Chapter 7: The Boy in the Red Backpack
Daniel's grip tightened around my arm.
“That's not me.””
I stared at the man standing beside the dark sedan.
For one second, I didn't understand.
He had gray hair.
He had a scar beneath his cheek.
He was holding the red backpack.
But Daniel was standing beside me.
So who was he?
The man looked directly at us.
Then he raised one hand.
Not a wave.
A warning.
“Don't move,” Daniel said.
My heart pounded.
“Who is he?””
Daniel's eyes never left the street.
“I don't know.””
“You said you didn't know who was in the car.””
“I don't.””
“Then how does he have Ben's backpack?””
“I don't know.””
The man opened the rear passenger door.
“Ben!””
I screamed my son's name and ran.
Daniel caught up with me.
“Emma, wait!””
But I wouldn't stop.
I crossed the street just as the man stepped away from the car.
He was older than I had first thought.
Maybe late fifties.
His coat was dark.
His expression was strangely calm.
He looked at me.
Then at Daniel.
“You finally came,” he said.
I stopped.
“What did you do with my son?””
The man's eyes moved to the backpack.
“He left this behind.””
I stared at the bag.
Ben's red backpack.
The one he had owned since the week before he came to live with me.
The zipper was broken on one side.
There was a faded dinosaur sticker on the front.
I had sewn that zipper myself.
My voice shook.
“Where is Ben?””
The man glanced toward the car.
“He's safe.””
“Where?””
“Somewhere you should have taken him yourself a long time ago.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Who are you?””
The man smiled without humor.
“You really don't remember me?””
Daniel's face changed.
I looked at him.
“You know him?””
“No.””
The man laughed softly.
“You always were a terrible liar.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Don't come any closer.””
The man ignored him.
His gaze returned to me.
“Your husband used to say the same thing.””
My stomach dropped.
“Michael?””
“Yes.””
The name hit me differently now.
Not with grief.
With anger.
“What did he do?””
The man looked at the house behind us.
“Everything he could to control that boy's life.””
I took another step.
“Tell me where my son is.””
“He's with the only person who can answer your questions.””
“Sarah?””
The man's expression changed.
“Yes.””
I exhaled.
“She has him?””
“No.””
I felt panic surge.
“Then who does?””
He looked at Daniel.
“Ask him.””
Daniel's face went white.
I turned toward my brother.
“What aren't you telling me?””
“I told you everything I knew.””
The man shook his head.
“No, you didn't.””
Daniel looked at him.
“You need to leave.””
“You've had eleven years.””
“For what?””
“To tell her.””
“Tell me what?””
The man reached into his coat.
Daniel immediately stepped between us.
“Don't.””
The man pulled out an envelope.
He held it toward me.
“Sarah wrote this for you.””
I stared at it.
“Where did you get it?””
“She gave it to me three years ago.””
“Why didn't you send it?””
“She told me not to.””
“Why?””
“Because she was afraid Michael was still watching.””
“Michael is dead.””
“I know.””
“Then why are you still afraid?””
The man looked at me.
“Because Michael wasn't the only one.””
My breath caught.
“Who else?””
He glanced at Daniel.
Daniel whispered,
“Don't.””
The man sighed.
“You should really listen to your brother for once.””
He turned and walked toward the sedan.
“Wait!””
He stopped.
“Where is Ben?””
The man looked over his shoulder.
“Look for the blue house.””
“I don't know where it is.””
“You do.””
“No, I don't.””
He pointed at my chest.
“You've been carrying it with you for years.””
Then he got into the car.
I ran after him.
“Wait!””
The sedan pulled away.
Daniel caught my shoulder.
“Let him go.””
I spun around.
“Let him go?””
“He wants us to chase him.””
“My son is missing!””
“And if we follow him without knowing where he's taking us, we could lose Ben completely.””
I stared at my brother.
“You knew something like this could happen.””
“I suspected.””
“You suspected?””
“Yes.””
“And you still came here?””
“I came because I thought he might come for me.””
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“So you used my house as bait?””
“No.””
“Then what was your plan?””
Daniel looked exhausted.
“To finally tell you the truth.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Your timing is incredible.””
He didn't answer.
I looked down.
The red backpack was still in the street.
I picked it up.
It was heavier than it should have been.
I unzipped the front pocket.
Inside was a toy dinosaur.
Rex.
The same battered dinosaur Ben had carried when he was five.
I pulled it out.
Something was taped underneath.
A small key.
And a photograph.
My hands went cold.
The photograph showed the blue house.
This time, there was no doubt.
I knew it.
I had seen it before.
Not in person.
In Ben's adoption file.
The house had appeared in one of the old case photographs.
The caption beneath it read:
*Temporary residence — Sarah Collins.*
I stared at the address written on the back.
My mouth fell open.
“I know this place.””
Daniel leaned closer.
“Where?””
“It's outside town.””
“Do you know why Sarah was there?””
“No.””
I turned the photograph over again.
There was more writing.
*Basement. Third step.*
Daniel read it.
“What's in the basement?””
“I don't know.””
He looked at me.
“We're going.””
I shook my head.
“Not without the police.””
“Call them.””
I pulled out my phone.
Before I could dial, it rang.
Leanne.
I answered immediately.
“Where are you?””
“Mom?””
“Where are you?””
“I’m at home.””
“Stay there.””
“What happened?””
“Daniel is here.””
Silence.
Then Leanne whispered,
“Did he find you?””
“What does that mean?””
“Mom, listen to me.””
Her voice was shaking.
“The man who contacted me told me Daniel wasn't the person I should be afraid of.””
I felt my stomach sink.
“Who should I be afraid of?””
“I don't know.””
“Leanne.””
“He said there was another person involved.””
“Who?””
“I don't know!””
She started crying.
“Mom, I was going through Dad's papers again.””
“My husband?””
“Yes.””
“What did you find?””
“A hospital bill.””
“For what?””
“For a DNA test.””
The blood drained from my face.
“When?””
“Three weeks before he died.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was watching me.
“What did it say?””
“Paternity.””
My fingers went numb.
“Whose?””
“Ben's.””
I couldn't speak.
Leanne continued.
“Mom, there's something else.””
“What?””
“The test result says…”
She stopped.
“Leanne, say it.””
“It says Dad wasn't Ben's father.””
I looked at Daniel.
He closed his eyes.
“Then who was?””
Leanne's voice dropped to a whisper.
“You were.””
I stared at nothing.
“What?””
She was crying now.
“It says the biological father was you.””
I couldn't breathe.
“That isn't possible.””
“I know.””
“No.””
“Mom, the report has your name.””
My mind rejected the words.
No.
No.
There was no universe where that could be true.
I was Ben's mother.
I knew that.
I had adopted him.
But biology—
No.
A woman couldn't be listed as the biological father.
Could she?
Something in Leanne's hesitation suddenly felt deliberate.
“Read the report again.””
“I did.””
“Exactly.””
Silence.
Then I realized what she meant.
“The name.””
“What?””
“The full name on the report.””
Leanne whispered,
“Emma Whitaker.””
My heart stopped.
My own name.
Not because I was the father.
Because the report had used an identification number.
My identification number.
I looked down at the photograph in my hand.
The blue house.
The key.
The basement.
Something terrible was beginning to form in my mind.
“Leanne,” I said slowly, “who submitted the DNA?””
“I don't know.””
“Who ordered the test?””
“I don't know.””
“Who paid for it?””
She became silent.
Then:
“Dad did.””
Daniel suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Emma.””
I turned.
He was staring at the key in my hand.
“What?””
“That key.””
“What about it?””
“I've seen it before.””
“Where?””
“Your husband's desk.””
My blood ran cold.
“When?””
“Eleven years ago.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I thought it was for his office.””
I looked at the key.
There was a tiny number stamped on it.
*317.*
Daniel stared at it.
“That isn't a house key.””
“What is it?””
“A storage locker.””
My stomach twisted.
“Whose?””
He shook his head.
“I don't know.””
I remembered the man on the street.
*You already know.*
The blue house.
The basement.
The key.
Michael's DNA test.
Sarah's warning.
And Ben.
I suddenly understood something.
Ben hadn't run away from us.
He hadn't disappeared accidentally.
Someone had taken him to the one place where all these secrets had started.
I looked at Daniel.
“We're going to the blue house.””
He nodded.
I grabbed my coat.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
There was only a photograph.
I opened it.
My son was sitting on a wooden chair in a dim room.
He looked frightened but unharmed.
Behind him was a concrete wall.
A staircase.
And a blue-painted door.
Beneath the photo were six words.
*Your son wants to know why.*
Then another message appeared.
*Come alone, Emma.*
Daniel read it over my shoulder.
“Don't go.””
I looked at my son's face on the screen.
“I have to.””
May you like
Then a final message arrived.
*Bring the key. And don't trust your brother.*
