Chapter 13: Margaret Brooks's Last Bargain
I didn't sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Vanessa's words again.
Margaret was the one who paid Daniel to get rid of Maya.
At eight the next morning, Robert arrived at my house with two folders and a warning.
“Don't meet Margaret alone.””
“I wasn't planning to.””
“She has money, influence, and a history of manipulating people. We need to assume she'll try to intimidate you.””
I looked toward the living room.
Maya was sitting on the floor, drawing with colored pencils. Rebecca had stayed overnight so I wouldn't have to leave her alone.
“Does Maya know?””
“She knows enough,” Rebecca said quietly.
“But she doesn't know about Margaret.””
I nodded.
She didn't need to know yet.
At ten fifteen, a black car pulled into the driveway.
A woman stepped out.
She was in her late sixties, dressed in an immaculate cream coat. Her silver hair was pinned neatly behind her head. She walked toward the door as though she owned the house.
Robert stood beside me.
I opened it.
“Margaret Brooks?””
She smiled politely.
“Marcus. Thank you for agreeing to see me.””
“I didn't agree. You announced you were coming.””
Her smile faded.
“May I come in?””
Robert stepped forward.
“I'm Robert Hayes, Mr. Hale's attorney. Any discussion concerning legal matters will take place with me present.””
Margaret studied him.
“Of course.””
She entered and sat on the sofa.
Her eyes moved around the room, lingering on the family photographs.
One showed Emily holding Maya at her first birthday.
Margaret stared at it.
“Emily was always sentimental.””
I felt anger rise.
“Don't speak about my wife as if you knew her.””
“I knew her better than you think.””
Robert placed his folder on the coffee table.
“Let's get to the point.””
Margaret folded her hands.
“Daniel has made mistakes. Vanessa has made mistakes. But this situation can still be resolved quietly.””
“What situation?”” I asked.
“The fake pregnancy? The stolen money? The forged documents? The attempt to have my daughter removed from her home?””
Margaret sighed.
“Children shouldn't be exposed to adult conflicts.””
I almost laughed.
“You tried to remove Maya from my home.””
“I tried to prevent a scandal.””
“You paid people to intimidate Emily.””
Her expression hardened.
“Emily made choices that created unnecessary complications.””
I leaned forward.
“She was pregnant.””
“And she refused to cooperate.””
Robert interrupted.
“Mrs. Brooks, we have evidence of payments made to a hospital employee, communications concerning falsified records, and documents related to a fraudulent guardianship application.””
Margaret glanced at him.
“Evidence can be interpreted in many ways.””
“Not when it includes your signature.””
For the first time, her confidence faltered.
Robert opened the folder and slid a document across the table.
It was a bank transfer authorization.
The payment to the hospital employee had come from a company controlled by Margaret Brooks.
She looked at the paper.
Then she looked at me.
“Where did you get that?””
“From someone who is finally willing to tell the truth.””
Margaret sat back.
“I see.””
She reached into her handbag and removed a second envelope.
“I came here to offer you something.””
“I don't want anything from you.””
“You should at least hear it.””
She placed the envelope on the table.
Inside was a cashier's check for half a million dollars.
I stared at it.
“What is this?””
“An opportunity to end this situation.””
Robert immediately pushed the envelope away.
“Any offer involving money in exchange for abandoning a child or suppressing evidence will be treated as a serious matter.””
Margaret ignored him.
“You are a widower, Marcus. You have spent years raising a child who may not be biologically yours. Daniel is prepared to establish his rights. This could become expensive and emotionally exhausting.””
I stood.
“Get out.””
She continued as if I hadn't spoken.
“Take the money. Let Daniel have a relationship with Maya. Allow the Brooks family to manage the situation. Everyone can move forward.””
I looked at her.
“Did you really believe I would sell my daughter?””
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
“Everyone has a price.””
“Not everyone.””
She stood slowly.
“Then perhaps you should consider what happens when the truth becomes public.””
Robert closed his folder.
“Are you threatening my client?””
“I'm explaining reality.””
Margaret turned toward the door.
Then she stopped.
“One more thing, Marcus. Emily knew the truth about Daniel. She knew what kind of man he was. Yet she still kept secrets from you.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Leave my wife out of this.””
“Ask Laura Bennett why Emily never told you about the letter she received shortly before her death.””
I froze.
“What letter?””
Margaret smiled faintly.
“You should ask.””
Then she walked out.
Robert followed her to the door, making sure she left.
When he returned, I was still standing beside the coffee table.
“Did you know about another letter?”” I asked.
“No.””
I picked up my phone and called Laura.
She answered on the second ring.
“Marcus?””
“Margaret just told me Emily received a letter before she died. Do you know anything about it?””
Silence.
Then Laura whispered, “Yes.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Emily asked me not to.””
“What did the letter say?””
Laura took a breath.
“Daniel's mother sent it. She claimed Daniel had been diagnosed with a serious illness years ago. She said he might never have children and that Emily had to let him see Maya before it was too late.””
I felt a chill.
“Was it true?””
“No. At least, not the way Margaret described it. I checked later.
Daniel had been healthy. The letter was another attempt to manipulate Emily.””
“Why didn't Emily tell me?””
“She was afraid you'd confront Daniel. She thought he might retaliate.””
I stared at the photograph of Emily.
“Did she keep the letter?””
“Yes. She gave it to me for safekeeping.””
“Where is it?””
“In a box at my house. I'll bring it to you.””
An hour later, Laura arrived with a small wooden box.
Inside was an envelope addressed to Emily.
The handwriting was elegant.
The message was short.
You cannot keep what belongs to this family forever.
At the bottom was Margaret's signature.
But beneath the signature was something else.
A handwritten sentence in Emily's handwriting:
He doesn't know what his mother did.
I stared at it.
“What does that mean?””
Laura sat down.
“Emily told me that Margaret had arranged something when Daniel was younger. Something involving another woman.””
“What woman?””
Laura looked at me.
“Daniel's first fiancée. She disappeared after announcing she was pregnant.””
I felt the room tilt.
“Are you saying Daniel had another child?””
“I don't know. Emily believed Margaret had paid the woman to leave.””
Before I could ask another question, Robert's phone rang.
He answered, listened, then looked at me.
“It's the police.””
My stomach tightened.
“What happened?””
Robert listened for several more seconds.
Then he ended the call.
“They've arrested Daniel.””
I felt no relief.
“On what grounds?””
“Forgery, suspected fraud, and submitting false documentation to the clinic. They're also investigating the alleged false death certificate.””
I sat down.
For the first time in weeks, Daniel couldn't call me, threaten me, or send another message.
But Margaret was still free.
And now I knew she had been manipulating people long before Vanessa entered our lives.
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
You think Daniel was the danger. You haven't met the person who paid him.
A second message followed.
Ask Emily's sister about the first baby.
I looked at Laura.
Her face had gone pale.
“Laura?””
She didn't answer.
I held up the phone.
“What first baby?””
Laura began to cry.
“Emily told me never to speak about it.””
“What first baby?””
She looked at Maya's photograph.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Before Maya, Daniel and Emily lost a child together.””
