Chapter 13 - THE BOY WHO DIED
The photograph wouldn't leave my mind.
Three weeks ago.
The boy had been standing beside Leah.
He looked about six.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A small scar across his eyebrow.
My mother stared at the photograph.
"His name was Ethan."
"Who was he?"
She didn't answer.
I looked at her.
"Mom."
She swallowed.
"He was Caroline's first child."
I stared.
"First?"
She nodded.
"Before Leah."
I looked at Caroline.
She was sitting on the floor, crying.
"You had another child?"
Caroline covered her face.
"I thought he was dead."
My mother closed her eyes.
"Everyone thought he was."
"Why?"
"Because Daniel took him."
I felt sick.
"When?"
"Before Leah was born."
Caroline finally spoke.
"He told me Ethan died."
"Did you see a body?"
"No."
"Then why believe him?"
"Because I was seventeen."
She looked at me.
"I was scared."
I knelt beside her.
"Where is he now?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
The detective took the photograph back.
"We're investigating."
I looked at him.
"Who took the picture?"
"That's what we're trying to determine."
Leah stood beside me.
"Dad."
I turned.
"Yes?"
"That's not Ethan."
I froze.
"What?"
She pointed at the photograph.
"I know him."
My heart stopped.
"From where?"
She looked confused.
"He comes to Grandma's house."
My mother went completely still.
"When?"
"Sometimes."
"What's his name?"
Leah frowned.
"He says people call him Sam."
My mother whispered:
"Samuel."
I looked at her.
"Who is Samuel?"
She stared at me.
"Your grandfather's assistant."
My stomach dropped.
"He died years ago."
"No."
She shook her head.
"His name wasn't Samuel."
"What was it?"
She looked at the photograph.
"Arthur."
Emily suddenly stepped forward.
"Arthur Voss?"
My mother nodded.
Emily's face went white.
"That's Daniel's father."
The room went silent.
I looked at the detective.
"So this goes higher."
He nodded.
"Much higher."
That night, we returned to my house.
Leah slept in my room.
I stayed beside her until she fell asleep.
She held my hand.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Are you mad at me?"
My heart broke.
"No."
"Because I didn't tell you I was recording."
I smiled.
"I'm proud of you."
She whispered:
"I was scared."
"So was I."
She closed her eyes.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Am I still your daughter?"
I felt tears burn my eyes.
I kissed her forehead.
"You were my daughter before I ever signed a single paper."
She smiled.
Then she fell asleep.
I went downstairs.
My mother was waiting.
She placed a folder on the table.
"I found this in your grandfather's room."
I opened it.
Inside was a single birth certificate.
I read the name.
ETHAN CARTER.
Mother: Caroline Reed.
Father: Unknown.
Then I saw the date.
It was two years before Leah was born.
I looked at my mother.
"Why did Grandpa keep this?"
She whispered:
"Because he knew Ethan wasn't dead."
I turned the page.
There was another document.
A DNA test.
I read the result.
Probability of paternity: 99.99%.
The alleged father was...
Arthur Voss.
I stared.
Daniel's father.
The same man who had been connected to my grandfather.
The same family that had been manipulating ours for years.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice whispered:
"You have twenty-four hours."
"Who are you?"
"You found Ethan."
I stood.
"Where is he?"
The voice laughed.
"Closer than you think."
The call ended.
A second later, a message arrived.
One photograph.
Ethan.
Standing outside my house.
May you like
And beside him...
Caroline.
