaniel," she said, looking directly into the camera.
"I know you've been told a lot of lies about me you've been told a lot of lies about me.""
She moved closer.
"My.""
She moved closer.
"My name is Evelyn Reed. I am Margaret's sister. And I am name is Evelyn Reed.
I am Margaret's sister. And I am the only person left who knows what really the only person left who knows what really happened to your mother.""
I stared at the screen.
Evelyn continued.
happened to your mother.""
I stared at the screen.
Evelyn continued.
"Bring the original trust documents. No attorneys"Bring the original trust documents. No attorneys.
No police. If you want to see your daughter again.""
. No police. If you want to see your daughter again.""
The video ended.
I turned to Detective Harris.
"She'sThe video ended.
I turned to Detective Harris.
"She's threatening Maya.""
He nodded threatening Maya.""
He nodded.
"We've got enough to.
"We've got enough to move.""
Two move.""
Two officers approached the front entrance.
Another team moved around officers approached the front entrance.
Another team moved around the side of the property.
I followed Harris as the side of the property.
I followed Harris as far as he allowed.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, the far as he allowed.
The front door was unlocked.
Inside, the house smelled of dust and old wood.
A grandfather house smelled of dust and old wood.
A grandfather clock stood in the hallway.
I remembered my clock stood in the hallway.
I remembered my father winding it every Sunday.
We heard a crash upstairs.
Then father winding it every Sunday.
We heard a crash upstairs.
Then a child's cry.
"D a child's cry.
"Daddy!""
I ran.
Harris shouted something behind me, but I was already climbing the stairs.
At the top,addy!""
I ran.
Harris shouted something behind me, but I was already climbing the stairs.
At the top, a door stood open.
Maya was inside.
She ran a door stood open.
Maya was inside.
She ran toward me.
I dropped to my knees and caught her.
"D toward me.
I dropped to my knees and caught her.
"Daddy!""
I held her so tightly that she squealed.
addy!""
I held her so tightly that she squealed.
"I'm here. I'm here, sweetheart.""
She buried her face in"I'm here. I'm here, sweetheart.""
She buried her face in my jacket.
"I told her you would come.""
I kissed the my jacket.
"I told her you would come.""
I kissed the top of her head.
"Of course I came.""
Behind us, a woman stepped out of the adjoining top of her head.
"Of course I came.""
Behind us, a woman stepped out of the adjoining room.
She was in her late fifties, with dark hair streaked with gray.
room.
She was in her late fifties, with dark hair streaked with gray.
The necklace rested against her collarbone.
The necklace rested against her collarbone.
She looked remarkably like my mother.
Not identical.
But enough to make my stomach turn.
"Hello, Daniel.""
I stoodShe looked remarkably like my mother.
Not identical.
But enough to make my stomach turn.
"Hello, Daniel.""
I stood, keeping Maya behind me.
"Stay away from my daughter.""
Evelyn smiled sadly.
, keeping Maya behind me.
"Stay away from my daughter.""
Evelyn smiled sadly.
"You really are Margaret's son.""
"What"You really are Margaret's son.""
"What do you want?""
"Justice.""
"Then explain why you kidnapped a six-year-old.""
Her expression hardened do you want?""
"Justice.""
"Then explain why you kidnapped a six-year-old.""
Her expression hardened.
"Your father stole my life.""
She.
"Your father stole my life.""
She pointed toward the hallway.
"He inherited our mother's estate. Margaret received pointed toward the hallway.
"He inherited our mother's estate. Margaret received her share. I received nothing.""
"That doesn't give you the right to terror her share. I received nothing.""
"That doesn't give you the right to terrorize my family.""
"Your familyize my family.""
"Your family?"" She laughed.
"You have no idea what your father did to mine.""
Detective Harris entered?"" She laughed.
"You have no idea what your father did to mine.""
Detective Harris entered behind me.
"Evelyn Reed, step away from the child.""
Evelyn glanced at him behind me.
"Evelyn Reed, step away from the child.""
Evelyn glanced at him.
Then she looked back at me.
"Ask Michael.
Then she looked back at me.
"Ask Michael what happened the night your mother died.""
I froze what happened the night your mother died.""
I froze.
"What?""
"Ask him why he was the last person to see Margaret alive.
"What?""
"Ask him why he was the last person to see Margaret alive.""
My eyes moved toward the doorway.
Michael was standing there.
His.""
My eyes moved toward the doorway.
Michael was standing there.
His face was pale.
I looked at him.
"Tell me she's lying.""
He didn't answer.
E face was pale.
I looked at him.
"Tell me she's lying.""
He didn't answer.
Evelyn smiled.
"Your brother has spent twentyvelyn smiled.
"Your brother has spent twenty years hiding the truth.""
I felt Maya's fingers tighten around my hand.
"Michael?""
years hiding the truth.""
I felt Maya's fingers tighten around my hand.
"Michael?""
He finally spoke.
"Daniel, I was seventeenHe finally spoke.
"Daniel, I was seventeen. I didn't know what I was doing.""
My. I didn't know what I was doing.""
My heart pounded.
"What happened that night?""
Michael looked at the floor.
Then he whispered:
"I heart pounded.
"What happened that night?""
Michael looked at the floor.
Then he whispered:
"I was driving the car when Mom had was driving the car when Mom had the accident.""
The world stopped.
My mother hadn't the accident.""
The world stopped.
My mother hadn't died from an ordinary accident.
My brother had been there died from an ordinary accident.
My brother had been there.
May you like
And somehow, he had hidden it from.
And somehow, he had hidden it from me for twenty years.
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