Chapter 16 - THE DAUGHTER ON THE PHONE
Daniel called the number back, but it had already been disconnected.
He barely slept that night. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard Evelyn’s final words.
Your father wasn’t the only person who wanted my mother dead.
The next morning, Daniel showed the photograph of the twins to Emma.
“Dad, is that me?”
“Yes.”
“Then who is the other baby?”
Daniel knelt beside her. “Your sister. Her name is Evelyn.”
Emma stared at the photograph, tears filling her eyes.
“Why did nobody tell me I had a sister?”
Daniel had no answer.
Before he could speak, someone knocked violently at the front door.
Vanessa stood outside, pale and breathless.
“You need to get rid of that photograph,” she said.
Daniel blocked the doorway. “How do you know about it?”
“Because I saw the same document years ago.”
“Where?”
Vanessa glanced at Emma, then lowered her voice. “At Victor’s house. Robert was there. So was someone else.”
“Who?”
“Your mother-in-law.”
Daniel froze.
Claire’s mother, Margaret, had always claimed she knew nothing about the events surrounding the twins’ birth. She had even attended Emma’s first birthday, smiling as if nothing had happened.
“You’re lying,” Daniel said.
“I wish I were.”
Daniel grabbed Vanessa’s arm. “Tell me everything.”
She pulled away. “I helped Victor hide financial records. I helped him because he threatened my family. But I never knew he was involved in Claire’s death until recently.”
“You expect me to believe you?”
“No. I expect you to investigate before you make another mistake.”
A car suddenly screeched to a stop outside.
Two men jumped out.
One struck Daniel across the face before he could react. Daniel stumbled against the doorway, then fought back as the second man punched him in the ribs.
Vanessa screamed for Emma to hide.
Daniel managed to push one attacker away, but the other seized his collar and slammed him against the wall.
“Give us the photograph,” the man growled.
Daniel refused.
A neighbor shouted from across the street. The attackers released him and fled.
Daniel wiped blood from his lip and looked down.
The photograph was gone.
Only the adoption document remained.
On its back, a new message had been written:
ASK MARGARET WHAT SHE DID TO HER OWN DAUGHTER.
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Where is Margaret?”
Vanessa’s face crumpled.
May you like
“She’s been missing since yesterday.”
And for the first time, Daniel wondered whether Claire’s mother had been running from the truth—or hiding from someone who knew it.
