Chapter 8: The Man Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
The video lasted only twenty-three seconds.
But it destroyed everything I thought I knew.
The screen showed Emily sitting on a hospital bed.
Her face was pale.
Her hair was messy.
She looked exhausted.
But she was alive.
Then the camera shifted slightly.
And I saw him.
Standing behind her.
Richard Whitaker.
Marlene’s first husband.
Emily’s father.
A man who had supposedly been dead for eight years.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then Lily whispered:
“Dad…”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
“That’s him.””
Marlene’s face had gone completely white.
“No.””
It was barely a word.
More like a denial she couldn’t stop herself from saying.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Pause it.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“Pause the video.””
I did.
Richard’s face froze on the screen.
Older than the photographs I had seen.
Thinner.
But unmistakable.
Daniel stared.
“I don’t understand.””
I looked at him.
“You knew him?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Because Richard Whitaker was the reason Emily hired me.””
The room went silent.
I felt anger building again.
“Explain.””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“I thought Richard was dead too.””
“That’s not an explanation.””
“No.””
He looked at Marlene.
“It’s the problem.””
Officer Ramirez stepped closer.
“Everyone needs to slow down.””
Nobody listened.
My entire life had become a puzzle where every missing piece was something someone had hidden from me.
I pointed at the phone.
“That man is dead.””
Marlene nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“Then why is he standing behind my wife?””
She looked at the screen.
“I don’t know.””
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because I couldn’t believe the words.
“You don’t know?””
Her eyes moved toward me.
“Mark…”
“No.””
I stepped back.
“You don’t get to say my name like we’re having a normal conversation.””
The anger in my voice made Lily flinch.
I immediately lowered it.
“Sorry.””
I crouched beside her.
“You okay?””
She nodded, but barely.
I hated that she had to see any of this.
I hated that adults had turned her life into a battlefield.
I stood again.
“Daniel.””
He looked at me.
“What happened to Richard?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Officially?””
“Yes.””
“He died in a boating accident.””
“When?””
“Eight years ago.””
“And unofficially?””
Daniel looked at Marlene.
“Emily never believed he died.””
Marlene closed her eyes.
“What?””
I turned.
“You knew?””
She sat down slowly.
“I knew Emily had doubts.””
“Why?””
“Because she thought she saw him.””
The room went still.
“Where?””
Marlene looked away.
“Different places.””
“What places?””
“Near the house. Near her workplace.””
My stomach tightened.
“You told her she was imagining him.””
Marlene didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Daniel spoke.
“She told me the same thing.””
I looked at him.
“When?””
“Two months ago.””
“So Emily hired you because she thought her father was alive?””
“Yes.””
“And you believed her?””
Daniel looked at the frozen video.
“I believed that Emily believed it.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means I didn’t know if Richard was alive.””
He looked at the screen.
“Until now.””
A police officer approached.
“Officer Ramirez?””
He handed him something.
“We checked the number that sent the video.””
Ramirez looked at the paper.
“And?””
“It’s unregistered.””
“Burner phone?””
“Yes.””
My heart sank.
Another dead end.
Then Lily spoke.
Quietly.
“Grandma was scared of Grandpa.””
Everyone looked at her.
Marlene froze.
“What did you say?””
Lily looked at the floor.
“When Grandpa was alive.””
I moved closer.
“Lily, what do you mean?””
She swallowed.
“I heard Grandma and Mom arguing once.””
“When?””
“Last year.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because Grandma told me not to.””
I looked at Marlene.
“Of course she did.””
Lily continued.
“She said if I told you, Mom would leave.””
Emily.
Always Emily.
Every threat somehow came back to losing Emily.
“What did they argue about?””
Lily looked at Marlene.
“Grandma said she fixed everything.””
Marlene’s expression changed.
“Lily.””
“No.””
My daughter shook her head.
“I’m telling the truth.””
I knelt down.
“What did she say?””
Lily wiped her eyes.
“She said, ‘Your father should have stayed dead.’”
The room went silent.
Marlene looked like she had been slapped.
I stared.
“Your father?””
Lily pointed toward the video.
“Grandpa.””
My mind raced.
Richard wasn’t just alive.
He was involved.
Somehow.
I looked at Marlene.
“What did you do?””
She looked at me.
“I didn’t bring him back.””
“That’s not what I asked.””
She was quiet.
Then she whispered:
“I thought he was gone.””
The answer bothered me.
Because it sounded honest.
And I didn’t want honesty from her anymore.
I wanted certainty.
“Where is Emily?””
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel suddenly picked up the folder.
“Wait.””
He flipped through pages.
“What?””
He pulled out a document.
“This.””
I walked over.
“What is it?””
“An address.””
I looked at the paper.
A location.
A medical facility outside the city.
“What is this?””
Daniel’s face changed.
“This is where Emily was transferred.””
I stared.
“But the hospital said she was discharged.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not discharged.””
He pointed at the paperwork.
“Transferred.””
“Under whose authority?””
His eyes moved down the page.
Then froze.
“What?””
He didn’t answer.
“Daniel.””
He looked at me.
“The transfer was approved by a medical guardian.””
I frowned.
“Emily doesn’t have a guardian.””
Daniel turned the page.
A signature was at the bottom.
My stomach dropped.
Because I recognized it.
It was mine.
Again.
“No.””
I grabbed the paper.
“That’s not my signature.””
Officer Ramirez looked at it.
“You’re sure?””
“Yes.””
I stared at the fake signature.
Someone had done this before.
Someone had been preparing.
Someone had been using my identity.
Daniel pointed to the date.
“Look.””
I did.
The date was three weeks ago.
Before Emily entered the hospital.
Before any of this started.
“They planned this before she got sick.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Marlene whispered:
“Richard.””
Everyone turned.
She looked terrified.
“He’s been planning this.””
I stared.
“You mean you know?””
“No.””
She shook her head quickly.
“I mean… if he’s alive, then he’s been planning.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You knew what he was capable of.””
Her eyes filled.
“Yes.””
The answer shocked me.
“You knew your husband was dangerous?””
Marlene looked broken.
“He wasn’t always.””
Daniel gave a bitter laugh.
“People always say that about monsters.””
I looked at Marlene.
“Why didn’t you protect Emily?””
Her lips trembled.
“I tried.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You protected yourself.””
That hurt her.
Because it was true.
She looked away.
Then she whispered:
“There’s something you need to know about Richard.””
“What?””
She looked toward Lily.
Then at me.
“When Emily was pregnant…”
Rachel went still.
“When Emily was pregnant, Richard found out about the arrangement.””
I already knew the story.
Or thought I did.
“He threatened Rachel.””
“Yes.””
“He took Lily away.””
“Yes.””
I waited.
“What else?””
Marlene’s eyes filled with tears.
“He didn’t want Emily to have a child.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because he wanted control.””
The answer was simple.
Terrible.
“But that’s not the worst part.””
My chest tightened.
“What is?””
Marlene looked at me.
“Richard didn’t disappear eight years ago.””
A cold wave moved through the room.
“What?””
She whispered:
“He came back.””
I stared.
“When?””
“Six months after his supposed death.””
Nobody spoke.
Daniel looked shocked.
“You knew?””
Marlene shook her head.
“I saw him.””
“Then why didn’t you report it?””
Her voice broke.
“Because he threatened Emily.””
The silence afterward felt endless.
Then my phone rang.
Everyone jumped.
Unknown number.
Again.
I answered.
No one spoke at first.
Then a man’s voice came through.
A voice I had never heard before.
But somehow recognized.
Because I had just seen his face.
“Mark Anderson.””
My blood froze.
“Richard?””
A quiet laugh.
“Yes.””
Lily grabbed my hand.
I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t think.
Richard continued.
“I know you have questions.””
I said nothing.
“I know Marlene told you pieces.””
My eyes moved to her.
“Where is my wife?””
A pause.
Then Richard said:
“She’s with me.””
My heart stopped.
“Put her on the phone.””
Another pause.
Then Emily’s voice came through.
Weak.
Terrified.
“Mark…”
I closed my eyes.
“Emily.””
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“No, just tell me where you are.””
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“Don’t come here.””
I froze.
“Why?””
Her breathing shook.
“Because Richard didn’t take me to hurt me.””
A pause.
“He took me because he knows something about Lily.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What?””
Emily started crying.
Then she said:
“Mark…”
“He knows who Lily’s biological father is.””
The call cut off.
And immediately another message appeared.
One sentence.
From Richard.
*Come alone if you want your wife back.*
I stared at the screen.
Then at Lily.
May you like
And I knew whatever happened next would decide whether my family survived.
Or whether Richard Whitaker finally got what he wanted eight years ago.
