Chapter 8: The Night She Disappeared
The room seemed to shrink.
I could hear every breath.
Every tiny movement.
Every sob Monica tried to hide.
Darren stepped closer.
“If she didn't leave, where did she go?””
Monica shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Jordan slammed his palm against the table.
“Don't lie.””
“I don't know!””
“You were the last person with her.””
Monica stared at him.
“How do you know that?””
Jordan's face hardened.
“Because I saw you.””
Darren looked between them.
“When?””
Jordan took a breath.
“The night Arielle's mother disappeared.””
My heart pounded.
“You were there?””
“I was outside the house.””
“Why?””
“Your mother called me.””
He looked at me.
“She told me Monica had threatened her again.””
Monica whispered, “I never threatened her.””
Jordan laughed bitterly.
“You told her you'd make sure she never saw Arielle again.””
Monica shook her head.
“I said I'd fight for custody.””
“You said more than that.””
Darren's voice cut through them.
“Enough.””
Everyone stopped.
He looked at Jordan.
“What happened that night?””
Jordan lowered his eyes.
“I arrived around eleven.””
“And?””
“Your mother came outside.””
I whispered, “Was I there?””
“No.””
“Where was I?””
“Inside.””
“With Monica?””
Jordan nodded.
“She said she was going to take you and leave.””
My hands went cold.
“What happened?””
“She gave me a bag.””
“A bag?””
“Your clothes. Your birth records. The original custody documents.””
Darren's expression tightened.
“She was preparing to leave.””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't she?””
Jordan looked at Monica.
“Because Monica came outside.””
Monica whispered, “I remember.””
Jordan's voice became quiet.
“They argued.””
“About me?””
“Yes.””
“What did my mother say?””
Jordan hesitated.
“She said, ‘You can't erase me from my daughter's life.’”
I closed my eyes.
I could almost hear her.
Then Jordan continued.
“Monica told her that Darren would never forgive her.””
Darren's face hardened.
“I didn't know.””
“I know.””
“What happened next?””
Jordan swallowed.
“Your mother got into her car.””
Monica spoke.
“She was leaving.””
Jordan nodded.
“Yes.””
I looked at Monica.
“Then what?””
Monica's lips trembled.
“She drove away.””
Jordan shook his head.
“No.””
Monica looked at him.
“You didn't see everything.””
“I saw enough.””
Darren stepped forward.
“What did you see?””
Jordan pointed toward the window.
“A second car.””
I frowned.
“What second car?””
“A dark SUV.””
Darren's expression changed.
“Whose?””
Jordan looked at Monica.
“I thought it belonged to her.””
Monica shook her head.
“It didn't.””
Jordan's eyes narrowed.
“Then whose was it?””
Monica didn't answer.
Darren turned toward her.
“Whose car?””
She whispered:
“Mine.””
My stomach dropped.
“You followed her?””
“I wanted to talk.””
“You followed her?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Monica began crying.
“To the old graduation property.””
Darren looked confused.
“This house?””
Monica nodded.
“It was empty back then.””
Jordan stepped closer.
“What happened there?””
Monica looked at me.
“I saw her pull over.””
“And?””
“She got out.””
“What did you do?””
“I got out too.””
Darren's voice became colder.
“Then what?””
Monica covered her face.
“We argued.””
“You said that already.””
“She was angry.””
“So were you.””
“She slapped me.””
Jordan's eyes widened.
“And then?””
Monica stared at the floor.
“She dropped her keys.””
I whispered, “The key.””
Monica looked at me.
“Yes.””
“The key in the envelope?””
She nodded.
“She dropped it.””
Darren looked at the small key on the table.
“What does it open?””
Monica shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Jordan stepped forward.
“You're lying again.””
Monica looked at him.
“No.””
“You've kept that key for twenty years.””
“I didn't know what it opened.””
“Then why put it in an envelope addressed to Darren?””
Monica's expression changed.
“I wanted him to find it.””
Darren stared at her.
“Why?””
“Because I knew Arielle would find the footage.””
My blood ran cold.
“You knew about the camera?””
Monica looked at me.
“Not at first.””
“Then when?””
She pointed toward the laptop.
“After you started asking questions.””
Darren frowned.
“What questions?””
Monica didn't answer.
I remembered the previous week.
The missing photographs.
The locked cabinet.
The strange argument I'd overheard downstairs.
I looked at her.
“You knew I was looking for the truth.””
“Yes.””
“And you tried to stop me.””
“Yes.””
Darren looked furious.
“But you didn't expect the USB.””
Monica shook her head.
“No.””
“Then what did you expect?””
She looked at the envelope.
“I expected Arielle to disappear before graduation.””
Silence.
I stared at her.
“You were going to make me disappear.””
Monica nodded through tears.
“I was going to leave the house with Kayla.””
Darren's voice went quiet.
“And make it look like Arielle ran away.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Monica looked at me.
“Because someone else was coming.””
A knock sounded at the front door.
Everyone froze.
Jordan whispered, “Who knew we were here?””
Monica's face went white.
Darren walked toward the door.
Another knock.
Then a man's voice came through the wood.
“Darren Carter?””
Darren stopped.
The voice continued.
“I'm here about Arielle's mother.””
Monica backed away.
Jordan stared at her.
“You said nobody else knew.””
Monica shook her head.
“I thought nobody did.””
Darren reached for the doorknob.
Then the voice outside said:
“Open the door, Monica.””
May you like
She gasped.
Because she knew the voice.
