Chapter 10: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
“Daniel? Daniel, can you hear me?””
I stood in the middle of Sophia's living room, gripping my phone so tightly my fingers hurt.
Nothing.
The call had ended.
I immediately dialed the number back.
It went straight to voicemail.
Nia was already reaching for her coat.
“Where is my son?””
I looked at Sophia.
“Do you know where Eleanor would take them?””
Sophia shook her head.
But David had gone strangely quiet.
He was staring at the photograph of Richard holding the newborn baby.
“Marcus,” he said slowly.
“There's something we haven't considered.””
“Not now, David.””
“Listen to me. Your mother said she was taking the children to see their grandfather.””
“So?””
“Your father's country estate isn't the only property registered under Alexander Carter's name.””
He opened his laptop.
“There is another property in northern England. An old hunting lodge. It was transferred into a private trust shortly before your father supposedly died.””
I stepped closer.
“Where exactly?””
“Northumberland. Near the Scottish border.””
Nia looked at him.
“How long would it take to get there?””
“About six hours by road.””
“We're going.””
David shook his head.
“Not without contacting the police.””
I looked at him.
“Daniel just called me crying. My mother has taken him and Lily somewhere with a man who sounds like my dead father. I am not waiting six hours for paperwork.””
David stood.
“Then we're doing both. I'll alert the authorities while we travel.””
Sophia approached Nia.
“Please be careful.””
Nia turned toward her.
“Do you know something you're not telling us?””
Sophia looked down.
“My husband used to receive letters from the hunting lodge.””
“From whom?””
“Alexander Carter.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“What did the letters say?””
Sophia hesitated.
“He called the place the family sanctuary.””
David looked up.
“Did your husband ever visit?””
“Yes. Once.””
“What happened?””
Sophia's eyes filled.
“He came home terrified. He told me there was a room beneath the lodge. A room where your father kept records of everyone who had helped him.””
“Records of what?””
“Payments. Medical arrangements. False identities. Everything.””
David closed his laptop.
“Then that's where the original evidence may be.””
I looked at Nia.
“We're going to find our children.””
She nodded.
“And we're bringing them home.””
The journey north felt endless.
Rain struck the windshield as David drove.
Nia sat beside me in the back seat, holding Daniel's photograph.
She hadn't spoken for nearly an hour.
I finally reached for her hand.
“Talk to me.””
She stared out the window.
“What if Daniel really isn't yours?””
I squeezed her fingers.
“Then he's still my son.””
“But the DNA report—”
“Was ordered by Eleanor. A woman who forged your death certificate and stole three children. I'm not going to let one piece of paper tell me who I love.””
Nia began crying silently.
I pulled her closer.
“Listen to me. Daniel is my son because I choose him. Lily is my daughter because I choose her. And Amelia is our daughter because she deserves to know we never abandoned her.””
Nia rested her head against my shoulder.
“Thank you.””
David glanced at us through the rearview mirror.
“There's something else.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“I just received a response from the police. Eleanor's vehicle was identified near the lodge two hours ago.””
“Good.””
“But there's no record of Richard's vehicle.””
I frowned.
“Meaning?””
“He may have arrived separately.””
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*YOUR FATHER IS WAITING. COME INSIDE ALONE.*
I showed David.
He shook his head.
“Absolutely not.””
I typed a response.
*LET ME SPEAK TO MY CHILDREN.*
A photograph arrived.
Daniel was sitting in a wooden chair.
Lily stood beside him.
Behind them was a large fireplace.
Daniel's cheeks were wet.
He was holding his toy airplane.
Beneath the photograph was a message.
*THE BOY WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING.*
The lodge appeared through the trees shortly after 3:00 p.m.
It was an enormous stone building surrounded by dark pine forests.
The windows were illuminated.
Smoke rose from the chimney.
Two vehicles were parked outside.
My mother's black Mercedes.
And a dark SUV.
David called the police.
Then we approached the front entrance.
The door was unlocked.
Inside, the air smelled of burning wood and old furniture.
I heard a child's voice upstairs.
“Grandma, when is Daddy coming?””
Daniel.
I moved toward the staircase.
Nia followed.
A man appeared at the top.
Tall.
Thin.
Silver hair.
A walking stick in his right hand.
I stopped breathing.
The face was older than the one in my memories.
But I knew it.
My father.
Alexander Carter.
He looked down at me.
“Hello, Marcus.””
My mother appeared behind him.
“Please don't make this harder than it needs to be.””
I stared at the man I had buried.
“You're dead.””
He smiled faintly.
“Apparently, I was.””
Nia gripped my arm.
“Where are the children?””
My father looked at her.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he smiled.
“Ah. Nia.””
She stepped forward.
“You stole my babies.””
His expression remained calm.
“I gave them opportunities.””
“You separated them from their mother!””
“I gave them better lives.””
I felt rage rising.
“Where are Daniel and Lily?””
My father tapped his walking stick against the floor.
“Upstairs.””
“Bring them down.””
“First, we need to talk.””
I stepped toward him.
“We have nothing to discuss.””
He looked at me with an expression I remembered from childhood.
Disappointment.
“You always were impatient.””
Then he turned toward my mother.
“Eleanor, bring the children.””
My mother hesitated.
For the first time, she looked uncomfortable taking orders from him.
“Alexander, perhaps we should—”
“Now.””
She disappeared upstairs.
My father approached the fireplace.
“Marcus, you have no idea what your family is worth.””
I laughed bitterly.
“I know exactly what it's worth. Nothing.””
He shook his head.
“Your grandfather built an empire. I protected it. Your mother maintained it. And you were supposed to inherit it.””
“And Nia?””
“She was a distraction.””
“She was my wife.””
“Precisely.””
He turned.
“You chose a woman over your family.””
I stared at him.
“You arranged the accident?””
His expression didn't change.
“I arranged a solution.””
Nia made a choking sound.
My father continued.
“Richard was supposed to handle the details. Unfortunately, he became sentimental.””
“Thomas Reed?””
“An unfortunate complication.””
“You murdered him?””
My father looked at me.
“People die, Marcus. The mistake is believing their deaths must have meaning.””
I lunged toward him.
David caught my arm.
“Marcus!””
My father smiled.
“Still emotional. Just like your mother.””
Then a noise came from the staircase.
Daniel appeared.
He ran down three steps.
“Daddy!””
I rushed toward him.
But before I could reach him, my father lifted one hand.
“Stop.””
Daniel froze.
My father looked at the boy.
“Tell him what you saw.””
Daniel began trembling.
My father leaned closer.
“Tell your father what happened that night.””
Daniel looked at me.
Then he whispered:
“Grandpa pushed Grandma.””
The room went silent.
My mother appeared behind him.
May you like
Her face was white.
And for the first time since this nightmare began, Eleanor Carter looked genuinely terrified.
