Chapter 6: The Daughter Buried in the Family Secrets
I stared at the photograph until the screen dimmed.
Vanessa was standing outside a small white house.
She wore a winter coat, and beside her was a little girl with curly hair and a pink backpack.
The child looked about seven.
I enlarged the photograph.
There was something familiar about her face.
The shape of her eyes.
The small dimple on her left cheek.
My father's.
I called Vanessa again.
This time, someone answered.
It wasn't my sister.
It was a little girl.
"Hello?""
I froze.
"Hi, sweetheart. Is Vanessa there?""
The girl was quiet.
"Who are you?""
"My name is Marcus.""
There was a pause.
Then she whispered:
"Are you Uncle Marcus?""
My heart stopped.
"Yes.""
A door slammed somewhere in the background.
I heard Vanessa shouting.
"Give me the phone!""
The call ended.
I immediately called the investigating officer.
I explained the photograph, the little girl, and the conversation.
He told me not to approach the property alone.
Then he asked me a question.
"Mr. Sterling, do you know the child's name?""
I looked at the photograph again.
There was a small embroidered label on her backpack.
*LILY.*
"No," I said.
"But I think her name is Lily.""
An hour later, I was standing outside a modest house on the outskirts of town.
Two police officers accompanied me.
The front garden was covered in fresh snow.
A small bicycle lay on its side near the porch.
The front door opened before we knocked.
Vanessa stood there.
Her eyes were swollen.
"Marcus, you shouldn't be here.""
I looked past her.
"Where's Lily?""
She stepped aside.
The little girl was sitting at the kitchen table, drawing a Christmas tree.
She looked up.
Then she smiled.
"Uncle Marcus?""
I couldn't speak.
Vanessa closed the door.
"She's my daughter.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Lily is seven.""
I looked at the child again.
"Does Mom know?""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Of course she knows.""
I felt a chill.
"Why did you hide her?""
Vanessa pulled out a chair.
"Because Mom told me to.""
I stared at her.
"Explain.""
She sat down.
"Seven years ago, I got pregnant. I wasn't married. Mom was furious. She said having a child would ruin my future and destroy the family's reputation.""
I looked at Lily.
She was coloring the stars on her Christmas tree.
"Did she ask you to give her up?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She arranged for Lily to live with another family. She told everyone the baby had been adopted overseas.""
My chest tightened.
"But Lily is here.""
"Because I went back for her.""
"When?""
"Two years ago. I couldn't do it anymore. I found the family and brought her home.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Because Mom threatened to have Lily taken away.""
I shook my head.
"How could she do that?""
"She had documents. Papers saying I was unstable. She said she would use them to prove I was an unfit mother.""
I thought about the medical reports.
The forged signatures.
The false allegations against Nia.
It was the same pattern.
My mother didn't simply control people.
She created situations in which they believed they had no choice.
"Did she arrange your medical records too?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She paid Dr. Coleman.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why are you only telling me now?""
Vanessa's voice broke.
"Because she told me she was going to take Sofia next.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
"She said Nia had become a threat. She wanted Sofia placed under her temporary guardianship while you were declared incompetent.""
I felt sick.
"And Lily?""
Vanessa looked toward her daughter.
"She said if I didn't cooperate, she would tell the authorities I kidnapped my own child.""
One of the officers quietly asked Vanessa whether she was willing to provide a statement.
She nodded.
Then she looked at me.
"There's something else.""
I waited.
"Mom wasn't the only person who knew about the children.""
"Who else?""
"Andre.""
My jaw tightened.
"What did he know?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"He helped her find Emily.""
I remembered the letter.
The recording.
The first daughter.
"Where is Emily?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know exactly. But Andre met her several times. He told Mom that Emily had evidence of something.""
"What evidence?""
Vanessa looked at the little girl.
"Something about the night your father died.""
I felt the room go cold.
"What?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Mom told everyone Dad died peacefully in his sleep. But Emily believed he was trying to leave the house that night.""
"Why?""
"Because she said she heard him arguing with Mom over the phone.""
I stared at Vanessa.
"Emily was there?""
"Not physically. They had spoken earlier that evening.""
I remembered the recording.
My father's voice.
My mother's anger.
The mysterious second child.
Then Vanessa said something else.
"Marcus, Dad called Emily that night and told her he had discovered the truth about the money.""
"What money?""
"The original inheritance. The trust. Everything.""
She looked at me.
"And he told her that if anything happened to him, she should find the person named in his final letter.""
I pulled the letter from my coat.
The name wasn't there.
But something else was.
A line near the bottom I'd overlooked.
If Emily cannot be found, contact the one person Evelyn could never control.
I read it aloud.
Vanessa's face changed.
"Who is that?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
My phone rang.
The caller ID showed Dr. Coleman.
I answered.
"Richard?""
His voice sounded frantic.
"Marcus, I found something in your father's medical file.""
"What?""
"A second report. It was never submitted to the authorities.""
I gripped the phone.
"About what?""
"Your father's final examination.""
I looked at the officers.
"What did it say?""
Dr. Coleman hesitated.
Then he spoke.
"Your father had a serious injury before he died.""
My throat tightened.
"What kind of injury?""
"A fracture to the back of his skull.""
I closed my eyes.
"Are you saying he was attacked?""
"I'm saying his injuries were inconsistent with a peaceful death in bed.""
The room went silent.
"Why wasn't this reported?""
"Because I was told he'd fallen.""
"By whom?""
Dr. Coleman took a breath.
"Evelyn.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She had heard everything.
Her hand covered her mouth.
"Richard, listen carefully. Did you examine my father's body?""
"Yes.""
"Was there anything else?""
He hesitated.
Then his voice dropped.
"His right hand was clenched around a piece of paper.""
"What paper?""
"I don't know. It was removed before I completed the examination.""
"Who removed it?""
Another silence.
Then he answered.
"Your brother Andre.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"Are you certain?""
"I saw him take it.""
I turned toward the window.
Outside, snow was falling over the quiet street.
My father hadn't simply died.
Someone had taken evidence from his hand.
And Andre had been there.
I returned to the hospital that evening.
Nia was sitting upright in bed, holding Sofia's hand.
She looked relieved when she saw me.
"Did you find Vanessa?""
I nodded.
"And Lily.""
Her eyes widened.
"She's alive?""
"Yes. She's seven years old. Vanessa has been raising her secretly.""
Nia covered her mouth.
"Your mother knew?""
"Yes.""
I sat beside her.
Then I told her about the recording, Emily, and the medical report.
When I finished, Nia looked devastated.
"Marcus, your father knew he was in danger.""
I nodded.
"And Andre took something from his hand after he died.""
Nia reached for my arm.
"Then Andre knows what happened.""
"I think so.""
She looked toward the hospital window.
"There's something I need to tell you.""
I turned.
"What?""
"Your father didn't just ask me to protect the trust.""
She swallowed.
"He asked me to find Emily.""
"Why?""
"Because he believed she had the original birth certificate and a document proving who controlled the first family estate.""
I stared at her.
"Do you know where she is?""
Nia nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
I leaned forward.
"Where?""
"At least, I know where she was supposed to be.""
She reached into her bedside drawer and pulled out a small envelope.
I'd never seen it before.
Inside was a business card.
*HELENA BROOKS — ESTATE AND TRUST LITIGATION.*
On the back, my wife's handwriting read:
If anything happens to me, call this number. She knows Emily's real identity.
I picked up my phone.
Before I could dial, it rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
"Marcus Sterling?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Emily.""
I stopped breathing.
She continued.
"I know you've been looking for me.""
I looked at Nia.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Emily spoke again.
"Your father didn't die because of an accident.""
I gripped the phone.
"Who killed him?""
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered:
"Your mother didn't do it alone.""
My heart pounded.
"Who helped her?""
Emily took a shaky breath.
"Your brother Andre.""
I closed my eyes.
Then she added one final sentence.
"But there's something you need to know before you confront him.""
"What?""
"Andre wasn't the person who struck your father.""
I felt the room spin.
"Then who was?""
Emily's voice broke.
"Marcus, it was your father who struck first.""
I stared at the phone.
"What are you talking about?""
"He discovered what Evelyn had done to the first two children. He confronted her that night. They fought.""
I looked at Nia.
She was watching me, frightened.
Emily continued.
"And the person your father was trying to protect when he died...""
She paused.
"Was you.""
The call disconnected.
I lowered the phone.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then a new message appeared on the screen.
It was from Andre.
*COME TO THE OLD STERLING WAREHOUSE TONIGHT. COME ALONE. I HAVE THE PAPER YOUR FATHER WAS HOLDING WHEN HE DIED.*
Beneath it was a photograph.
May you like
A bloodstained piece of paper.
And my father's signature.
