Chapter 5 - The Lie My Father Could Not Explain
Dad finally looked at me.
For the first time that night, I saw fear in his eyes.
Not anger.
Fear.
“What happened to Mom?”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“It's complicated.”
“No.”
My voice shook.
“It's not.”
Thomas remained silent.
I continued.
“You told me she abandoned me.”
Dad closed his eyes.
“She didn't.”
The words destroyed something inside me.
I felt sixteen different emotions at once.
Anger.
Relief.
Grief.
Hope.
“How long have you known?”
“Since the night she disappeared.”
“Where was she?”
“I don't know.”
Thomas interrupted.
“You knew exactly where she was.”
Dad looked at him.
“You weren't there.”
“I was supposed to be.”
Dad's face changed.
Thomas stepped forward.
“Someone called me twelve years ago.”
Dad stared.
“They told me Rachel was dead.”
My father swallowed.
“I made sure you believed it.”
I couldn't move.
“You?”
Dad nodded.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From Mom?”
“No.”
“Then from who?”
Dad looked toward Vanessa.
She was crying.
“From the people who were looking for her.”
Thomas frowned.
“What people?”
Dad shook his head.
“I don't know their names.”
Thomas laughed once.
“You expect me to believe that?”
Dad's voice broke.
“I was twenty-seven.”
“You were thirty-five.”
“I was scared.”
“You were a grown man.”
Dad looked at me.
“I thought if I cooperated, they'd leave you alone.”
My hands began to tremble.
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
Thomas walked to the table and placed a photograph in front of him.
It showed my father standing outside a courthouse.
Beside him was another man.
An older man with dark hair.
Dad stared at the photograph.
“Where did you get that?”
“From Rachel.”
Dad went pale.
“She's alive.”
The room became completely silent.
I stopped breathing.
“What?”
Thomas looked at me.
“I didn't say she was alive.”
Dad whispered,
“She is.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Thomas stared at him.
“You're certain?”
Dad nodded.
“I saw her.”
“When?”
“Six months ago.”
My heart pounded.
“Where?”
Dad looked at me.
Then toward the door.
Before he could answer, the hospital lights flickered.
The hallway went dark.
A security alarm sounded.
Thomas grabbed my hand.
“Stay with me.”
Then we heard footsteps running toward us.
May you like
And a man's voice shouted from the corridor.
“Get the girl.”
