Chapter 13: The Phone## Chapter 13: The Phone Call From a Dead Call From a Dead Man
My father's name appeared on my phone.
**D Man
My father's name appeared on my phone.
*DAD.*
For several seconds, I simply stared at the screenAD.**
For several seconds, I simply stared at the screen.
Robert Hale had been dead for twelve years.
I.
Robert Hale had been dead for twelve years.
I had watched his coffin disappear beneath the earth. I had watched his coffin disappear beneath the earth. I had delivered a speech at his funeral had delivered a speech at his funeral. I had spent years visiting his grave on Father's Day.
And. I had spent years visiting his grave on Father's Day.
And now his name was calling me.
“Marcus!”” now his name was calling me.
“Marcus!”” Officer Collins shouted.
“Don't answer that!””
But my Officer Collins shouted.
“Don't answer that!””
But my thumb had already moved.
“Hello?””
A familiar thumb had already moved.
“Hello?””
A familiar voice filled my ear.
“Hello, son.””
My voice filled my ear.
“Hello, son.””
My knees nearly buck knees nearly buckled.
It was my father.
Older,led.
It was my father.
Older, perhaps. His voice was rougher, but perhaps. His voice was rougher, but unmistakable.
“Dad?””
A quiet laugh came through.
unmistakable.
“Dad?””
A quiet laugh came through.
“I wondered how long it would take“I wondered how long it would take you to find the truth.””
I looked at Ethan, who was you to find the truth.””
I looked at Ethan, who was being loaded into an ambulance.
“Who is being loaded into an ambulance.
“Who is this?””
“Someone your mother should never have allowed this?””
“Someone your mother should never have allowed you to find.””
“Are you Robert you to find.””
“Are you Robert Hale?””
“Of course I am.””
My hands Hale?””
“Of course I am.””
My hands began shaking.
“You're dead.””
“That's what everyone began shaking.
“You're dead.””
“That's what everyone believes.””
I turned toward Officer Collins.
He believes.””
I turned toward Officer Collins.
He was already signaling for the call to was already signaling for the call to be traced.
“Where are you?”” I demanded be traced.
“Where are you?”” I demanded.
“Somewhere safe.””
“Why did you fake your death?””
A.
“Somewhere safe.””
“Why did you fake your death?””
A long silence followed.
Then my father said something that made my stomach turn.
“ long silence followed.
Then my father said something that made my stomach turn.
“Because Evelyn wanted me dead, and I wanted toBecause Evelyn wanted me dead, and I wanted to see what she would do if she thought she had won.””
I see what she would do if she thought she had won.””
I couldn't speak.
“You let me couldn't speak.
“You let me bury you?””
“I had bury you?””
“I had no choice.””
“You let me mourn you for twelve no choice.””
“You let me mourn you for twelve years!””
“Marcus, listen to me—”
years!””
“Marcus, listen to me—”
“No! You listen to me! I“No! You listen to me!
I grew up believing you were a good man. I spent grew up believing you were a good man. I spent years trying to become someone you'd be proud of.
years trying to become someone you'd be proud of. And all this time, you were hiding?””
His voice hardened And all this time, you were hiding?””
His voice hardened.
“You don't understand what Evelyn is.
“You don't understand what Evelyn is capable of.””
“I understand that you abandoned your family capable of.””
“I understand that you abandoned your family.””
He sighed.
“I protected you.””
.””
He sighed.
“I protected you.””
I almost laughed.
ThatI almost laughed.
That excuse again.
“ excuse again.
“Everyone in this family seems to think destroying someone is protection.””
My father went quiet.
ThenEveryone in this family seems to think destroying someone is protection.””
My father went quiet.
Then he said, “Have you found Danielle?””
I froze.
“How do you know about Danielle he said, “Have you found Danielle?””
I froze.
“How do you know about Danielle?””
“Because she's the reason this entire thing?””
“Because she's the reason this entire thing began.””
I glanced at her.
She stood began.””
I glanced at her.
She stood beside Thomas, holding Lily's hand.
Her face had beside Thomas, holding Lily's hand.
Her face had gone pale.
“Tell me what happened.””
My father took a breath.
“Evelyn discovered gone pale.
“Tell me what happened.””
My father took a breath.
“Evelyn discovered the money transfers. She found out I had been helping the money transfers. She found out I had been helping Danielle and Sophie.
She believed I was going to change the will and give Danielle and Sophie. She believed I was going to change the will and give everything to my other children.””
“So you faked your death?””
everything to my other children.””
“So you faked your death?””
“I arranged a disappearance. The“I arranged a disappearance. The medical report was falsified.
Evelyn believed medical report was falsified. Evelyn believed she had been responsible for my death, and I she had been responsible for my death, and I allowed her to believe it.””
“Why?””
“Because I allowed her to believe it.””
“Why?””
“Because I needed to know who was working with her.””
I needed to know who was working with her.””
I closed my eyes.
“And you watched closed my eyes.
“And you watched her take Danielle?””
“I didn't know she her take Danielle?””
“I didn't know she would go that far.””
“That's would go that far.””
“That's a lie.””
“I tried a lie.””
“I tried to intervene.””
“Then why didn't you?””
Silence.
Finally, to intervene.””
“Then why didn't you?””
Silence.
Finally, he said, “Because Vanessa had already he said, “Because Vanessa had already discovered where I was hiding.””
I looked at Danielle.
She discovered where I was hiding.””
I looked at Danielle.
She slowly shook her head.
“Your father slowly shook her head.
“Your father is lying,” she whispered.
I turned away.
“Dad is lying,” she whispered.
I turned away.
“Dad, where is Vanessa?””
“She's with me.””
, where is Vanessa?””
“She's with me.””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
“She's beenMy blood ran cold.
“What?””
“She's been helping me for months.””
I stared at the phone.
“Helping helping me for months.””
I stared at the phone.
“Helping you do what?””
“Recover the original documents.””
you do what?””
“Recover the original documents.””
I remembered Vanessa's messages. Her threats. The recordingsI remembered Vanessa's messages.
Her threats. The recordings.
“You used her to.
“You used her to marry me.””
“She was marry me.””
“She was supposed to keep an eye on Evelyn.””
supposed to keep an eye on Evelyn.””
“You let her destroy my marriage.””
““You let her destroy my marriage.””
“Your marriage was already broken.””
I felt something inside me snapYour marriage was already broken.””
I felt something inside me snap.
“You have no right to say that.””
My.
“You have no right to say that.””
My father continued as though he hadn't heard me.
“Marcus, there father continued as though he hadn't heard me.
“Marcus, there is a final document in the estate vault. It contains the real is a final document in the estate vault. It contains the real ownership structure of Hale Construction. Evelyn has been trying to destroy it for years.””
“And what does ownership structure of Hale Construction. Evelyn has been trying to destroy it for years.””
“And what does it prove?””
“That the company was never mine to give away.””
I frowned it prove?””
“That the company was never mine to give away.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Your grandfather.
“What?””
“Your grandfather placed the company in a family trust. I was only its administrator. Every placed the company in a family trust.
I was only its administrator. Every transfer Evelyn made was unauthorized.””
I looked at Thomas.
He nodded slowly.
That explained the second will.
It transfer Evelyn made was unauthorized.””
I looked at Thomas.
He nodded slowly.
That explained the second will.
It wasn't simply about inheritance.
It was about exposing the entire financial wasn't simply about inheritance.
It was about exposing the entire financial scheme.
My father lowered his voice.
scheme.
My father lowered his voice.
“Bring me the original death certificate. I'll give you the truth about“Bring me the original death certificate. I'll give you the truth about everything.””
“I'm not making any deals with you everything.””
“I'm not making any deals with you.””
“Then your brother will never know who tried to kill him.””
.””
“Then your brother will never know who tried to kill him.””
I looked toward the ambulance.
“What did you do to Ethan?””
“Nothing.””
“He says you know why he was attacked.””
My father laughed softly.
“Ethan has always been dramatic.””
I clenI looked toward the ambulance.
“What did you do to Ethan?””
“Nothing.””
“He says you know why he was attacked.””
My father laughed softly.
“Ethan has always been dramatic.””
I clenched my jaw.
“You're going to answer every question I haveched my jaw.
“You're going to answer every question I have.””
“Come to the old estate.””
“Come to the old estate tonight. Bring Danielle.””
“I'm not bringing my wife anywhere near you.””
“ tonight. Bring Danielle.””
“I'm not bringing my wife anywhere near you.””
“Then bring the girls.””
I nearly dropped the phone.
“If you ever mention myThen bring the girls.””
I nearly dropped the phone.
“If you ever mention my daughter again—”
The call ended.
Officer daughter again—”
The call ended.
Officer Collins approached.
“Did you recognize the Collins approached.
“Did you recognize the voice?””
“Yes.””
“Could voice?””
“Yes.””
“Could it be someone impersonating him?””
I shook my head.
“No. It was my father.””
Collins looked at Danielle.
She was staring at the it be someone impersonating him?””
I shook my head.
“No. It was my father.””
Collins looked at Danielle.
She was staring at the floor.
“Mrs floor.
“Mrs. Hale?””
Danielle slowly lifted her head.
“Robert is alive,” she whispered. Hale?””
Danielle slowly lifted her head.
“Robert is alive,” she whispered.
“I knew it.””
I turned toward her.
“You.
“I knew it.””
I turned toward her.
“You knew?””
“Not for certain. But I knew?””
“Not for certain. But I saw him once.””
“When?””
“Six months after I disappeared. He came to saw him once.””
“When?””
“Six months after I disappeared. He came to the facility.””
My chest tightened.
“What did he say the facility.””
My chest tightened.
“What did he say?””
She began crying.
“He told me he was sorry. He said?””
She began crying.
“He told me he was sorry. He said he couldn't bring me home because Evelyn had he couldn't bring me home because Evelyn had threatened Lily.””
I felt sick.
“He threatened Lily.””
I felt sick.
“He visited you and left you there?””
Danielle nodded visited you and left you there?””
Danielle nodded.
“He promised he'd find.
“He promised he'd find a way to get me out.””
“And then?””
“He never came back.””
I a way to get me out.””
“And then?””
“He never came back.””
I looked at Thomas.
His face was full of anger looked at Thomas.
His face was full of anger.
“Robert was supposed to protect everyone,”.
“Robert was supposed to protect everyone,” he said.
“Instead, he protected he said.
“Instead, he protected himself.””
My phone vibrated.
A new message.
A photograph of a large himself.””
My phone vibrated.
A new message.
A photograph of a large wooden box.
Inside it was my father's original death certificate.
B wooden box.
Inside it was my father's original death certificate.
Beneath the photograph were five words.
**MIDeneath the photograph were five words.
*MIDNIGHT. COME WITHOUT THE POLICE.*
I showed CollinsNIGHT. COME WITHOUT THE POLICE.**
I showed Collins.
He shook his head.
“Absolutely not.””
But before he.
He shook his head.
“Absolutely not.””
But before he could say more, Danielle took my hand.
“Marcus, there's something else.””
“What?””
She looked could say more, Danielle took my hand.
“Marcus, there's something else.””
“What?””
She looked toward Lily.
“Your father isn't the only person who survived toward Lily.
“Your father isn't the only person who survived that night.””
I frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Dan that night.””
I frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Danielle swallowed.
“The night Robertielle swallowed.
“The night Robert disappeared, someone else was in the car with him.””
“ disappeared, someone else was in the car with him.””
“Who?””
She looked directly at me.
“YourWho?””
She looked directly at me.
“Your grandfather.””
My blood ran cold.
“My grandfather.””
My blood ran cold.
“My grandfather died twenty years ago.””
Danielle nodded.
“ grandfather died twenty years ago.””
Danielle nodded.
“That's what I was told, too.””
Then sheThat's what I was told, too.””
Then she reached into her handbag and pulled out a reached into her handbag and pulled out a photograph.
It showed Robert standing beside an elderly man photograph.
It showed Robert standing beside an elderly man outside a private clinic.
The date outside a private clinic.
The date was printed at the bottom.
Three days ago.
And on the back, in my father's handwriting, were the was printed at the bottom.
Three days ago.
And on the back, in my father's handwriting, were the words:
*The family reunion begins tonight.*
May you like
words:
*The family reunion begins tonight.*
