Chapter 12: My Father Called Me
Everyone told me not to do it.
Police.
Samuel.
Evan.
Margaret.
Even Evelyn, from a hospital bed.
I listened to all of them.
Then I said the same thing.
“I’m going.””
The detective shook his head.
“No.””
“He has Vanessa.””
“We don’t know that.””
“Mom saw her.””
“Hours ago.””
“That’s enough.””
“Claire, you are not trained for this.””
“I’m not asking to go alone.””
That changed the conversation.
I looked at the detective.
“He wants me. Use me.””
Samuel objected immediately.
“Absolutely not.””
“Samuel.””
“Robert would never forgive me.””
“Robert isn’t here.””
The words hurt both of us.
“I spent my whole life being protected by lies.””
I looked around the room.
“Everybody decided what I could handle.””
No one spoke.
“Dad did it. Evelyn did it. Margaret did it. Caroline did it.””
I turned toward Evan.
“You did it too.””
He lowered his eyes.
“And every secret made things worse.””
I faced the detective.
“So no more secrets. If Thomas wants to talk to me, let him.””
The detective considered it.
“We control the meeting.””
“Fine.””
“You wear a wire.””
“Fine.””
“You follow every instruction.””
“Fine.””
“You do not improvise.””
I almost smiled.
“I’m a second-grade teacher. I improvise for a living.””
He didn’t smile.
Fair enough.
My phone rang at 6:42 that evening.
Unknown number.
We were ready.
The wire was beneath my sweater.
Officers surrounded the room.
The detective nodded.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A man spoke.
“Claire.””
My body reacted before my mind did.
Something about his voice.
Not familiarity exactly.
But recognition at a level I couldn’t explain.
“Thomas?””
He laughed softly.
“So they told you.””
“Where’s Vanessa?””
“Straight to business.””
“Where is she?””
“Alive.””
“I want proof.””
“You sound like Robert.””
My chest tightened.
“Don’t say his name.””
“He wasn’t your father.””
“He was more of a father than you ever were.””
Silence.
Then Thomas laughed again.
“You have spirit.””
“I have a daughter waiting for me. Tell me what you want.””
“To see you.””
“Why?””
“You’re mine.””
Rage flooded me.
“I am not property.””
“Biologically, you are my daughter.””
“That gives you DNA. Nothing else.””
His breathing changed.
I had hit something.
Good.
“Where do you want to meet?””
“I’ll send instructions.””
“Vanessa first.””
“You’re not negotiating.””
“Then hang up.””
I moved the phone away.
“Wait.””
I stopped.
“Proof.””
A video arrived.
Vanessa appeared on screen.
Alive.
Her hands were free now.
She sat inside what looked like an old warehouse office.
Her face was bruised.
“Claire, don’t come.””
Thomas stepped into frame behind her.
For the first time, I saw my biological father.
He was in his early sixties.
Tall.
Gray hair.
Sharp face.
And my eyes.
God.
My eyes.
He smiled into the camera.
“Now you’ve seen me.””
The video ended.
A location arrived.
An abandoned boat-storage facility near the coast.
Police moved instantly.
Thomas called again.
“One hour.””
“I’ll be there.””
“Alone.””
“Of course.””
He laughed.
“You lie badly.””
“So did you.””
A pause.
“Robert taught you that?””
“No. Evelyn did.””
He laughed harder.
Then hung up.
The operation took forty minutes to arrange.
Lily stayed with Margaret under police protection.
I hated leaving her again.
She hugged me.
“Bring Aunt Vanessa back.””
That surprised me.
After everything Vanessa had said.
Everything she had done.
“You want her back?””
Lily nodded.
“She was mean.””
“Yes.””
“But she helped Great-Grandma.””
Margaret’s eyes filled.
Children saw the world strangely sometimes.
Or maybe more clearly than adults.
I kissed Lily.
“I’ll try.””
The storage facility sat beyond a line of abandoned warehouses.
Rain still fell.
I entered alone.
At least it looked that way.
Police were positioned around the property.
The wire beneath my sweater felt enormous.
“Thomas?””
My voice echoed.
A light came on.
Vanessa sat in a chair.
Thomas stood beside her.
He held no visible weapon.
That somehow made him more frightening.
Vanessa saw me.
“You idiot.””
I almost laughed.
“Nice to see you too.””
“I told you not to come.””
“You also stole 1.4 million dollars from me, so I’ve stopped taking your advice.””
Even bruised, Vanessa managed to look offended.
Thomas smiled.
“You really are sisters.””
“No,” Vanessa said quietly.
“We are.””
I looked at her.
She held my gaze.
For the first time, I understood.
Not biologically.
But somehow, after everything, she was claiming me.
Thomas gestured.
“Come closer.””
“I’m close enough.””
“I’ve waited thirty-two years.””
“You knew where I was.””
His smile disappeared.
“Robert kept you from me.””
“Good.””
“You don’t know what he did.””
“I know what you did.””
“Do you?””
“You terrorized Caroline.””
“She lied.””
“She was afraid.””
“She stole my child.””
“I’m the child.””
His jaw tightened.
“You were mine.””
“Again with the property.””
Vanessa whispered, “Claire, stop provoking him.””
Thomas glanced at her.
“She always talks too much.””
“Then let her go.””
“When we’re finished.””
“What do you want?””
“The sample.””
“Dad’s blood sample from you?””
“Yes.””
“I don’t have it.””
“Samuel does.””
“I don’t know where.””
“You’ll find out.””
“No.””
His expression hardened.
“You don’t understand what’s at stake.””
“Tens of millions?””
That surprised him.
“Evan talks too much too.””
“So it’s true.””
“It’s complicated.””
“No. You’re afraid I can challenge your ownership.””
“You don’t want that company.””
“You’re right.””
He blinked.
“I don’t want your money.””
“Everyone wants money.””
“Vanessa did.””
She winced.
I continued.
“Evelyn did. Richard did. Maybe you did.””
I stepped closer.
“But Dad had money, and I sold his watch to pay a dentist.””
Thomas stared.
“You know what I wanted?””
I pointed toward the door.
“To go home with my daughter.””
His face twisted.
“You think Robert was some saint?””
“No.””
“He lied to you.””
“Yes.””
“He kept your mother from you.””
“I know.””
“He threatened me.””
“Probably for a reason.””
Thomas moved closer.
“He stole you.””
“Caroline ran from you.””
“She was confused.””
“She was terrified.””
“She loved me.””
“Maybe once.””
His face changed.
There it was.
The wound.
“You don’t know anything.””
“I know she hid my paternity.””
“Because Richard wanted her too.””
“No.””
Thomas shook his head.
“Because Robert did.””
I froze.
“What?””
Vanessa stared at him.
Thomas smiled.
“Caroline loved Robert.””
“The tape said—”
“The tape captured what she wanted people to believe.””
My heart hammered.
“Are you saying Dad was my biological father?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
“He wanted to raise you.””
“That sounds like Dad.””
“He wanted Caroline too.””
“Evelyn believed that.””
“Because it was true.””
I didn’t know whether to believe him.
That was probably the point.
“Where is Caroline?””
His face changed.
He knew.
“You know she’s alive.””
“Where?””
“Closer than you think.””
My pulse jumped.
“Tell me.””
“Give me the sample.””
“I don’t have it.””
“Then call Samuel.””
“No.””
Thomas sighed.
Then he reached into his jacket.
Police voices erupted through my hidden earpiece.
Movement outside.
My body tensed.
Thomas pulled out a phone.
Not a weapon.
He tapped the screen.
A live video appeared.
A woman sat in a dim room.
Anna.
Caroline.
My mother.
Alive.
I forgot the operation.
Forgot the wire.
Forgot Thomas.
“Mom?””
The word left my mouth before I could stop it.
The woman on screen lifted her head.
Her eyes widened.
“Claire?””
My knees nearly gave out.
She knew me.
She said my name.
Thomas smiled.
“I told you.””
“Where is she?””
“Safe.””
“Where?””
“Give me what I want.””
Caroline suddenly moved closer to the camera.
“Claire, don’t listen to him!””
Thomas’s expression changed.
She continued.
“He’s lying about Robert!””
Thomas reached for the phone.
Caroline shouted quickly.
“Robert never kept me from you!””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“He tried to bring me to you!””
Thomas ended the video.
I stared at him.
“You said Dad refused.””
That was what Evan had told me.
Thomas shrugged.
“People remember things differently.””
“Where is she?””
“Enough.””
“WHERE IS SHE?””
Vanessa suddenly stood.
Thomas spun.
She hadn’t been restrained.
I realized why.
She had been waiting.
Vanessa grabbed the metal chair and swung it into Thomas’s legs.
He crashed sideways.
“RUN!””
Police flooded the warehouse.
Thomas rolled behind a stack of equipment.
Officers shouted commands.
Vanessa ran toward me.
A deafening bang echoed somewhere behind us.
We dropped.
I covered my head.
Officers rushed past.
Someone screamed that Thomas was moving toward the rear exit.
Vanessa grabbed my arm.
“Claire!””
“I’m okay.””
“We have to find Caroline.””
“You know where she is?””
“No.””
“But Evan does.””
“He said he didn’t.””
“He lied.””
Of course he did.
“Why?””
“Because Caroline made him promise.””
“To protect her?””
“No.””
Vanessa looked toward the officers chasing Thomas.
“To protect you.””
I almost screamed.
“No more protecting me!””
“I agree!””
That actually stopped me.
Vanessa took a breath.
“Evan knows where she is.””
“Then tell me.””
“He won’t tell anyone until Thomas and Richard are both in custody.””
“Richard?””
“Yes.””
“Where is Richard?””
Vanessa’s face changed.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell everyone.””
“What?””
“Richard disappeared this morning.””
My stomach dropped.
A police officer shouted from the rear of the warehouse.
Thomas had been captured.
For one second, relief hit me.
Then my phone rang.
Samuel.
I answered.
“Thomas is in custody.””
“Claire.””
Something in his voice terrified me.
“What happened?””
“I found the blood sample.””
My heart pounded.
“Where?””
“Robert hid it with another attorney.””
“Then we can prove Thomas is my father.””
Samuel went silent.
“What?””
“We already ran a preliminary comparison.””
I couldn’t breathe.
“And?””
“Thomas isn’t your biological father.””
The warehouse seemed to disappear around me.
“No.””
“I checked twice.””
“But Caroline—”
“I know.””
“Then who is?””
Samuel’s voice shook.
“That isn’t the strangest part.””
“What could possibly be stranger?””
“The sample Robert labeled as Thomas Whitmore…”
May you like
He paused.
“…matches Richard Ellison.””
