Chapter 4: The Phone That Never Stopped Ringing
The ringing was coming from the attic.
Michael stood halfway up the staircase, staring toward the narrow hallway above him.
For six years, he'd believed Sarah's old phone had disappeared with the rest of her belongings.
He remembered Vanessa telling him she'd donated Sarah's personal items to a women's charity. He remembered asking about the phone once, shortly after their wedding.
She'd told him it had been broken.
Now it was ringing.
And someone was calling it.
"Emily, stay downstairs," Michael said.
But his daughter was already behind him.
"I'm coming with you.""
"Sweetheart, I don't know what we're going to find.""
"Neither do I. That's why I'm coming.""
Michael looked at Robert, who was still standing beside the television.
"Can you check the recording?""
Robert nodded.
"I'll see whether there's a recoverable copy.""
Michael continued upstairs with Emily.
The attic door was locked.
He tried the handle twice.
"Vanessa?"" he called.
No answer.
Emily pointed toward the small wooden cabinet beside the stairs.
"She keeps the spare key there.""
Michael opened the drawer.
It was empty.
He looked at Emily.
"How do you know?""
"Because I used to get the Christmas decorations from here.""
He examined the lock.
Then he noticed a small scratch near the keyhole.
Someone had recently forced it.
He pushed his shoulder against the door.
The old wood creaked but didn't move.
"Stand back.""
On the third attempt, the lock gave way.
The smell hit him first.
Dust.
Old cardboard.
And something faintly sweet, like the lavender perfume Sarah used to wear.
The attic was almost completely dark.
Michael found the light switch.
A single bulb flickered overhead.
There were boxes everywhere, but one corner looked different. A section of the floor had been cleared, and a small wooden desk stood beneath the window.
On it sat an old mobile phone.
Sarah's phone.
Its screen was glowing.
<text>INCOMING CALL: UNKNOWN NUMBER</text>
Michael reached for it.
The ringing stopped.
Emily stepped closer.
"That's Mom's phone.""
Michael picked it up carefully.
The battery icon showed almost full.
"How is this even possible?""
Emily examined the charging cable.
"It's plugged into the wall.""
Someone had been keeping it charged.
Michael looked around.
Beside the desk was a small notebook, a glass of water, and a photograph of Sarah.
This wasn't forgotten storage.
Someone had been coming here regularly.
Then the phone lit up again.
A new message appeared.
*You shouldn't have played the recording.*
Michael's stomach tightened.
He read it twice.
"Who sent that?""
Emily shook her head.
Another message appeared.
*She promised she would never tell you.*
Michael immediately pulled out his own phone and photographed the screen.
Then he called the number.
A man's voice answered after two rings.
"Hello?""
Michael froze.
"Who is this?""
Silence.
Then the man spoke.
"Michael Carter?""
"Yes. Who are you?""
A long breath came through the receiver.
"My name is Daniel.""
Michael looked at Emily.
"Daniel who?""
"Daniel Brooks.""
The name meant nothing to him.
"Why are you contacting my dead wife's phone?""
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Then he said something that made Michael grip the phone harder.
"Because Sarah wasn't supposed to die without telling you the truth.""
Michael's throat tightened.
"How did you know my wife?""
"I knew Sarah very well.""
"Did you know Vanessa?""
Another silence.
"Unfortunately.""
Michael lowered his voice.
"What happened the night Emily was born?""
Daniel exhaled.
"You're asking the wrong question.""
"Then tell me the right one.""
"Ask your wife why she changed the hospital visitor records.""
Michael felt a cold sensation move down his spine.
"Why?""
Daniel's voice became urgent.
"Because the person who entered Sarah's room that night wasn't Vanessa.""
Before Michael could ask another question, the line disconnected.
Emily stared at him.
"Dad, what did he mean?""
Michael looked at the phone.
"I don't know.""
They returned downstairs.
Robert was sitting at the dining table with his laptop open.
"I managed to recover part of the video," he said.
Michael placed Sarah's phone beside him.
"Someone has been using this.""
Robert examined it.
"Did you answer the call?""
"Yes. A man named Daniel Brooks.""
Robert's expression changed immediately.
"Daniel?""
"You know him?""
Robert removed his glasses.
"I haven't spoken to him in years.""
"Who is he?""
Robert hesitated.
"He was Sarah's physician during her pregnancy.""
Michael stared.
"Her doctor?""
"Not her primary obstetrician. He was a specialist who became involved when Sarah experienced complications.""
Emily pulled out a chair.
"Why would he be calling Mom's phone?""
Robert didn't answer.
Instead, he opened a recovered video file.
Sarah appeared on the screen again.
This time, the recording began several seconds earlier.
She looked exhausted, but she was speaking clearly.
"My name is Sarah Carter. Today is November eleventh. I'm recording this because I no longer trust the people who have access to my medical records.""
She glanced toward the door.
"If anything happens to me, I want my daughter to know that she was loved from the moment I knew she existed.""
Michael's eyes filled.
Sarah continued.
"Vanessa has been lying to me. But I don't believe she's acting alone.""
Robert leaned toward the screen.
Sarah picked up a piece of paper.
"I found a second set of hospital records. The first set says Emily was born at 8:42 p.m. The second says 9:17 p.m.""
Michael frowned.
"Why would there be two birth times?""
Robert looked disturbed.
"That shouldn't happen without a documented correction.""
Sarah continued.
"I asked Daniel about it. He said it was an administrative mistake. But when I asked the hospital for the original records, they told me the first set had been destroyed.""
The video paused briefly.
Then Sarah leaned closer.
"I know someone has been trying to make Michael believe Emily isn't his daughter. I know they've been sending me messages pretending to be him.""
She looked directly into the camera.
"But there's something else. Someone entered my room after Emily was born and asked me to sign a document.""
Michael leaned forward.
"What document?""
Sarah's voice trembled.
"I refused. And the person threatened to take my baby.""
Emily covered her mouth.
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, Michael turned to Robert.
"Who entered Sarah's room?""
Robert closed the laptop.
"That is what we need to establish.""
"Daniel said it wasn't Vanessa.""
"Then perhaps we should ask him.""
Robert took out his phone.
He dialed a number.
No answer.
He tried again.
This time, a woman's voice answered.
"Dr. Brooks isn't available.""
Robert sat straighter.
"Who is this?""
"His office assistant.""
"Tell him Robert Hayes is calling about Sarah Carter.""
The woman went silent.
Then she said:
"He's been expecting your call.""
Robert looked at Michael.
"Put him on.""
There was a rustling sound.
A door closed somewhere in the background.
Then Daniel's voice came through.
"Robert.""
"Daniel, we need to talk.""
"I know.""
"Sarah's recording has been recovered.""
A heavy silence followed.
Then Daniel spoke.
"Did you watch the part about the second birth record?""
"Yes.""
"Then you understand why this is serious.""
Michael grabbed the phone.
"Doctor, I want to know who was in my wife's hospital room.""
Daniel's voice softened.
"Michael, I am sorry.""
"Don't apologize. Answer me.""
"Your wife was visited by someone who had no authorization to enter the maternity ward.""
"Who?""
"I can't discuss that over the phone.""
Michael nearly shouted.
"You've had six years!""
"I know.""
"Six years while I believed my wife betrayed me!""
Daniel's voice broke.
"I know what they told you.""
"Then tell me the truth!""
Daniel took a breath.
"Sarah gave birth to Emily at 8:42 p.m. Your daughter was placed in the nursery shortly afterward. At approximately 9:17, another infant was brought into the same ward.""
Michael looked at Emily.
Daniel continued.
"That night, two families were given paperwork that did not match the original delivery records.""
Michael felt the room tilt.
"Are you telling me there was a baby switch?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he said:
"Before you assume your daughter was involved, look at the photograph inside Sarah's locket again.""
The call ended.
Emily immediately reached for the silver locket.
She opened it and removed the tiny photograph.
Michael examined it.
The picture showed Sarah holding newborn Emily.
But now he noticed something he hadn't seen before.
There was a hospital wristband around the baby's ankle.
And on it was a handwritten number.
*17.*
Robert went pale.
"That's not a patient identification number.""
Michael looked at him.
"Then what is it?""
Robert slowly closed the folder in front of him.
"That's a nursery transfer code.""
Before he could explain further, Michael's phone vibrated.
A text message had arrived from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph.
A photograph of Vanessa standing outside the hospital on the night Emily was born.
And beside her was a man Michael recognized.
May you like
His own father.
A man who had supposedly been dead for eleven years.
