Chapter 5: The Grandfather Who Wasn't Dead
I didn't understand what Vanessa had said.
"Daniel?""
She nodded.
"My father-in-law.""
I shook my head.
"Daniel Hale died three years ago.""
Vanessa looked at the officers.
Then she looked at me.
"That's what everyone was told.""
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
My father had supposedly died in a car accident outside Cleveland. I had identified his belongings, attended his funeral, and spent months dealing with the estate.
I remembered standing beside his coffin.
I remembered the cold rain.
I remembered my mother crying into my shoulder.
"You're lying," I said.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I saw him.""
"Where?""
"At your mother's house.""
My mother's name was Margaret.
She lived alone in a small house outside Columbus, and although we spoke regularly, she had never mentioned anything about my father.
I took out my phone.
I called her.
She answered after three rings.
"Marcus, sweetheart. Is everything all right?""
"Mom, I need you to answer something.""
Her voice became cautious.
"What happened?""
"Is Dad alive?""
Silence.
Not the kind of silence caused by a bad connection.
The kind that comes when someone has just heard a question they were terrified would eventually be asked.
"Marcus...""
"Is he alive?""
My mother started crying.
I closed my eyes.
"How long?""
"Please, sweetheart. Let me explain.""
"How long has he been alive?""
She whispered, "Three years.""
I felt the room tilt.
The officers were watching me.
Rachel had moved closer to Lily.
I walked into the kitchen.
"You let me bury an empty coffin?""
My mother sobbed.
"Your father was in terrible trouble.""
"What trouble?""
"He owed people money. He was being threatened. He said disappearing was the only way to protect us.""
"And you thought pretending he was dead was acceptable?""
"He told me you would be safer if you didn't know.""
I laughed once.
It wasn't because anything was funny.
My father had been dead for three years in my mind. I had spent three birthdays, three Christmases, and three Father's Days grieving a man who was apparently alive.
Then I remembered Vanessa's statement.
"Did he contact Vanessa?""
My mother didn't answer immediately.
That was enough.
"Mom?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
"About a year ago.""
I pressed my hand against the kitchen counter.
"What did he want?""
"He said he was worried about Lily.""
I almost dropped the phone.
"Worried about her?""
"He said she wasn't being raised properly.""
I stared at the birthday cake visible through the doorway.
"Did he tell you to get rid of her?""
My mother began crying harder.
"No, Marcus. He said he wanted her to live with him.""
"Why?""
"He believed you were spending too much time working. He thought Vanessa was overwhelmed. He said Lily needed a different environment.""
I gripped the counter.
"Did he know about the laundry room?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you know?""
"No!""
Her answer came quickly.
I believed she was telling the truth about that part.
Then she whispered something else.
"Marcus, he has been sending Vanessa money.""
I looked toward the living room.
"How much?""
"I don't know exactly. But he said he was helping with Lily's future.""
I ended the call.
When I returned, Officer Bennett was speaking with Vanessa.
"Ma'am, are you confirming that Daniel Hale is alive?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Yes.""
"Have you met him?""
"Several times.""
"Did he ask you to mistreat the child?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"He wanted Lily removed from the house.""
"That's not what I asked.""
She lowered her eyes.
"He said she was becoming a burden.""
I felt anger rising again.
"And you agreed?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"At first, no.""
"What changed?""
She wiped her face.
"He offered to pay off our mortgage.""
I stared at her.
"How much?""
"One hundred and eighty thousand dollars.""
Rachel gasped.
Vanessa continued.
"He said he would take Lily to his property. He said she would have everything she needed.""
"Then why was she starving?""
Vanessa started crying.
"Because she kept asking for you. She wouldn't stop talking about you. Every time I tried to explain that she would be living somewhere else, she cried.""
I stared at her.
"So you punished her for loving her father?""
"I didn't mean for it to go this far.""
"How far did you mean for it to go?""
She didn't answer.
Officer Bennett stepped forward.
"That's enough for now.""
He instructed Vanessa to remain available for questioning. The officers explained that the child would be placed with a safe family member while the investigation continued.
Rachel immediately volunteered.
"I'll take her.""
Lily clung to my hand.
"Daddy, are you coming?""
"Yes, sweetheart.""
"Are you sleeping at Aunt Rachel's?""
"If you want me to.""
She considered that.
Then she whispered, "Can I sleep in your bed?""
My throat tightened.
"Every night, if that's what makes you feel safe.""
Emily finished checking Lily and gave me information about arranging a full pediatric examination.
I was signing the paperwork when another message arrived.
This time, it came from an unknown email address.
There was no greeting.
Just a scanned document.
It was a bank transfer.
$25,000.
Paid to Vanessa.
The date was six months earlier.
The sender's name was Daniel Hale.
I opened the attached message.
**First payment completed. Keep Marcus cooperative. Once he signs the transfer, the remaining balance will be released.
Do not let the girl speak to Margaret. She knows too much.**
I read it twice.
Then I noticed the date of the next scheduled payment.
Tomorrow.
But something else caught my attention.
The email included a second attachment.
A photograph.
It showed Daniel standing outside a large house, holding a little girl in his arms.
The girl was wearing Lily's pink coat.
But the photograph was dated four months before the birthday party.
I enlarged the image.
The child was definitely Lily.
And standing beside Daniel was a woman I recognized.
My mother.
I called her again.
She answered immediately.
"Marcus?""
I held the photograph in front of me, although she couldn't see it.
"Mom, why were you with Dad and Lily?""
My mother's breathing changed.
Then she whispered:
"Because your father told me he had already taken her once.""
I felt every muscle in my body tighten.
"What?""
"He said it was only for one afternoon. He wanted to see whether she remembered him.""
"Mom, why didn't you tell me?""
She started crying.
"Because he threatened to take her permanently if I did.""
I looked toward Lily.
She was sitting beside Rachel, carefully eating another piece of cake.
Then my mother said:
"Marcus, there's something else. Your father isn't trying to take Lily because he loves her.""
May you like
"Then why?""
"Because he believes she inherited something from your grandmother.""
