Chapter 4: The Dead Man's Name
Andre stared at Monica as if the room had tilted beneath him.
“Your brother?”” he repeated.
Monica's lips trembled.
“Yes.””
“My brother is dead.””
“I know.””
“Then don't say his name like he's standing outside that door.””
“I didn't say he was alive.””
Andre took a step toward her.
“Then what did you mean?””
Monica looked toward Jasmine.
The girl was crying silently now, clutching the blanket against her chest.
Tasha moved closer to the bed.
“Jasmine, focus on me. Slow breaths.””
Andre barely heard her.
His entire world had narrowed to Monica.
“His name was Daniel,” he said.
Monica nodded.
“Daniel Hayes.””
“That's my brother.””
“I know.””
“He died twelve years ago.””
“I know.””
“In a car accident.””
“I know.””
Andre's voice became harder.
“So why did you just tell me the person threatening us is my dead brother?””
Monica shook her head.
“I didn't say he was threatening us.””
“You said his name.””
“I said the name of the person who gave Jasmine the bottle.””
Andre's eyes narrowed.
“How?””
“I don't know.””
“That isn't good enough.””
Monica pressed both hands against her temples.
“I never met Daniel until after he died.””
Andre stared.
“What?””
Monica swallowed.
“Not in person.””
The room fell silent.
Tasha glanced between them.
“Mrs. Hayes, maybe we should pause this conversation.””
“No,” Andre said.
“I need the truth.””
Monica looked at him.
“I found a box.””
“What box?””
“A box of Daniel's things.””
Andre's face hardened.
“Where?””
“In your mother's house.””
His breathing changed.
“My mother died three years ago.””
“I know.””
“And you went through her things?””
“I was helping clean the house.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
Andre shook his head.
“You never told me that.””
“I didn't think it mattered.””
“You found something belonging to my dead brother, and you didn't think it mattered?””
Monica's eyes filled with tears.
“I found letters.””
Andre went still.
“What letters?””
“Letters between Daniel and someone named Marcus.””
Jasmine suddenly whispered, “That's what I saw.””
Andre turned toward her.
“What did you see?””
“Mom had the letters.””
Monica closed her eyes.
Andre looked at her.
“You told me Daniel had no secrets.””
“I didn't know.””
“You've known for six months.””
“I didn't know what they meant.””
Andre held up the medical document.
“Does this explain them?””
Monica didn't answer.
He unfolded the paper farther.
His eyes moved down the page.
Patient information.
Hospital identification.
A date.
Then another name.
Andre's eyes stopped.
“Marcus Hayes.””
Monica's face drained of color.
Andre looked up.
“Why does this say Marcus Hayes?””
Monica stepped backward.
“Give me the paper.””
“Who is Marcus Hayes?””
“I told you.””
“You said Marcus was your—”
Andre stopped.
His eyes returned to the page.
Then to Monica.
“You said Marcus was Daniel.””
Monica nodded slowly.
“No.””
Andre's brow furrowed.
“What?””
“No. Marcus isn't Daniel.””
“Then who is he?””
Monica's voice dropped.
“Daniel's son.””
Andre stared at her.
For several seconds, he couldn't form a sentence.
“Daniel had a son?””
Monica nodded.
“Before he died.””
Andre's mouth went dry.
“You're telling me my brother had a child?””
“Yes.””
“And you knew?””
“I found out six months ago.””
“And you kept this from me?””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
Monica looked toward Jasmine.
“From him.””
Andre turned.
“Why would I need protection from my own nephew?””
Monica's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Marcus doesn't believe Daniel's death was an accident.””
Andre's stomach tightened.
“What does he believe?””
Monica looked at the closed door.
“He believes someone killed your brother.””
Andre's fingers tightened around the prescription bottle.
“And you believed him?””
“I didn't know what to believe.””
“Then why was his message on your phone?””
Monica stared down at the device.
“I told him to stay away from Jasmine.””
Andre's head snapped toward her.
“You what?””
“I found him watching our house.””
“You knew he was watching our house?””
“Yes.””
“And you didn't tell me?””
“I was afraid.””
“You should have been afraid to keep this from me.””
Monica began crying.
“I thought I could handle it.””
Andre's voice shook.
“You put our daughter in the middle of this.””
“I didn't put her there.””
“Then how did that bottle get into her backpack?””
Monica looked at Jasmine.
“I don't know.””
Jasmine suddenly sat upright.
“I do.””
Everyone turned.
Tasha gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Tell us.””
Jasmine's eyes moved to Monica.
“Mom didn't put it there.””
Andre looked at her.
“Then who did?””
Jasmine swallowed.
“Marcus.””
Andre stared.
“How do you know?””
“Because he talked to me.””
Monica covered her mouth.
Andre's face went pale.
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
“Where?””
Jasmine hesitated.
“Here.””
Andre looked around the examination room.
“What do you mean, here?””
Jasmine pointed toward the hallway.
“He was outside.””
Tasha's expression changed.
“Did you see him?””
Jasmine nodded.
“What did he look like?””
She wiped her tears.
“He looked like Dad.””
Andre stopped.
“What?””
Jasmine stared at him.
“Same eyes.””
Andre looked at Monica.
Monica whispered, “That's why I was scared.””
Then someone knocked on the examination-room door.
Three slow knocks.
Tasha froze.
Andre turned toward it.
A man's voice came from the other side.
“Jasmine?””
May you like
The little girl screamed.
“That's him.””
