Chapter 9: The Lawyer Who Knew Too Much
My father put the phone on speaker.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Richard sighed.
"I was hoping you wouldn't find that letter.""
Dad's face hardened.
"How long have you known?""
"Known what?""
"That Evelyn was alive when she left St. Catherine's.""
Richard was silent.
"Answer me.""
"Daniel, this is complicated.""
Dad laughed bitterly.
"You've been handling my legal affairs for twenty years. Don't insult me by pretending I can't understand a straight answer.""
Richard took a breath.
"Your wife asked me to arrange a private transfer.""
"To where?""
"I can't discuss that over the phone.""
"Then come here.""
"I don't think that's wise.""
Dad slammed his palm onto the table.
"You helped my wife disappear. You allowed me to believe she was dead. You watched me bury an empty coffin?""
The silence on the other end lasted several seconds.
Then Richard said quietly:
"Daniel, the coffin wasn't empty.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
Dad gripped the phone.
"What?""
"Evelyn was alive when I last saw her. But she was extremely ill. She knew she might not survive.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because she begged me not to.""
Dad looked toward the window.
"She was my wife.""
"I know.""
"She was the mother of my child.""
"I know, Daniel.""
"Then you should have called me!""
Richard's voice became strained.
"She believed you were in danger.""
Dad went still.
"What danger?""
Richard hesitated.
"Vanessa had discovered the trust documents. She knew Evelyn was trying to recover the money. She had already contacted someone who could make the entire problem disappear.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
"Marcus?""
"No.""
"Then who?""
Richard lowered his voice.
"Stephen Caldwell.""
Dad stared at the hospital records.
"Why would a doctor help Vanessa steal money?""
"Because the money wasn't the only thing she wanted.""
I leaned closer.
"What else did she want?""
Richard seemed to hear me.
"Maya?""
"Yes.""
There was another pause.
"Your mother was trying to protect both daughters.""
I looked at Lauren.
"How?""
Richard continued.
"She discovered that Vanessa had been using forged financial documents to gain control over the trust. But she also found evidence that Vanessa had obtained confidential medical information about Lauren.""
Lauren frowned.
"What medical information?""
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, "Your adoption records weren't legitimate.""
Lauren's face drained of color.
"What?""
"Your mother, Evelyn, had legally given birth to you. But the adoption arrangement with Vanessa was never properly completed.""
Dad stood.
"Are you saying Vanessa never legally adopted Lauren?""
"That's correct.""
Lauren covered her mouth.
"Then who am I legally?""
Richard sighed.
"According to the original birth records, you're Evelyn's daughter. The adoption paperwork was submitted, but the final approval was never issued.""
I looked at Lauren.
She seemed unable to process the information.
For eight years, Vanessa had told her she was her biological mother.
For eight years, Lauren had believed she belonged to a family that had never legally existed in the way she understood.
Dad sat down.
"Why would Evelyn allow that?""
"Because she trusted Vanessa initially. They had an arrangement. Vanessa would raise Lauren until Evelyn could resolve the financial and personal circumstances surrounding her birth.""
"Then what changed?""
"Marcus found out about the arrangement. He wanted to be involved in Lauren's life. Evelyn agreed to let him see her.""
I looked at the letter.
"That's why Vanessa tried to make him disappear.""
Richard didn't answer.
Dad's voice became colder.
"Tell me where Evelyn is.""
"I can't.""
"Richard.""
"Daniel, I haven't spoken to her in years.""
"Then why did you help her disappear?""
"Because she asked me to.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Did you know she was going to die?""
"I knew she was seriously ill.""
"Where did you take her?""
Richard finally gave us an address.
A private care facility in Vermont.
The name meant nothing to me.
Dad wrote it down.
"Was she there until she died?""
Richard was silent.
"Richard?""
"I don't know.""
Dad ended the call.
For several moments, we sat around the kitchen table.
The documents were spread between us.
My mother's letter.
Lauren's birth certificate.
The bank statements.
The photograph of Marcus.
And now, the possibility that my mother had survived the hospital.
Lauren was the first to speak.
"Do you think she's alive?""
Dad looked at her.
"I don't know.""
"But she could be?""
He nodded.
I stood.
"We're going to Vermont.""
Dad looked up.
"Tomorrow morning.""
"No," I said.
"Today.""
He studied my face.
"Sweetheart, we need to let Richard explain everything.""
"Richard has had eight years to explain.""
Lauren nodded.
"Maya's right.""
Dad looked at both of us.
Then he picked up his car keys.
"All right.""
Before we left, I went upstairs to collect my mother's photograph.
I couldn't stop looking at it.
She was smiling beside two little girls.
One was me.
The other was Lauren.
For years, I had believed that picture represented a happy family.
Now I wondered how much pain had existed behind that smile.
As I returned downstairs, my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice whispered:
"Maya?""
I froze.
"Who is this?""
"My name is Evelyn.""
The world seemed to stop.
I gripped the banister.
"Mom?""
There was a long silence.
Then the woman began crying.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Mom? Where are you?""
"I don't have much time.""
I looked toward Dad.
He had heard the voice.
His face had gone completely white.
"Where are you?"" I repeated.
"I need you to listen carefully. Do not come to the address Richard gave you.""
"Why?""
"Because Vanessa knows about it.""
I stared at the phone.
"Mom, are you alive?""
She let out a trembling breath.
"Yes.""
Dad stumbled toward me.
He reached for the phone.
"Evelyn?""
The woman on the other end began sobbing.
"Daniel?""
My father made a sound I had never heard from him.
A mixture of disbelief, grief, and desperate hope.
"Where have you been?""
"I can't explain everything now.""
"Eight years, Evelyn. Eight years!""
"I know.""
"Do you know what you've done to me?""
Her voice broke.
"I'm sorry.""
Dad pressed the phone against his ear.
"Come home.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because the person who tried to take the money from the trust is still looking for me.""
Dad looked at the bank statements.
"Vanessa?""
There was a pause.
Then Mom whispered:
"No.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Then who?""
Her answer was almost inaudible.
"Someone you trust.""
Dad looked at me.
I thought about Richard.
The lawyer who had arranged her disappearance.
The man who knew every secret.
"Mom, is it Richard?""
She began crying harder.
"No, Maya.""
Then she said the words that shattered whatever hope I had left.
"Your father is in danger because of me.""
Dad looked confused.
"What are you talking about?""
Mom continued.
"Daniel, do you remember the day we signed the first property agreement?""
Dad frowned.
"Yes.""
"Then you need to remember who was standing beside you.""
He stared into the distance.
"Vanessa.""
"No.""
Mom took a shaky breath.
"Marcus.""
Dad's face changed.
"Marcus was there?""
"Yes. And he wasn't the man you thought he was.""
I leaned closer to the phone.
"Mom, what does that mean?""
Before she could answer, we heard a loud crash on her end.
A door slamming.
A man's voice.
Then Mom whispered:
"He's here.""
"Who?"" I screamed.
She didn't answer.
Instead, she said one final sentence.
"Maya, if he asks for the blue envelope, don't give it to him.""
The call went dead.
Dad immediately dialed the number back.
It was disconnected.
Lauren stood frozen beside the kitchen table.
I looked at the blue envelope containing Mom's letter.
Then I noticed something.
The envelope was no longer on the table.
Neither was the photograph of Marcus.
Someone had taken them.
I turned toward the hallway.
The front door was slightly open.
And on the floor beside it lay a small piece of paper.
Dad picked it up.
There were only six words written on it.
*You should have let the dead stay dead.*
He looked at me.
Then his phone vibrated.
A new message from Richard.
Daniel, don't trust the woman who just called you.
A second message appeared.
Evelyn Whitmore died eight years ago. I have the original death certificate.
Dad stared at the screen.
I looked toward the open door.
And suddenly, I understood that someone had been watching our house long before I came home.
Someone knew what we had found.
Someone knew my mother was trying to contact us.
And someone was willing to do anything to keep the truth buried.
But the most frightening question was no longer whether my mother was alive.
May you like
It was this:
*If the woman on the phone really was Evelyn, whose body had we buried eight years ago?*
