Chapter 4: What Her Mother Never Told Her
Jace stared at the letter.
The kitchen clock ticked loudly.
Emily waited.
Hank stood by the window, his arms folded across his chest.
Finally, Jace pulled out a chair.
“Your mother never disappeared from your life,” he said carefully.
Emily frowned.
“That's not what the letter says.””
“No. It isn't.””
“Then explain it.””
Jace rubbed both hands over his face.
“Before you were born, your mother worked at a diner near the old highway. A few of us used to stop there after long rides.””
“I know. You told me.””
“There was a man named Victor Shaw. He owned several businesses around town. He also had a habit of lending money to people who couldn't pay him back.””
Hank turned from the window.
“Victor was trouble.””
Jace nodded.
“Daniel got involved with him.””
Emily felt her stomach tighten.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Gambling debts. Bad loans. Things your mother didn't know about at first.””
Emily looked at the letter.
“Mom knew?””
“She found out when Victor came to the diner looking for Daniel.””
Jace paused.
“Your mother stood up to him.””
“What happened?””
“Daniel owed him money. Victor wanted Rachel to sign over some property she had inherited from her parents.””
Emily blinked.
“My mother never owned property.””
“She did. A small piece of land outside town. It wasn't worth much at the time.””
“Why didn't she tell me?””
“Because Daniel had already used your name on some paperwork. Rachel was trying to untangle it.””
Emily felt sick.
“What kind of paperwork?””
Hank answered this time.
“Loan documents. Your father had listed you as a dependent and used family information to support his applications.””
Emily shook her head.
“I was a child.””
“I know.””
Jace leaned forward.
“Rachel found out. She refused to sign anything. Then she came to us.””
“Why?””
“Because she knew Victor was dangerous. She asked us to help her get copies of the documents and protect her.””
Emily looked between them.
“And you did?””
“Yes.””
“Then what happened?””
Jace lowered his eyes.
“The night she was supposed to meet us, she never showed.””
Hank stepped closer.
“We searched for her.””
“Why didn't you find her?””
“She moved,” Jace said.
“She left town with you. Changed addresses. Stopped answering the phone.””
Emily stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because she believed Daniel and Victor were watching her.””
Emily's mouth went dry.
“My mother was afraid?””
Jace nodded.
“She didn't want you growing up around that.””
Emily sat down.
For a moment, she couldn't hear anything except the refrigerator rattling.
Her mother had been sick.
She had worked two jobs.
She had raised Emily alone.
And all this time, she had been carrying a secret that Emily knew nothing about.
“Did my father hurt her?””
Jace took a breath.
“I never saw him hit her.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Hank looked down.
Jace finally answered.
“He threatened her. He threatened to take you away if she didn't cooperate.””
Emily covered her mouth.
“Oh my God.””
Jace reached across the table.
“Emily, listen to me. Your mother fought for you. Every day.””
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Why didn't she tell me?””
“Because she wanted you to have a childhood.””
Emily shook her head.
“I didn't have a childhood. I was worried about rent when I was twelve.””
Nobody spoke.
She stood abruptly.
“I need air.””
Emily walked to the small park behind her apartment building.
The grass was damp, and the evening wind moved through the trees.
She sat on a wooden bench and stared at the playground.
She remembered being eight years old, swinging so high that her mother had to tell her to slow down.
She remembered Rachel pushing her on the swings after long shifts.
She remembered asking why her father never visited.
Her mother always gave the same answer.
“He's dealing with things, sweetheart.””
Emily had thought it meant he was busy.
Now she wondered what else her mother had been hiding.
Jace found her twenty minutes later.
He sat at the opposite end of the bench.
“I'm sorry,” he said.
Emily didn't look at him.
“Were you my mother's friend?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't you come looking harder?””
Jace accepted the question.
“Because I made a mistake.””
She turned.
“What mistake?””
“I believed Rachel wanted us to stay away. She sent one message saying she and you were safe and didn't want contact.””
“Did you believe her?””
“I did.””
“Why?””
“Because I thought I was respecting her wishes.””
Emily looked away.
“And then?””
“Years passed. I got busy. The club moved. People came and went.””
He paused.
“Then I got hurt on the highway. And a sixteen-year-old girl stopped when everybody else drove past.””
Emily's eyes filled again.
“You don't owe me anything.””
Jace looked at her.
“Maybe not. But I wish I'd found you sooner.””
For a while, they sat in silence.
Then Emily asked, “Did you know my mother was sick?””
“No.””
“Would you have come?””
“Absolutely.””
She nodded slowly.
“I think she would've liked you coming to my graduation.””
Jace smiled faintly.
“I think she would've liked watching you walk across that stage.””
The next morning, Emily returned to Denise's office.
She brought the letter.
The attorney read it carefully, then examined several documents in the file.
“Rachel's concerns appear to match records we already have,” Denise said.
“What records?””
“Copies of loan applications, financial statements, and correspondence between Daniel and a third party.””
“Victor?””
Denise nodded.
“Victor Shaw.””
Emily looked at Jace.
“That's the man you mentioned?””
“Yes.””
Denise pulled out another document.
“Your mother also left instructions regarding your guardianship.””
Emily frowned.
“Who was she going to choose?””
Denise turned the page.
“Your mother named a preferred guardian in the event that she was unable to care for you.””
“Who?””
The attorney hesitated.
“James Miller.””
Emily blinked.
“Jace?””
Jace stared at the page.
“I didn't know.””
Denise nodded.
“He was named as a secondary guardian, subject to his consent and the court's approval.””
Emily looked at him.
“Why would my mother choose you?””
Jace swallowed.
“Because I promised her something.””
“What?””
“That if anything ever happened to her, I'd make sure you had somebody to call.””
Emily stared at him.
“Did you promise to take care of me?””
“Yes.””
“And you didn't?””
The words landed hard.
Jace didn't defend himself.
“No,” he said quietly.
“I didn't.””
Emily looked down.
Denise closed the folder.
“We need to prepare for the hearing. Daniel's request is scheduled for next week.””
“What happens then?””
“The judge will consider the evidence, your wishes, and whether your father is suitable to have legal authority over you.””
Emily took a deep breath.
“I don't want him controlling my life.””
“Then you need to say that clearly.””
Jace nodded.
“She will.””
Emily looked at him.
“I can speak for myself.””
He gave her a small smile.
“I know you can.””
That afternoon, Emily went home alone.
She wanted to read the rest of her mother's documents without anyone watching her.
In a small cardboard box beneath her bed, she found old birthday cards, school certificates, and a handful of photographs.
At the bottom lay a brown envelope.
Her name was written on it.
Inside was a photograph of a young Rachel standing beside a man in a dark leather vest.
The man was not Jace.
It was someone Emily didn't recognize.
On the back, her mother had written:
The night everything changed.
Emily turned the photograph over again.
The man's face was partly obscured by shadow.
But his vest had a patch.
A patch she had seen twenty times at graduation.
The same emblem worn by Hank, Jace, and the others.
Emily's hands began to shake.
She picked up her phone and called Jace.
He answered immediately.
“Hey, kid.””
“I found another photograph.””
“What does it show?””
Emily swallowed.
“There's a man standing next to my mother. He's wearing your club's patch.””
Jace went quiet.
“Can you send it to me?””
She sent the picture.
A few seconds passed.
Then Jace spoke.
“Emily, where did you find that?””
“In a box under my bed.””
“Listen to me carefully. Don't throw anything away. Don't let anybody take those documents.””
“Why?””
Jace's voice dropped.
“Because I recognize that man.””
“Who is he?””
Jace took a long breath.
“That's Victor Shaw.””
Emily felt the blood drain from her face.
“But you said he was a businessman.””
“He was.””
“Why was he wearing your club's patch?””
Jace didn't answer immediately.
May you like
Then he said something that made Emily's heart stop.
“Because he used to be one of us.””
