Chapter 7: The Sister in the Hallway
Maya stared at the photograph until her fingers began to shake.
Mrs. Lena Carter.
Her guidance counselor.
The woman who had spent the last two years asking Maya why she always ate lunch alone.
The woman who had once slipped her a granola bar after finding her crying in the bathroom.
The woman who knew exactly when Maya was pretending everything was fine.
The woman who looked enough like her to make my stomach turn.
“Dad,” Maya whispered, “that's Mrs. Carter.””
“I know.””
“She can't be…”
She couldn't finish.
I took the phone from her.
“I'm going with you.””
“No.””
The word came from Daniel.
I turned toward him.
“She asked to meet Maya alone.””
“She doesn't get to make demands.””
“She isn't trying to hurt her.””
“How do you know?””
“Because I've been watching her for six months.””
I stared at him.
“You've been watching my daughter?””
“I've been watching Lena.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I wasn't sure.””
“Sure of what?””
“That she was your daughter.””
Maya stepped closer.
“How did you find her?””
Daniel looked at her.
“Your father.””
“My father?””
“Thomas.””
He pulled a folded document from his coat.
“After Elena disappeared, I spent years trying to find out what happened to her. Your father knew I was looking. He gave me information anonymously.””
I stared at him.
“My father helped you?””
“Quietly.””
“Why?””
“Because he knew what he had done.””
“What did he do?””
Daniel looked at my mother.
She lowered her head.
“He helped Patricia take Lena,” she said.
Maya gasped.
I felt rage burn through me.
“My father helped kidnap my daughter?””
“No,” my mother said.
“Not exactly.””
“Don't say that.””
She flinched.
“Don't soften it.””
“I’m not.””
“Then tell me what happened.””
My mother took a shaky breath.
“Patricia was supposed to take Lena temporarily.””
“For how long?””
“A few days.””
“Why?””
“To protect her.””
“From Elena?””
“From the hospital.””
I frowned.
“What was wrong with the hospital?””
My mother looked at Daniel.
He answered.
“Someone had altered the birth records.””
“Who?””
“We never proved it.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because the same handwriting appeared on the adoption paperwork.””
I stared at the documents.
“And you think Patricia was involved?””
“She was.””
“But why?””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Because Patricia believed Elena was unstable.””
Maya's eyes narrowed.
“She wasn't.””
“I know.””
“Then why did everyone believe that?””
“Because someone paid them to.””
The room went silent.
“Who?””
Daniel shook his head.
“We don't know.””
My phone buzzed.
A text.
*Lena: Please come alone. Maya must come with you. Nobody else.*
I looked at Maya.
She was already watching me.
“I want to go.””
“No.””
“Dad.””
“You don't know what this is.””
“She knows.””
“You don't know that.””
Maya stepped closer.
“If she is my sister, I want to meet her.””
I closed my eyes.
I knew she was right.
That didn't make it easier.
An hour later, we parked outside the coffee shop.
Daniel stayed across the street.
I wanted him closer.
He refused.
“She'll run.””
“She can run.””
“She won't if she thinks she's safe.””
Maya opened her door.
I grabbed her hand.
“Stay beside me.””
“I will.””
The coffee shop was almost empty.
Lena sat in the back corner.
She looked up when we entered.
Her face changed when she saw Maya.
She stood slowly.
Neither girl spoke.
Maya stopped three feet away.
Lena's eyes filled with tears.
“You're real,” she whispered.
Maya's voice trembled.
“So are you.””
Lena laughed through her tears.
“I've wondered what you looked like.””
“I've wondered about you too.””
“You didn't know.””
“No.””
“Neither did I.””
I stood behind Maya.
Lena looked at me.
“Mr. Davis.””
I swallowed.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“For how long?””
“Since I was fourteen.””
“How?””
“My adoption file.””
She sat down.
“We should talk.””
Maya sat opposite her.
I remained standing.
Lena looked at me.
“You can sit.””
I did.
She folded her hands.
“Patricia raised me.””
Maya stared.
“She told me my biological parents were dead.””
My jaw tightened.
“She lied.””
“I know.””
“When did you find out?””
“When I was fourteen, I found an old photograph.””
She reached into her bag.
The photograph showed the two newborn babies.
“Patricia had hidden it in a box.””
Maya touched the edge.
“Why didn't she tell you about me?””
“Because she didn't want us to find each other.””
“Why?””
Lena looked at me.
“Because she was afraid you'd remember.””
“Remember what?””
“The night you were born.””
I frowned.
“Maya was a baby.””
“She wasn't supposed to remember.””
Lena's voice dropped.
“But you were.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“You were there.””
“I know.””
“No.””
She leaned forward.
“You were there before I was taken.””
My heart began pounding.
“What are you saying?””
Lena looked toward the window.
“Your father told you that Elena abandoned you.””
“Yes.””
“He lied.””
“I know.””
“He also told you there was only one baby.””
“Yes.””
“He lied about that too.””
I felt cold.
“Then what happened?””
Lena reached into her bag again.
This time she pulled out a small cassette tape.
My father's handwriting was on the label.
*March 18 — Andre*
I stared at it.
“What is this?””
“Your father recorded everything.””
“Where did you get it?””
“Patricia.””
“Why would she give you this?””
“She didn't.””
“Then?””
“I found it.””
“Where?””
“In her bedroom.””
Maya looked at me.
“Can we hear it?””
Lena nodded.
“There is a player in the car.””
We left the coffee shop.
Daniel joined us.
I didn't ask how long he'd been waiting.
Lena sat in the back beside Maya.
I inserted the cassette into an old recorder Daniel carried.
Static crackled.
Then my father's voice.
Young.
Clear.
Terrified.
*“March eighteenth. 11:14 p.m. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing.””*
Maya gripped my hand.
The recording continued.
*“Elena is asking for Andre. She keeps asking whether he knows.””*
My heart stopped.
Then my father's voice said something that made me look at my mother.
*“Claire told her Andre doesn't want the baby.””*
Maya whispered, “What?””
The tape continued.
*“That's not true. Andre doesn't know yet.””*
I stopped breathing.
Then another voice appeared.
Claire.
Young.
Cold.
*“Thomas, if Andre finds out, he'll take Maya and leave me.””*
My mother's face went white.
The recording crackled.
My father's voice became quieter.
*“There are two babies. Claire wants Maya. Patricia wants Lena.””*
Maya covered her mouth.
Then came the sentence that shattered everything.
*“And neither woman knows what happened to the other child.””*
The tape stopped.
Nobody moved.
Then Lena whispered,
“There was a third person in that hospital.””
I turned toward her.
“Who?””
She looked at me.
“Your father.””
“No.””
“He wasn't alone.””
She reached for another photograph.
“This man was with him.””
I looked down.
The face was older now, but unmistakable.
My father's business partner.
A man I had trusted for most of my adult life.
Richard Hale.
May you like
And underneath the photograph was a handwritten note.
*Richard knows where Elena went.*
