Chapter 13 - The Door Lily Thought Was Her Father
Alex couldn't speak.
“Me?”
Lily nodded.
“You were wearing Daddy's coat.”
Derek looked at Alex.
Alex looked at Teresa.
“No.”
Lily continued.
“But Mommy knew it wasn't you.”
“What did she do?”
“She told me to hide.”
“Where?”
“In the blue room.”
Alex closed his eyes.
“Then who was wearing my coat?”
Lily pointed toward the photograph.
The stranger.
The man who looked like Arthur.
The man who had appeared in every secret recording.
Alex realized something.
He hadn't been impersonating Alex.
He had been impersonating Arthur.
Because Lily had been too young to tell the difference.
The stranger had entered the house pretending to be Alex's father.
Clara had recognized him.
And that was when she realized the danger.
Alex turned to Teresa.
“Who is he?”
Teresa finally broke.
“His name is Daniel.”
“Daniel Carter?”
She nodded.
“Arthur's older brother.”
“But everyone said he died.”
“He was supposed to.”
Alex stared.
“What does that mean?”
“Arthur and Daniel were involved in a business dispute decades ago.”
“Over the trust?”
“Yes.”
“Who won?”
“Arthur.”
“And Daniel?”
“Disappeared.”
Alex looked toward the hidden recordings.
“He came back.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Teresa whispered:
“Because Clara discovered that Daniel had never lost control of the trust.”
Alex felt cold.
The eleven million dollars.
The fake signature.
The funeral.
The unknown body.
The missing phone.
All of it connected.
But one question remained.
“Where is Clara?”
Teresa looked away.
“I don't know.”
Derek suddenly entered.
“I do.”
Alex turned.
Derek held a folded piece of paper.
“Clara left this for you.”
Alex opened it.
Only one sentence was written.
If you want to find me, stop looking for me.
Look for the person who made you believe I was dead.
Alex stared.
Then his phone rang.
Clara.
This time, the call lasted longer.
“Alex.”
“Clara!”
“Listen.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“I know about Daniel.”
Silence.
Then Clara whispered:
“You don't know enough.”
“What else?”
“You have to find the original funeral record.”
Alex frowned.
“Why?”
“Because the woman in the coffin wasn't chosen randomly.”
“What does that mean?”
“She was the first person who tried to warn me.”
Alex's voice trembled.
“Who was she?”
Clara whispered:
“Your father's lawyer.”
The call ended.
Alex looked at Derek.
May you like
Then toward the coffin downstairs.
The truth had just become much larger.
