Chapter 6: What Our Mother Knew
I read the sentence again.
*If Daniel ever learns what happened at the property, tell him the boy was never supposed to survive.*
My mother had been dead for three years.
She had died peacefully in her sleep, according to the doctor.
We buried her beside our father.
I had stood at her funeral and thanked her for being the person who held our family together.
Now I was staring at evidence suggesting she had known something about a missing child.
“That's impossible,” I said.
Elena looked exhausted.
“Daniel…”
“No. Mom would never hurt a child.””
“I didn't say she did.””
“You said she knew.””
Elena pressed her hands together.
“She knew about Caleb.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“How long?””
“Since before he was born.””
I stared at her.
“You're telling me our mother knew Dad had another child?””
“Yes.””
“And she accepted it?””
Elena shook her head.
“No. She never accepted it. But she knew.””
Sarah stood beside me, holding Leo's letters.
“Then why does this note say he wasn't supposed to survive?””
Elena looked toward the dining room.
“Because of what happened at the property.””
Officer Ramirez stepped closer.
“Ma'am, I need you to be specific.””
Elena took a breath.
“Fourteen months ago, Dad's old property was being prepared for sale. There were storage buildings, old equipment, and a small guest cottage. Caleb had been staying there.””
“Why?”” I asked.
“Because he had nowhere else.””
“Where was his mother?””
“Dead.””
I looked at the photograph again.
Caleb had looked about nine years old.
A little older than Leo.
“Who was taking care of him?””
“An arrangement Dad made before he died.””
“What arrangement?””
Elena hesitated.
“Red Mesa.””
Ramirez immediately looked at the financial records.
“Red Mesa Residential Services?””
Elena nodded.
“They were supposed to provide housing and support.””
“Were they licensed?””
“I don't know.””
“You were handling the trust.””
Elena looked down.
“Yes.””
I felt something cold move through my chest.
“You were responsible for him.””
“I tried.””
“What does that mean?””
She began crying.
“Caleb was difficult. He ran away. He refused to stay in the cottage. He kept saying he wanted to find you.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
She looked directly at me.
“That you would discover how much money was missing.””
The room went silent.
Ramirez opened the folder.
“How much?””
Elena wiped her face.
“About two hundred and eighty thousand dollars.””
Sarah stepped backward.
“You stole money meant for a child?””
“I borrowed it.””
“For what?””
Elena looked at me.
“To save my business.””
I stared at her.
“What business?””
“Red Mesa.””
“You owned it?””
She nodded.
The realization came slowly.
The company receiving the trust transfers wasn't an outside care provider.
It was Elena's company.
She had been paying herself to care for Caleb.
Then, when the money disappeared, she had used Leo as another piece of the arrangement.
“How did Leo get involved?”” Ramirez asked.
Elena covered her face.
“I didn't plan it.””
“Explain.””
She took several breaths.
“The day Leo disappeared, I was at the property. Caleb had run away again. Your father had left an old locked storage building there, and I was looking for some documents.””
I stepped closer.
“You were there when Leo vanished?””
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“You told the police you arrived after he disappeared.””
Elena nodded.
“I lied.””
“Why?””
“Because Leo saw Caleb.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Caleb had come back to the property. Leo found him near the storage building. They were talking. Caleb told Leo who he was.””
I looked at the photograph.
My father's other son.
A boy our family had never acknowledged.
“What happened next?””
Elena began trembling.
“Caleb was frightened. He thought you would take him away from me. He thought I would lose control of the trust.””
“Why would he think that?””
“Because he knew about the money.””
Ramirez interrupted.
“Are you saying Caleb witnessed financial misconduct?””
Elena nodded.
“He found bank statements in my car. He confronted me. Leo overheard everything.””
I stared at her.
“So you took my son because he knew your secret?””
“No!””
She stood abruptly.
“I didn't take him to hurt him!””
“Then why did you take him?””
Elena looked toward the open floor.
“Because Caleb was going to run again, and Leo wanted to go with him.””
I felt my stomach turn.
“Where?””
“They said they were going to find you.””
“And you stopped them.””
She nodded.
“I thought I could keep them at the property for a few days until everything settled down.””
“A few days?””
Her voice broke.
“Then Caleb disappeared.””
I stared at her.
“And Leo?””
“I brought him here.””
“Why?””
“Because I didn't know what else to do.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“You could have called us.””
“I was afraid!””
“You could have told the truth!””
Elena slammed her palm against the table.
“You think I didn't know that?””
Her voice cracked.
“You think I haven't heard Leo crying every night? You think I haven't watched Maya ask where her brother is? I know what I did!””
I felt no sympathy.
Not after seeing those letters.
Not after hearing my son ask why we hadn't come.
Ramirez moved closer.
“Who was the other person involved?””
Elena stopped crying.
“What?””
“You mentioned Caleb disappeared. Who helped you move Leo?””
Elena looked at her hands.
“Nobody.””
“Then how did you transport an eight-year-old child without being noticed?””
She didn't answer.
Ramirez repeated the question.
Elena finally whispered:
“My husband.””
I froze.
Her husband, Michael, had been at work when we arrived.
He had supposedly left town for a business conference.
“Where is Michael?””
Elena swallowed.
“I don't know.””
“Where was he last night?””
“He called me.””
“From where?””
She looked toward the kitchen.
“Arizona.””
Ramirez took out her phone.
“Do you have his number?””
Elena nodded.
But before she could give it, her phone began ringing on the dining table.
Everyone turned.
The screen displayed one name.
*MICHAEL.*
Officer Ramirez motioned for Elena to answer on speaker.
She hesitated.
“Answer it,” Ramirez ordered.
Elena pressed the screen.
“Hello?””
Michael's voice came through immediately.
“Did you get rid of the boy?””
Elena went pale.
Nobody moved.
Michael continued.
“I told you not to keep him there. The police are asking questions, and I need to know whether you moved him.””
Elena looked at me.
I stepped closer to the phone.
Michael's voice sharpened.
“Elena? Are you listening?””
She whispered, “Michael, the police are here.””
Silence.
Then he laughed.
Not nervously.
Not in disbelief.
He laughed as if he had expected this moment eventually.
“Well,” he said, “I suppose it's time to stop pretending.””
Officer Ramirez raised one finger, signaling everyone to remain quiet.
I leaned toward the phone.
“Michael?””
Another pause.
Then he answered.
“Daniel. I was wondering when you'd finally find out.””
My fists clenched.
“Where is Caleb?””
He sighed.
“That's an unfortunate question.””
“Where is he?””
“Your sister should have told you that Caleb wasn't the only child your father left behind.””
I looked at Elena.
Her lips had parted.
“What are you talking about?”” I demanded.
Michael lowered his voice.
“Your father had another secret, Daniel. One your mother spent years paying people to keep quiet.””
My stomach dropped.
“What secret?””
He answered with six words.
“Caleb wasn't the only Carter boy.””
Then the call disconnected.
Officer Ramirez immediately began issuing instructions.
Sarah gripped my arm.
I couldn't move.
Because somewhere in the middle of that nightmare, a new possibility had emerged.
My father might have had more children.
And if Michael was telling the truth, the boy we had found beneath Elena's house might have been only one part of something much larger.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
There was one photograph attached.
It showed a little boy standing beside my father.
Behind them was the old Hill Country property.
May you like
And beneath the photograph were eight words:
*Ask your mother what happened in the barn.*
