Chapter 9: The Second Samuel
Nobody spoke.
The phone remained in Marcus's hand.
Samuel stared at Evelyn.
“My father.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your father.””
“He died in 1988.””
“Yes.””
“Then how is his voice on that recording?””
“I don't know.””
Samuel stepped closer.
“Don't lie to me.””
“I’m not.””
“Then explain it.””
Evelyn looked toward the attic.
“I can't explain what I don't understand.””
Marcus walked to the window.
Snow covered the street.
No sign of Leon.
“No.””
Samuel turned.
Marcus was staring outside.
“I don't believe any of this.””
Evelyn approached him.
“You have every right.””
Marcus shook his head.
“My whole life is built on lies.””
“No.””
“You changed my name.””
“To protect you.””
“You hid my father.””
“To protect you.””
“You let me believe my mother abandoned me.””
“I thought the truth would kill you.””
Marcus turned.
“The truth is already killing me.””
Evelyn lowered her eyes.
Then she reached into her coat.
She pulled out a small photograph.
“This is the last thing your mother gave me.””
Marcus took it.
It showed Renee sitting at a kitchen table.
She looked exhausted.
Beside her was a letter.
On the table was the silver watch.
Marcus turned the photograph over.
Written on the back:
*He isn't dead.*
Samuel stared.
“What?””
Evelyn pointed to the photograph.
“Your mother discovered it.””
“Discovered what?””
“That Samuel Carter wasn't the man who returned to her house.””
Samuel's eyes widened.
“Someone came back pretending to be me?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your brother had already disappeared by then.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Then who was pretending to be Dad?””
Evelyn whispered,
“We never found out.””
Samuel stepped back.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“Renee knew something was wrong.””
“How?””
“She knew you.””
Samuel's face tightened.
“What did she notice?””
Evelyn looked at the watch.
“The man wore your clothes. He knew details about your life. He even knew things only you should have known.””
Marcus whispered,
“But?””
“He called her by the wrong nickname.””
Samuel's eyes widened.
“What nickname?””
Evelyn answered.
“Instead of calling her Ren, he called her Renee.””
Samuel's face collapsed.
“That was my father's name for her.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Exactly.””
Marcus looked at Samuel.
“So someone knew your father's memories.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“I don't know.””
A sound came from outside.
An engine.
Samuel moved toward the window.
A black SUV stopped across the street.
The headlights stayed on.
Marcus stepped beside him.
“Is that Daniel?””
Samuel shook his head.
“No.””
“Then who?””
Samuel watched the driver's door open.
A man stepped out.
Black coat.
Gray beard.
Weathered face.
From a distance, he looked almost exactly like Samuel.
Marcus whispered,
“Dad…”
Samuel's breathing stopped.
The man walked toward the house.
Evelyn began crying.
“No.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You know him.””
She nodded.
“Who is he?””
Evelyn whispered,
“Your father.””
Samuel stared at her.
“That is impossible.””
The front door opened.
The man stepped inside.
He looked at Samuel.
For several seconds, the two men stared at each other.
Same eyes.
Same beard.
Same posture.
Even the same scar across the left eyebrow.
Marcus stood between them.
The stranger smiled sadly.
“Samuel.””
Samuel's voice shook.
“Who are you?””
The stranger looked at Marcus.
“My name is Elias Carter.””
Samuel stopped breathing.
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Elias?””
She nodded.
“His father.””
Samuel's hands began trembling.
“My father died.””
Elias shook his head.
“No.””
“You were buried.””
“A body was buried.””
Samuel stepped closer.
“Where were you?””
Elias looked at Evelyn.
“Ask her.””
Samuel turned.
Evelyn covered her face.
“I thought he was dead.””
Elias spoke quietly.
“I was kept alive.””
“By who?””
Elias looked toward the door.
Before he could answer, headlights appeared outside again.
A second vehicle.
Then another.
Marcus looked through the window.
Three black SUVs.
Men were getting out.
Samuel moved toward the door.
Elias stopped him.
“Don't.””
“Who are they?””
Elias's expression changed.
“The people Daniel owed.””
Marcus's phone buzzed.
A new message.
He looked down.
*You have ten minutes. Bring the watch.*
Marcus looked at Samuel.
Then Elias.
“Why do they want the watch?””
Elias stared at the scratched silver timepiece.
“Because it's not just a watch.””
Samuel frowned.
“What is it?””
Elias reached for it.
Samuel pulled it back.
“Tell me first.””
Elias took a breath.
“That watch contains the only proof that can expose them.””
Marcus stared.
“Proof of what?””
Elias looked toward the approaching headlights.
“Proof that your father was never supposed to survive.””
Samuel's face hardened.
“What did they do to you?””
Elias looked directly at him.
“They didn't just fake my death.””
He paused.
“They made me watch them take you.””
Samuel's eyes filled with disbelief.
“Take me?””
Elias nodded.
“Your son wasn't the only one they wanted.””
Marcus whispered,
“Then who were they really after?””
Elias looked at him.
“You.””
A gunshot cracked outside.
The front window exploded inward.
Everyone dropped.
Samuel pulled Marcus to the floor.
Elias shouted,
“Get away from the windows!””
Another shot tore through the wall.
Evelyn screamed.
Samuel looked toward the broken glass.
Then he saw something lying on the floor beside the shattered window.
A small red toy truck.
The same one Marcus had been holding earlier.
Taped beneath it was a note.
Samuel picked it up.
His hands went cold when he read the message:
*MIDNIGHT. THE OLD FREIGHT YARD. COME IF YOU WANT THE REAL ANSWER.*
At the bottom was a name.
Not Daniel.
Not Elias.
May you like
Not Samuel.
*Renee.*
