Chapter 19: The Brother Who Never Came Home
Hank reached Eli's bedside just as June rushed into the room.
The boy was sitting upright, clutching the photograph with both hands.
“What's wrong?”” June asked.
Eli pointed at the man standing beside Rachel.
“That's the man from the trailer.””
Hank crouched.
“Which man, buddy?””
“The one who came when Dad wasn't there. He told me to stay quiet.””
June took the photograph.
Her fingers trembled.
The man beside Rachel looked almost exactly like the person the police had arrested at the railway depot.
But the date on the back was twenty-five years old.
Hank studied the handwriting.
The real Richard is the one who never came home.
“Where did you find this?”” he asked.
“In Grandma's drawer. I was looking for Mom's picture.””
June pressed the photograph to her chest.
“I didn't know this was here.””
Hank called Detective Harris.
The detective answered immediately.
“What's happened?””
“We have a photograph. Eli recognized the man you arrested.””
There was a pause.
“Describe it.””
Hank did.
Then he read the date and Rachel's handwritten message.
Harris went silent.
“Send me a photograph of both sides. Now.””
June took pictures and sent them.
Within minutes, Harris called back.
“I need you to listen carefully. The man we arrested gave his name as Arthur Mitchell. His fingerprints don't match the original records.””
Hank frowned.
“Then who is he?””
“We're trying to establish that. But the photograph suggests Rachel knew the truth.””
June stepped closer to the phone.
“Eleanor said the man was Richard.””
“Eleanor is being protected at the hospital. She also told us that the real Richard disappeared twenty-five years ago.””
“Then who has been pretending to be him?””
Harris exhaled.
“We believe the man we arrested is actually Thomas Hale, an identity connected to the offshore accounts. He may be the person who took over Richard's identity after the real Richard disappeared.””
Hank looked at June.
“And Derek?””
“Derek is still in custody. We're bringing him in for another interview.””
June's voice trembled.
“Please tell me my grandson is safe.””
“He is. We have officers outside your residence.””
Harris paused.
“But there's something else. The real Richard may still be alive.””
The call ended.
June sat beside Eli.
“Sweetheart, where did you see that man before?””
Eli looked down.
“At the trailer.””
“Was he with your dad?””
“Sometimes. Dad called him Uncle Richard.””
June swallowed.
“Did he ever hurt you?””
Eli shook his head.
“He didn't hit me.””
Hank waited.
“But he told me Mom was dead because I made her sad.””
June pulled Eli into her arms.
“Oh, baby.””
“He said if I told Grandma where I lived, she would get sick too.””
June closed her eyes.
Hank placed a steady hand on the boy's shoulder.
“Those were lies. Every single one.””
Eli looked at the photograph.
“Why did Mom keep this?””
June studied Rachel's handwriting.
“Because she wanted someone to discover the truth.””
Across town, Detective Harris stood outside Eleanor's hospital room.
Two uniformed officers guarded the door.
Eleanor was awake, but she looked exhausted.
Harris entered with a nurse.
“Are you feeling well enough to talk?””
Eleanor nodded.
“I don't have much time.””
“Why?””
“Because the people who did this know I'm alive.””
Harris pulled up a chair.
“Start with the beginning.””
Eleanor looked toward the window.
“Twenty-five years ago, Richard Mitchell was a different man. He was Derek's older brother. He was clever, ambitious, and already stealing money from his father's business.””
“What happened to him?””
“He disappeared after a fight with Arthur.””
“His father?””
Eleanor shook her head.
“Arthur was his stepfather. The real Arthur Mitchell died when Derek was young. The man everyone called Arthur was actually Thomas Hale.””
Harris leaned forward.
“Who was Thomas Hale?””
“A business partner. He had been stealing from the family for years. When the real Arthur discovered it, Thomas killed him and assumed his identity.””
Harris's expression hardened.
“And Richard found out?””
“Yes. He confronted Thomas. A week later, Richard vanished.””
“Was he killed?””
“I don't know. But Thomas started using his name in financial records. He made everyone believe Richard had left town.””
“Why didn't anyone report it?””
“Because Derek was a child, and Thomas controlled the family. He told everyone Richard had abandoned them.””
Harris took notes.
“And the man at the depot?””
“Thomas. He has been pretending to be Richard for years. He used the family name because it gave him access to the accounts.””
“Then where is the real Richard?””
Eleanor looked at him.
“Rachel found him.””
Harris stopped writing.
“When?””
“Shortly before she died.””
“Where?””
Eleanor's eyes filled.
“In a private care facility. He had suffered a brain injury after disappearing. He couldn't speak properly, and Thomas had kept him under another name.””
“Is he still alive?””
“I don't know.””
Harris stood.
“Which facility?””
Eleanor gave him the name.
Harris immediately called his officers.
Within minutes, a unit was dispatched.
Then Eleanor reached for his sleeve.
“Detective?””
“Yes?””
“There's something else Rachel told me.””
“What?””
“She said Derek wasn't the only person who knew the real Richard was alive.””
Harris frowned.
“Who else?””
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“Vanessa.””
At the secure residence, Vanessa was sitting beside Lily when Detective Harris called.
“Vanessa, I need you to answer something honestly.””
She stiffened.
“What?””
“Did you know the real Richard Mitchell was alive?””
Vanessa looked toward June.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Yes.””
June stood.
“What?””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“Rachel told me.””
“Why didn't you say anything?””
“Because she made me promise not to. She said if Thomas found out, the real Richard would disappear forever.””
Harris asked, “Where is he?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Rachel told me about a care facility. I don't know whether he's still there.””
“We've located the facility. We're sending officers.””
Vanessa began crying.
“Please don't let Thomas get to him.””
The detective's voice hardened.
“He won't.””
At the facility, officers found a man in a wheelchair beside a window.
He was thin, with white hair and a scar running along his jaw.
A nurse was helping him eat.
When the officers showed him the photograph of Rachel, his hand began to tremble.
“Richard Mitchell?”” an officer asked.
The man nodded.
“Do you know this woman?””
He stared at Rachel's face.
Then he whispered a word.
“Rachel.””
The officer leaned closer.
“Can you tell us who hurt you?””
Richard's eyes filled.
He lifted one trembling finger and pointed at the photograph.
Then he pointed toward the door.
The officer followed his gesture.
A man stood in the hallway.
Derek Mitchell.
He had escaped police custody during a medical transfer.
“Stop!”” the officer shouted.
Derek turned and ran.
Two officers chased him down the corridor.
A third remained with Richard.
The elderly man began shaking.
He reached for the officer's sleeve and whispered something else.
“Thomas.””
The officer looked down.
“Thomas is here?””
Richard nodded.
Then he pointed to the photograph again.
On its back, beneath Rachel's message, a second line had been written in tiny letters.
If Thomas returns, ask him what happened to the baby.
The officer stared at it.
He immediately called Detective Harris.
At the same moment, Harris received a message from the forensic team examining Rachel's original records.
The DNA results had arrived.
They showed that the man who had been arrested as Arthur Mitchell was not Derek's biological father.
But there was another match.
A biological relationship between the real Richard Mitchell and Eli.
Harris read the report twice.
Then he called Martin Ellison.
“Mr. Ellison, we have a problem.””
“What kind?””
“Your paternity test may not be the only one Rachel arranged.””
Martin went quiet.
“What are you saying?””
“Eli's biological relationship to Richard Mitchell is much closer than anyone expected.””
Martin stood.
“That's impossible.””
Harris looked at the report again.
May you like
Then he said:
“Detective, I think Rachel was hiding something about Eli's birth.””
