Chapter 18: The Sister Who Knew My Name
Rebecca arrived at Michael's office at 4:15 p.m.
I was waiting in the conference room with Rachel when the door opened.
A woman stepped inside.
She looked to be in her early thirties.
Dark hair.
Tired eyes.
A small scar near her left eyebrow.
She carried a canvas bag and wore a gray coat.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she looked at me.
"Laura?""
I stood.
"Yes.""
She swallowed.
"I'm Rebecca.""
I had imagined meeting my sister a hundred different ways.
I had imagined anger.
Tears.
Questions.
Maybe even an embrace.
I hadn't imagined standing across a conference table from a stranger who shared my father's eyes.
"How long have you known about me?"" I asked.
Rebecca placed her bag on the table.
"Since I was seventeen.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Seventeen?""
She nodded.
"Samuel told me I had a sister. He showed me your photograph.""
"Why didn't you contact me?""
"Because he told me you didn't know I existed.""
I stared at her.
"That doesn't explain why you stayed away.""
Rebecca looked down.
"He said your father wanted it that way.""
Rachel pulled out a chair.
"Why did you come now?""
Rebecca opened her bag.
She removed a thick envelope.
"Because I found out Samuel had been lying.""
She placed several documents on the table.
The first was a birth certificate.
The second was a hospital record.
The third was a handwritten statement.
I looked at the birth certificate.
The mother's name was Anna Cole.
The father's name was Robert Bennett.
But the signature at the bottom belonged to Samuel Reed.
I looked up.
"Why did Samuel sign this?""
Rebecca shook her head.
"He was my legal guardian. He completed the paperwork after my mother died. But he told me your father had never formally acknowledged me.""
I stared at the certificate.
"Then why is his name listed?""
"Because he did acknowledge me. He just didn't want the family business to know.""
Rachel examined the document.
"Was there a legal adoption?""
"No. Samuel raised me, but he never adopted me. I kept my mother's surname until I was eighteen. Then he arranged for my surname to become Reed.""
I looked at Rebecca.
"Why?""
"Because Patrick was searching for me.""
The room went quiet.
Rebecca continued.
"My mother worked with your father. She discovered Patrick was using false property records to secure loans. She made copies of everything.""
"Where are those copies?""
Rebecca touched the envelope.
"Some are here.""
She removed a small memory card.
"And the rest are on this.""
Rachel leaned forward.
"What's on it?""
"An audio recording of my mother speaking with your father. She made it three days before she died.""
My heart pounded.
"Does it explain what happened to her?""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Yes.""
She placed the memory card in front of Rachel.
"She knew Patrick was going to cause an accident.""
I felt cold.
"An accident?""
Rebecca nodded.
"My mother had been receiving threats. She told your father that Patrick had arranged for her car to be tampered with.""
Rachel looked at the audio card.
"Did she report it?""
"She tried. But the report disappeared.""
I stared at Rebecca.
"How did she die?""
"Her car went off a road during a storm.""
"Was anyone else involved?""
"Patrick claimed he wasn't there.""
"Do you believe him?""
Rebecca looked at me.
"No.""
Rachel carefully copied the contents of the card.
There were several audio files.
One was labeled:
*ANNA - FINAL CONVERSATION*
Rachel opened it.
A woman's voice filled the room.
"My name is Anna Cole. I'm making this recording because I don't believe the authorities will protect me.""
Then my father's voice.
"Anna, we can still get the documents to Samuel.""
Anna replied.
"Patrick knows about the copies.""
"How?""
"Someone told him.""
A pause.
Then Anna said something that made me look at Rebecca.
"Your daughter isn't the only child he knows about.""
My father sounded confused.
"What are you saying?""
Anna continued.
"Patrick knows about Laura. He knows where she lives. He knows Daniel is close to her.""
My blood ran cold.
My father responded.
"Daniel would never help him.""
Anna was silent.
Then she said:
"Robert, I saw Daniel give Patrick the company keys.""
The recording continued.
My father sounded devastated.
"No.""
"I'm sorry.""
"He's my daughter's husband.""
"That's why he's useful.""
The file ended.
I stared at the screen.
Rebecca's eyes were wet.
"That's what my mother was trying to tell him.""
Rachel opened another recording.
This one was shorter.
Anna's voice sounded frightened.
"If anything happens to me, tell Robert that Patrick has the original loan agreements. Tell him the company isn't the only thing they're trying to take.""
Then a man's voice interrupted.
"Who are you talking to?""
The recording ended abruptly.
Rachel paused.
"Do you recognize that voice?""
Rebecca shook her head.
"No.""
I listened again.
Something about it sounded familiar.
The rhythm.
The low, impatient tone.
Then I realized.
It was Daniel.
I covered my mouth.
Rebecca looked at me.
"Do you know him?""
I nodded slowly.
"He's my husband.""
Rebecca's face changed.
"Your father knew?""
"Yes.""
She looked down.
"Then he must have been terrified.""
Rachel closed the files.
"We need to preserve these recordings and provide copies to the investigators.""
Rebecca nodded.
Then she reached into her bag again.
"There is one more thing.""
She removed a folded letter.
The handwriting was my father's.
I recognized it immediately.
Rebecca handed it to me.
"He gave this to Samuel before he died. Samuel gave it to me when I turned eighteen.""
I opened it.
Rebecca,
You have a sister named Laura.
She deserves to know you. I have failed both of you by allowing fear to make decisions that should have belonged to our family.
If you ever meet her, please understand that I never stopped loving either of you.
There is one thing I need you to know.
Patrick is not the only person who knows what happened to Anna.
The person who arranged the accident is still alive.
I stopped reading.
Rachel leaned closer.
"Keep going.""
The final line was written in darker ink.
And that person has been sitting at our family table for years.
I looked at Rebecca.
"Did Samuel ever explain this?""
She shook her head.
"He said my father was confused near the end.""
I felt anger rise.
"Samuel knew more than he told us.""
Rebecca nodded.
"I think so.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from Jordan.
*Laura, Mom came to the house. She says she has proof about who my real father is.*
I called him immediately.
He answered on the first ring.
"Laura?""
"Where are you?""
"Upstairs.""
"Is your mother there?""
"Yes.""
"Are you safe?""
He hesitated.
"She says she knows who caused Grandpa Robert's accident.""
I looked at Rachel.
Then I heard Tasha's voice in the background.
"Jordan, tell her what you found.""
Jordan whispered:
"She says Daniel isn't my father. But she says Daniel knows who is.""
My chest tightened.
"Jordan, don't let anyone pressure you. I'm coming home.""
Then Tasha spoke directly into the phone.
"Laura, you need to listen to me.""
Her voice was shaking.
"I finally found the original recording.""
"What recording?""
"The one from the night your father died.""
I stared at the phone.
"We already have recordings.""
"No," Tasha whispered.
"Not this one.""
A pause.
Then she said:
"It records the person who walked into your father's hospital room after Patrick left.""
My blood turned cold.
"Who?""
Tasha began to cry.
"Your mother.""
I stopped breathing.
May you like
My mother had been dead for fifteen years.
And according to everything I had ever been told, she had never even met Patrick Wells.
