Chapter 12: The Father Vanessa Never Knew
I read the date again.
March 5.
Two days after my mother's death.
Thomas Whitmore's signature sat beneath the witness declaration.
The handwriting matched the signature on the old bank receipts.
I looked at Grandma.
"How could Thomas have witnessed a document two days after Mom died?""
Grandma didn't answer immediately.
She picked up the paper and examined the signature.
Then she sat down.
"Because Thomas wasn't dead.""
I stared at her.
"But you told me he died three years ago.""
"He did.""
"Then how did he sign this?""
Grandma looked toward Pastor James.
He quietly closed the office door.
"There's something else you need to understand," Grandma said.
"Thomas wasn't just your mother's first husband.""
I waited.
"He was Vanessa's biological father.""
The words hit me like a physical blow.
I looked toward the laptop.
The hospital recording.
The old photograph.
The financial records.
Everything suddenly seemed to rearrange itself.
"Vanessa knows?""
Grandma shook her head.
"I don't think so.""
"How can she not know?""
"Your mother never told her. She believed it would hurt her.""
I tried to remember the family photographs.
Vanessa had always looked different from Dad.
Different eyes.
Different facial structure.
But nobody had ever questioned it.
I sat down.
"So Dad raised her knowing she wasn't his daughter?""
"Yes.""
"Did he know from the beginning?""
Grandma nodded.
"He knew before they married.""
I looked at the will again.
"Why would Mom leave Vanessa a message about her father?""
"Because Evelyn wanted Vanessa to understand that Thomas had never abandoned her.""
Grandma's voice broke.
"He sent letters. Birthday cards. He wanted to see her. But Richard refused.""
I thought about the way Vanessa had always spoken about our father.
She called him Dad with an intensity I had never understood.
And now I wondered whether she had spent her entire life trying to earn something she believed she had been born entitled to.
"Why didn't Mom tell her?""
"She thought there would be time.""
I looked at the photograph.
The man standing beside my mother.
Thomas.
The person who had built the Blue Lantern with her.
The person who had paid my father's debt.
The person who had apparently tried to protect both daughters.
"Did Thomas know Vanessa was using the company?""
Grandma shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I folded the will.
"Then we need to find out.""
My phone rang.
This time, the caller ID showed Vanessa.
I answered.
"Hello?""
"Nora, where are you?""
"Why?""
"Because I need to talk to you.""
"About what?""
"Mom.""
My grip tightened.
"What about her?""
There was a long pause.
Then Vanessa whispered:
"I found something in Dad's house.""
I glanced at Grandma.
"What?""
"A letter. From Thomas.""
I closed my eyes.
"What does it say?""
"I haven't read all of it.""
"Why are you calling me?""
"Because it has my name on it.""
I said nothing.
Vanessa continued.
"And because Dad has disappeared.""
My heart began beating faster.
"You don't know where he is?""
"No.""
"Did you call the police?""
"Not yet.""
"Vanessa!""
"I know. I know. I should have. But Nora, there's something else.""
"What?""
"Someone broke into Dad's study.""
I stood.
"When?""
"Tonight.""
"Did they take anything?""
She swallowed.
"The old photograph. The one of Mom and Thomas.""
I looked at Grandma.
Her face had gone pale.
"Vanessa, listen carefully. Don't touch anything else. Don't confront anyone. Call the police.""
"I found something under the desk.""
"What?""
"A key.""
"What kind?""
"An old brass key. There's a tag attached to it.""
I held my breath.
"What does the tag say?""
Vanessa's voice dropped.
"Riverside Hotel. Room 214.""
I remembered the anonymous message.
Tomorrow.
10 a.m.
Alone.
"Vanessa, don't go there.""
"Why?""
"Because someone is trying to lure us there.""
She laughed nervously.
"You're not making sense.""
"I received a message tonight. Someone told me to go to the Riverside Hotel.""
Silence.
Then Vanessa whispered:
"Did they tell you to come alone?""
"Yes.""
"Me too.""
My stomach dropped.
"Then neither of us is going.""
Vanessa started crying.
"Nora, I think I know why Mom died.""
I froze.
"What do you mean?""
"There's a second letter. It's hidden inside the envelope from Thomas.""
"Read it.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because it's addressed to both of us.""
I closed my eyes.
"Vanessa, listen to me. I'm coming to you.""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because I think Dad is here.""
I stopped breathing.
"Where?""
"At the house.""
"Then why did you say he disappeared?""
"I thought he had left. But I just heard something upstairs.""
A loud noise came through the phone.
Then Vanessa screamed.
The call disconnected.
I immediately called back.
No answer.
I tried again.
Nothing.
I grabbed my coat.
Grandma stood.
"Where are you going?""
"Vanessa's house.""
"You're not going alone.""
"I know.""
Pastor James offered to call the police.
I nodded.
Within minutes, Eddie was driving us through the dark streets.
I kept calling Vanessa.
Every call went unanswered.
When we arrived, the front door of the Mercer family home stood open.
A lamp was burning in the hallway.
There was no sign of a struggle outside.
I stepped inside.
"Vanessa?""
No answer.
Grandma followed me.
The house smelled of old furniture polish and the lavender candles my mother used to buy.
I moved toward the study.
The door was half open.
Inside, a desk drawer had been pulled out. Papers were scattered across the floor.
A photograph lay broken beneath the window.
It showed my mother holding two little girls.
Vanessa and me.
I picked it up.
On the back, my mother had written:
My two greatest gifts. Never let the truth divide you.
Then I heard a voice.
"Don't move.""
I turned.
My father stood in the doorway.
His shirt was stained with blood near the shoulder.
He held a small revolver pointed toward the floor.
I froze.
"Dad?""
His face crumpled.
"Nora, thank God.""
I took one step toward him.
"Where's Vanessa?""
He looked past me.
"She's gone.""
"What do you mean?""
"Someone took her.""
Grandma covered her mouth.
I moved closer.
"Who?""
Dad lowered the revolver.
"Daniel Price.""
I stared.
"Why would Daniel take Vanessa?""
My father looked at the scattered papers.
"Because Vanessa found the second will.""
"And?""
His eyes filled with tears.
"And because she now knows who her real father was.""
I swallowed.
"Thomas.""
He nodded.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"Thomas didn't die three years ago, Nora.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
Richard took a shaky breath.
"The man who died was someone else. Thomas disappeared after your mother's funeral. And the person who has been controlling Whitmore Capital Holdings...""
He looked directly into my eyes.
"...has been using his name.""
I felt the room tilt.
"Who?""
My father closed his eyes.
"Your grandfather.""
I stared at him.
"Grandpa died twenty years ago.""
Richard shook his head.
"Not your grandfather, Nora.""
He pointed toward the broken photograph.
"Thomas Whitmore. Your sister's real father.""
And somewhere upstairs, a floorboard creaked.
A woman's voice whispered:
"That's not true.""
Vanessa stepped out of the darkness.
She was holding the missing photograph.
And beside her stood a man whose face I recognized from the picture.
May you like
The man everyone had told me was dead.
Thomas Whitmore.
