Chapter 10: The Night Rachel Died
I read the message four times.
Ask your mother what happened the night Rachel died.
Then the second sentence.
Daniel wasn't the only person in the car that night.
I stood in the hallway, staring at my phone while the house continued its ordinary evening routine around me.
A television played downstairs.
Water ran in the bathroom.
Somewhere, Emma laughed at something on her phone.
But all I could think about was Rachel.
The night she died had been the worst night of my life.
I'd been at home when the police called. Rachel had been driving back from visiting her sister when a truck crossed the center line. Her car had rolled into a ditch.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Daniel had called me afterward.
He'd said he was sorry.
He'd attended the funeral.
Then, a few months later, we'd fought over our father's estate, and our relationship had collapsed.
I'd never questioned the accident.
Not once.
Until now.
I walked downstairs and found Tara sitting on the couch.
"Did you take the blue folder?""
She looked up.
"No.""
"Did Daniel?""
"I don't know.""
"Have you spoken to my mother today?""
Her expression changed.
"Why?""
"Just answer the question.""
Tara put down her phone.
"Marcus, this is getting ridiculous.""
I showed her the message.
She read it.
For a moment, her face went completely blank.
Then she handed the phone back.
"Someone is trying to manipulate you.""
"Who?""
"Probably Daniel.""
"Why would Daniel tell me to ask my mother about Rachel's accident?""
Tara shrugged.
"How would I know?""
I watched her carefully.
"Did you know Daniel was involved in the accident?""
She stood abruptly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Then why do you look frightened?""
"I'm tired of being interrogated in my own home.""
She picked up her phone and walked upstairs.
I called my mother.
She didn't answer.
I tried again.
Nothing.
At 9:15 p.m., she finally returned my call.
"Marcus?""
"Mom, I need you to tell me something.""
"What's wrong?""
"Was Daniel with Rachel the night she died?""
Silence.
Not ordinary silence.
The kind that comes when someone hears a question they've spent years hoping nobody will ask.
"Mom?""
She exhaled shakily.
"Who told you that?""
My stomach tightened.
"So it's true?""
"Marcus, I don't think we should discuss this over the phone.""
"Why not?""
"Because I need to explain.""
"Then explain.""
She began crying.
"Daniel wasn't driving the car, sweetheart. Rachel was.""
"I know that.""
"But he was following her.""
I sat down.
"Why?""
"Your father had left some documents with Rachel. Daniel believed she had information about his inheritance.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why would Rachel have Dad's documents?""
"She was helping your father organize his affairs before he died.""
That part was true. Rachel had been the most organized person in our family.
"What happened that night?""
My mother took a shaky breath.
"Daniel called me after the accident. He said Rachel had been upset and had threatened to expose something.""
"What something?""
"He wouldn't tell me.""
I stood.
"Mom, did you know Daniel was following her?""
"I found out afterward.""
"Did you tell the police?""
"No.""
"Why?""
She began sobbing.
"Because Daniel said he hadn't caused the accident. He said he was only trying to talk to her.""
I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter.
"Was there another person?""
My mother didn't answer.
"Mom?""
Finally, she whispered, "Tara.""
I felt the room tilt.
"What?""
"Tara was with Daniel that night.""
I couldn't speak.
My mother continued.
"They were in Daniel's car. They had been arguing with Rachel earlier that evening. Daniel said he was trying to get her to stop because she had taken something that belonged to him.""
"What did she take?""
"I don't know.""
I stared at the wall.
"Did the police know Tara was there?""
"They knew Daniel had been nearby. I don't know whether they knew Tara was with him.""
I lowered my voice.
"Mom, did you lie to the police?""
She cried harder.
"I was afraid of losing both my sons.""
I ended the call only after she promised to meet me the following morning.
For several minutes, I stood motionless.
Then I heard footsteps.
Lily was at the bottom of the stairs.
She was wearing her pajamas.
"Are you okay, Dad?""
I immediately put my phone away.
"Yes, sweetheart. Why are you awake?""
"I heard you talking.""
I walked toward her.
"Go back to bed.""
She didn't move.
"Was it about Mom?""
I hesitated.
"Some things happened before you came to live here. I'm trying to understand them.""
She looked at me.
"Did Tara do something bad to Mom?""
I knelt.
"I don't know yet.""
Lily's lower lip trembled.
"She doesn't like talking about Mom.""
I brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"I know.""
"Sometimes she says Mom made everything difficult.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Your mother loved you more than anything.""
Lily nodded.
Then she returned upstairs.
I watched her disappear.
At 11:30 p.m., I went into the home office and opened my laptop.
I searched the local news archives for the accident report.
The newspaper article was brief.
Local Woman Dies in Highway Collision.
Rachel's photograph appeared beside the headline.
The article mentioned that another vehicle had been seen traveling behind her car.
But the police had been unable to establish a connection.
I kept reading.
Then I found a follow-up report published three days later.
A witness had reported seeing a dark SUV parked near the accident location shortly before emergency services arrived.
The vehicle had never been identified.
I saved the article.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A man's voice spoke.
"Marcus, this is Daniel.""
I stood.
"What do you want?""
"We need to talk.""
"You can start by telling me why Tara was in your car the night Rachel died.""
Silence.
Then Daniel sighed.
"Where did you hear that?""
"From my mother.""
He laughed bitterly.
"Of course she told you.""
"Did you follow Rachel?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because she had something that belonged to our father.""
"What?""
"His original estate documents.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Why would Rachel have them?""
"Because she knew what was in them.""
"And what was in them?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"Something that proves you didn't inherit what you think you inherited.""
I stared at the phone.
"What are you talking about?""
"Meet me tomorrow.""
"No.""
"Marcus, you need to hear this before you destroy your marriage and drag Lily into something she doesn't understand.""
I almost laughed.
"You've already dragged my daughter into it.""
Daniel's voice became sharper.
"Then listen carefully. Rachel knew about the money. She knew what our father had done. And she was going to tell you everything.""
I swallowed.
"What money?""
He paused.
Then said:
"The money that was supposed to belong to Lily.""
The call ended.
I stood in the dark office.
My brother had just connected our father's estate, Rachel's death, Tara's guardianship scheme, and Lily's inheritance.
And suddenly, I understood that the missing document might be worth far more than the money in the trust.
It might explain why Rachel had been afraid of both of them.
My phone vibrated again.
A message from Daniel.
*Meet me at Dad's old property tomorrow. Come alone.*
Then another message appeared.
*And Marcus, bring the original letter Rachel left you.*
I looked toward the staircase.
Lily was asleep upstairs.
May you like
Whatever had happened two years ago, I wasn't going to let it hurt her again.
But I had no idea that the next morning, someone would arrive at my mother's house carrying a photograph that would change everything.
