Chapter 9: The Man Who Took My Father
I drove to the nursing facility with Samuel and Nia.
My hands were tight around the steering wheel.
Every red light felt like an insult.
Every passing car seemed to move too slowly.
My father had disappeared.
Edward had entered his room.
And Vanessa had somehow obtained authorization to move him.
The three things were connected.
I knew it.
I just didn't know how far the conspiracy reached.
When we arrived, Laura was waiting near the reception desk.
She was a woman in her fifties with short blonde hair and a clipboard pressed against her chest.
"Mr. Anderson," she said, hurrying toward me.
"Thank goodness.""
"Where is my father?""
"We don't know.""
"How can a patient disappear from a secured facility?""
Laura looked uncomfortable.
"Someone presented documents showing that your wife had legal authority to transfer him.""
"She doesn't.""
"I understand that now.""
"Who approved it?""
Laura glanced toward the security office.
"Mr. Collins.""
My blood ran cold.
"Edward?""
She nodded.
I turned toward the security office.
"Show me the footage.""
Inside, a young security guard opened the recording system.
He looked nervous.
"Sir, I already reviewed the footage.""
"Play it.""
The screen showed the corridor outside my father's room.
At 5:12 a.m., a man entered.
Edward.
He wore a dark coat and carried a leather medical bag.
Three minutes later, a nurse walked past the room.
She didn't enter.
At 5:24, Edward came out.
He was pushing my father's wheelchair.
My father appeared to be asleep.
At 5:29, they reached the elevator.
A second man joined them.
I leaned closer to the screen.
The second man turned toward the camera.
Daniel.
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Where did they go?""
The guard shook his head.
"The footage outside the building shows a black van leaving through the service entrance.""
"License plate?""
"Partially visible.""
He enlarged the image.
I took out my phone and photographed the screen.
Samuel stepped closer.
"That's Edward's old driver.""
I turned.
"You recognize him?""
Samuel nodded.
"He used to pick me up when I visited my father.""
I looked at him.
"Do you know where he lives?""
"No. But I know where Edward kept his cars.""
"Where?""
Samuel gave me an address.
It was a private warehouse on the outskirts of town.
I immediately called the police.
This time, I gave them everything.
The missing patient.
The forged authorization.
The security footage.
The suspected kidnapping.
Then I called Robert.
He didn't answer.
I tried again.
Nothing.
Finally, I called Vanessa.
She answered after the first ring.
"Michael?""
"Where is my father?""
Silence.
"Vanessa, I know you were at the nursing facility.""
"Please listen.""
"Where is he?""
"He's safe.""
"With whom?""
She began crying.
"Edward.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
"Because Edward promised he wouldn't hurt him.""
I almost shouted.
"Your husband is a seventy-eight-year-old man with dementia! What kind of person thinks kidnapping him is acceptable?""
Vanessa sobbed.
"Michael, Edward has something your father needs.""
"What?""
"The original police report.""
I froze.
"What report?""
"The one from your mother's accident.""
I looked toward Samuel.
He was listening.
"Why would Edward have it?""
"Because he kept a copy.""
"Where is it?""
"I don't know.""
I heard movement on the other end.
Then Vanessa whispered:
"Michael, you need to stop looking for Samuel.""
I stared at the phone.
"Why?""
"Because Edward doesn't want him dead.""
"What does he want?""
"He wants Samuel to sign something.""
I glanced at Samuel.
"What?""
"The original trust agreement. Edward says Samuel is the only person who can release the money.""
I looked at Nia.
She was shaking her head.
"That's impossible," she whispered.
I covered the phone.
"What?""
"Your father changed the agreement. Samuel can't release anything without the independent trustee.""
I returned to the call.
"Vanessa, what exactly did Edward tell you?""
She hesitated.
Then she whispered, "He said if Samuel refuses, he'll show him the truth about his mother.""
Samuel stepped forward.
"Let me speak to her.""
I handed him the phone.
"Vanessa?""
Her breathing became uneven.
"Samuel?""
"Do you remember me?""
She began crying.
"Of course I do.""
"Then tell me why you gave me away.""
There was a long silence.
Finally, Vanessa said, "I was afraid.""
Samuel laughed bitterly.
"You were afraid?""
"I was young. Daniel was in trouble. Edward promised to help us.""
"By selling me?""
"I didn't know what he would do!""
Samuel's voice broke.
"You signed the papers.""
"I know.""
"You looked me in the eyes and told me I was going to stay with a nice family for a few weeks.""
Vanessa began sobbing.
"I know.""
"Then you never came back.""
"I couldn't.""
"Why?""
Her answer was barely audible.
"Because Edward told me your mother had left something with you.""
Samuel went completely still.
I took the phone.
"What did he think Samuel had?""
Vanessa answered through tears.
"A recording.""
I looked at Samuel.
"What recording?""
She continued.
"Your mother recorded a conversation the night she died. Edward believed Samuel had taken the device from the car.""
Samuel shook his head.
"I never took anything.""
Vanessa whispered, "Then Edward has been looking for the wrong thing all these years.""
Before I could ask more, the call ended.
I turned toward Samuel.
"Do you have anything from that night?""
He shook his head.
"I was eight. I barely remember getting out of the car.""
Nia suddenly spoke.
"Wait.""
She opened her handbag and removed a small cloth pouch.
"Your father gave me this six months ago.""
She placed it on the table.
Inside was a tiny silver pendant.
It looked like an ordinary necklace, except the back had a small screw.
Samuel stared at it.
"My mother wore that.""
Nia nodded.
"Your father said she hid something inside it.""
I unscrewed the back.
A tiny memory card fell into my palm.
I looked at Samuel.
"Could this be the recording?""
He nodded slowly.
"Possibly.""
I placed the card inside my phone's adapter.
A single audio file appeared.
The date was twelve years old.
My fingers trembled as I pressed play.
At first, there was only static.
Then a woman's voice.
My mother's voice.
"Richard, if you're hearing this, it means something has happened.""
I stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
"Edward knows about the trust. He's been using Daniel to move the money. But there's something worse. Vanessa has been helping him.""
I looked at Samuel.
His face had gone pale.
Then my mother's voice became urgent.
"Richard, don't trust Robert. He knows about the accident. He knows who was driving.""
There was a sudden noise.
A car door.
Then a man's voice.
Edward.
"Give me the card, Claire.""
My mother's voice shook.
"No.""
"You don't understand what you've done.""
"I understand exactly what you've done.""
Then another voice entered the recording.
A woman's voice.
Vanessa.
"Claire, please. Just give it to him.""
My heart stopped.
My mother's reply was immediate.
"Vanessa, how could you?""
The recording crackled.
A loud impact followed.
Then Edward shouted:
"Get back in the car!""
There was silence for several seconds.
Finally, my mother's voice whispered:
"Michael...""
The recording ended.
I stared at the phone.
Samuel was crying.
Nia had covered her mouth.
And I could barely stand.
My mother had known.
She had tried to warn my father.
And Vanessa had been there when it happened.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*Bring the original recording to the old Collins warehouse. Come alone if you want your father alive.*
A second message followed.
It contained a photograph of my father sitting in a dark room.
His hands were resting on his knees.
His face was bruised.
But his eyes were open.
He was holding a piece of paper toward the camera.
I enlarged the photograph.
There were three words written across it in my father's handwriting.
*ROBERT IS NOT DEAD.*
I stared at the screen.
May you like
Then another message arrived.
*And neither is your mother.*
