Chapter 7: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Gone
Nobody spoke.
Not after that name appeared on my phone.
*Daniel Carter.*
Linda’s husband.
Rebecca’s father.
A man everyone believed had died five years ago.
I looked at Linda.
The color had disappeared from her face.
Not confusion.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
"You know that name," I said.
Her eyes moved to my phone.
Then away.
"I don't understand.""
I almost laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because after everything that happened today, that was the weakest lie I had heard.
"You understand perfectly.""
Linda shook her head.
"No.""
"Then why did you turn white?""
"I didn't.""
"Linda.""
My voice echoed through the empty chapel.
"You just saw your dead husband's name on my phone.""
Her mouth tightened.
Rebecca looked between us.
"Mom?""
Linda didn't answer.
"Mom, what is he talking about?""
Still nothing.
And that was the moment Rebecca realized something.
Her mother had secrets too.
Not just from me.
From her.
"Tell us," I said.
Linda looked at Emily.
Then at Rebecca.
Then she sighed.
"There are things you don't know.""
Rebecca stared at her.
"What things?""
Linda looked exhausted.
"Things I was trying to protect you from.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"No.""
Her voice was quiet.
"No, you don't get to say that anymore.""
Linda looked hurt.
"I am your mother.""
"And I am a grown woman.""
Rebecca wiped her face.
"I trusted you.""
That seemed to affect Linda more than my anger.
Because Rebecca wasn't accusing her.
She was grieving.
The same way Emily had grieved.
The same way I had.
Grieving the person we thought someone was.
I looked at Linda.
"Who is Daniel Carter?""
She didn't answer immediately.
Then:
"My husband.""
"I know who he is.""
I stepped closer.
"I want to know why Sarah wrote his name.""
Linda looked at the letter in my hand.
"Sarah wrote that?""
I held up my phone.
"Sarah's number sent it.""
Rebecca looked at me.
"How?""
I shook my head.
"I don't know.""
And for the first time that day, nobody had an explanation.
Not even Linda.
She looked at the message again.
Then whispered:
"Daniel shouldn't be involved.""
The words froze me.
"Shouldn't be?""
Linda closed her eyes.
"Forget this.""
"No.""
I was done forgetting.
For three years, I had accepted that some things had no answers.
Why Sarah died so suddenly.
Why certain people disappeared from our lives.
Why some conversations had ended unfinished.
But now every missing piece was coming back.
And every piece pointed toward secrets.
"What happened to Daniel?""
Linda looked at me.
"He died.""
"When?""
"Five years ago.""
"How?""
She hesitated.
"An accident.""
I waited.
She knew I wanted more.
She didn't give it.
Rebecca stepped forward.
"Mom.""
Linda looked at her.
"I don't want you involved.""
Rebecca gave a bitter laugh.
"I was involved the moment you decided to take Emily away.""
The words landed.
Linda looked down.
And finally, she spoke.
"Daniel was not the man everyone thought he was.""
Nobody moved.
"What does that mean?"" I asked.
Linda looked toward the chapel doors.
Like she wished she could leave.
"Daniel made mistakes.""
"What kind of mistakes?""
She didn't answer.
Rebecca whispered:
"Mom...""
Linda looked at her daughter.
"You were young.""
"I was twenty-eight.""
"You were still my child.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"No. I was an adult.""
A silence followed.
Then Linda said:
"Daniel had financial problems.""
I frowned.
"That's it?""
"No.""
She looked at me.
"He owed people money.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
That answer sounded familiar.
Too familiar.
I studied her.
"You keep saying you don't know.""
Her face hardened.
"Because sometimes you don't know everything.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"Sometimes people hide everything.""
Rebecca looked at the letter.
"Why would Sarah know about Dad?""
Linda froze.
That was the question.
The one she didn't want.
"How did Sarah know Daniel?""
Linda looked away.
And I knew.
She knew.
"Mom.""
Rebecca's voice broke.
"How did she know him?""
Linda finally answered.
"Because Daniel worked with Sarah.""
My heart sank.
"Where?""
"At the foundation.""
The same place.
The same connection.
Too many coincidences.
"What did he do there?""
Linda remained silent.
"Linda.""
"He handled finances.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
Sarah had trusted people.
She had spent her life helping others.
And somehow, the same people connected to her final days were now connected to this.
Rebecca whispered:
"My father stole money.""
Linda looked at her.
"Don't say that.""
"Did he?""
No answer.
Rebecca's eyes filled.
"My father stole money from the foundation.""
Linda looked down.
That was enough.
I looked at the letter again.
Sarah had known.
She had known something.
Maybe that was why she wrote the letter.
Maybe that was why she wanted me to understand Rebecca.
Because Rebecca wasn't the threat.
Someone else was.
"Why would Daniel send messages from Sarah's number?"" I asked.
Linda looked confused.
"He can't.""
"Why?""
"Because he died.""
I held up my phone.
"Then explain.""
Nobody could.
The silence was broken by another sound.
A car outside.
Everyone turned.
A moment later, footsteps approached the chapel entrance.
A man appeared.
Older.
Gray hair.
A scar across his eyebrow.
Everyone froze.
Linda whispered:
"No.""
The man looked directly at her.
"Hello, Linda.""
Her face drained of all color.
Rebecca stepped backward.
"Who are you?""
The man ignored her.
He looked at me.
Then at Emily.
"You're Michael Anderson.""
I didn't move.
"Who are you?""
He smiled sadly.
"My name is Daniel Carter.""
Emily grabbed my hand.
The entire world seemed to stop.
Because the dead man was standing in front of us.
Alive.
The man stepped inside.
"I know this looks impossible.""
I stared at him.
"You're supposed to be dead.""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
Linda's voice shook.
"You can't be here.""
Daniel looked at her.
"You spent five years making sure everyone believed I wasn't.""
Rebecca looked at her mother.
"Mom?""
Daniel sighed.
"I didn't come here to hurt anyone.""
"Then why are you here?""
He looked at me.
"Because Sarah asked me to make sure Emily was safe.""
My heart stopped.
"Sarah?""
He nodded.
"Before she died.""
I stepped forward.
"What do you know about Sarah?""
Daniel reached into his coat.
Slowly.
He pulled out a small envelope.
The handwriting on the front made my knees almost give out.
Sarah.
Again.
"She left this with me.""
I stared.
"Why didn't you give it to me?""
Daniel looked at Linda.
"Because someone made sure I couldn't.""
Linda's eyes widened.
"Daniel.""
He ignored her.
"Sarah knew something was wrong.""
Rebecca looked at the envelope.
"What was wrong?""
Daniel looked at Emily.
Then at me.
"She knew someone was trying to separate your family.""
My hand tightened around Emily's.
"Who?""
Daniel looked toward Linda.
And said:
"The same person who convinced Rebecca she had to choose between loving Emily and keeping you.""
Rebecca covered her mouth.
Linda shook her head.
"No.""
Daniel pulled out another document.
"This is the proof.""
He handed it to me.
I looked down.
The first line made my stomach drop.
*Adoption Transfer Agreement.*
My eyes moved lower.
The signature at the bottom was not Linda’s.
Not Daniel’s.
Not Rebecca’s.
It was mine.
Except I had never signed it.
And beside my forged signature was a date.
A date from two years ago.
May you like
The exact week Rebecca first told me:
"We should start thinking about becoming a real family.""
