Chapter 7: The Brother Who Never Came Home
Marcus read the message until the words blurred.
*ASK YOUR BROTHER WHY HE WAS IN DANIELLE'S HOSPITAL ROOM AT 9:17 P.M.*
*AND ASK HIM WHY HE LEFT WITH HER WEDDING RING.*
He lowered the phone slowly.
Across the living room, Vanessa stood beside the cream sofa, her arms wrapped around herself. The afternoon sunlight illuminated every tear on her face, but Marcus could no longer tell whether she was crying from guilt, fear, or the knowledge that her lies were finally unraveling.
“Call Andre,” Marcus said.
Vanessa shook her head.
“He won't answer.””
“Call him.””
“Marcus, please. You don't know what he—”
“Give me one reason I shouldn't call the police right now.””
She fell silent.
Marcus dialed his brother.
The phone rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then Andre answered.
“Hey, little brother.”” His familiar, easygoing voice came through the speaker.
“Everything okay?””
Marcus stared at the open pendants on the coffee table.
“Where were you the night Danielle died?””
Silence.
Not the ordinary pause of someone searching for a memory.
This was the silence of someone deciding which lie would hurt the least.
“Why are you asking me that?”” Andre finally said.
“Answer the question.””
“I was at the hospital. You know that.””
“I know you told me you arrived after she died.””
Another pause.
“Marcus, what is this about?””
“Were you in her room at 9:17 p.m.?””
The silence returned.
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
“Who told you that?”” Andre asked.
“So you were there.””
“I didn't say that.””
“You didn't have to.””
Andre exhaled sharply.
“Listen to me. Whatever Vanessa is telling you, don't believe her.””
Marcus glanced at his wife.
“Why would you assume this has anything to do with Vanessa?””
“Because she's always been good at making herself look innocent.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Tell him the truth, Andre!””
Marcus put the call on speaker.
Andre's voice sharpened.
“She's there with you?””
“Yes,” Marcus said.
“And I'm asking you one last time. Why were you in Danielle's hospital room?””
Andre didn't answer.
Instead, he said, “Did you open the necklace?””
Marcus froze.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Andre continued, his voice suddenly urgent.
“Marcus, listen carefully. Whatever you found inside that pendant, put it back and leave it alone.””
“Why?””
“Because you don't understand what Danielle was involved in.””
“What was she involved in?””
“I can't explain over the phone.””
“Then come here and explain it in person.””
“I can't.””
Marcus let out a bitter laugh.
“You can threaten me, you can tell me what to do, but you can't come to your own brother's house?””
“I'm trying to protect you!””
“From what? The truth?””
Andre lowered his voice.
“From the people who killed Danielle.””
Marcus stopped breathing.
Across the room, Vanessa began shaking her head.
Andre had spoken the words.
Not the people who might have been responsible.
Not the people who could have hurt her.
The people who killed Danielle.
Marcus gripped his phone.
“How do you know she was killed?””
Andre said nothing.
“Answer me!””
“Because she told me someone was going to kill her.””
Marcus felt as if the room had tilted.
“When?””
“The afternoon she died.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because she made me promise not to.””
Marcus stared at the family photographs behind the sofa. He could still picture Andre standing beside him at Danielle's funeral, one hand on his shoulder, telling him that sometimes life took the people we loved without warning.
“You let me bury my wife believing her death was an accident,” Marcus whispered.
“I thought I could fix it.””
“How?””
Andre's voice cracked.
“I took something from her room.””
“The wedding ring?””
Silence.
Marcus closed his eyes.
The ring Danielle had worn for six years had disappeared the night she died. He'd searched the hospital room, called the nurses, and even checked the pockets of his own coat because he thought he might have accidentally taken it.
Andre had helped him search.
Now Marcus understood why his brother had never looked surprised when they failed to find it.
“Why did you take it?”” Marcus asked.
“Because she put something inside it.””
Marcus glanced at the two pendants.
“What?””
“A memory card.””
Vanessa sank onto the sofa.
Andre continued, “Danielle said the ring was the only place nobody would think to look. She told me to keep it safe until she could explain everything.””
“Then why did you disappear with it?””
“Because someone came looking for me the next morning.””
“Who?””
“I never saw his face. He left a photograph of my daughter on my doorstep.””
Marcus went still.
Andre had a nine-year-old daughter, Naomi.
“What did he say?””
“That if I gave you the ring, Naomi would be next.””
Marcus looked toward the staircase, where Lily was waiting.
The threat was no longer confined to a necklace or a mysterious medical record. Someone had been using children to control the people who knew Danielle's secret.
“Where is the ring now?”” Marcus asked.
Andre hesitated.
“Somewhere safe.””
“Tell me where.””
“I can't.””
“Your niece was nearly hurt today because of that necklace. Someone is threatening my family. If you have evidence, you bring it to me.””
“I can't risk Naomi.””
“And what about Lily?””
Andre said nothing.
Marcus lowered his voice.
“You stood beside me at my wife's funeral. You watched me raise her daughter alone. You watched me marry Vanessa. If you knew someone had threatened Danielle, you had three years to tell me.””
“I was scared.””
“So was I.””
The words seemed to silence Andre.
Marcus continued, “I was scared every time Lily woke up crying. I was scared when she asked me why her mother couldn't come back. I was scared when I realized I couldn't remember the sound of Danielle's laugh without looking at a photograph.””
His throat tightened.
“And I still got out of bed every morning because my daughter needed me. You don't get to tell me fear excuses everything.””
Andre began to cry quietly.
“I'm sorry.””
Marcus looked at the phone.
“Come here.””
“I can't.””
“Then tell me where to find the ring.””
Andre took a shaky breath.
“Danielle's old piano.””
Marcus frowned.
“What piano?””
“The upright piano she inherited from her grandmother. The one you gave to a charity after she died.””
Marcus remembered it. The instrument had stood in Danielle's childhood home before her parents moved. After her death, he had arranged for it to be donated to a children's arts center.
“Why would you hide a ring inside a piano?””
“There's a compartment beneath the keyboard. Danielle showed me how to open it.””
“Where is the piano now?””
“At the center.””
Marcus grabbed his keys.
“I'm going there.””
“Wait!”” Andre shouted.
“Don't go alone.””
“Why?””
“Because I just received another message.””
Marcus stopped.
“What message?””
Andre's voice dropped to a whisper.
“It says if I don't bring the ring to the house tonight, they'll come for Naomi.””
A heavy thud sounded through Andre's phone, followed by a muffled voice.
Marcus straightened.
“Andre? What was that?””
“Someone's at my door.””
“Call the police.””
“No!””
The answer came too quickly.
Marcus heard footsteps, then the sound of a lock turning.
Andre whispered, “Marcus, if anything happens to me, don't let Vanessa near the—”
The call cut off.
Marcus immediately dialed back.
No answer.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Vanessa stood frozen beside the sofa.
Marcus grabbed his jacket.
“Where are you going?”” she asked.
“To find my brother.””
“You can't leave me here!””
He turned toward her.
“You can call the police and tell them everything you know.””
“Marcus, please. Andre isn't the only person who knows about the ring.””
He stopped.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“There's another copy of Danielle's recording.””
“Where?””
She looked at the necklace in his hand.
“Inside Lily's pendant.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You told me there was only a clue inside it.””
“I lied.””
He felt a fresh wave of anger rise, but before he could speak, a voice came from the staircase.
“Daddy?””
Lily stood on the landing, clutching the banister.
Her face was pale.
“Why did that man say my mommy was killed?””
Marcus went completely still.
May you like
Vanessa looked toward the ceiling.
And then Marcus realized that his daughter had heard every word.
