Chapter 10: The Detective Carrying My Mother's Box
Detective Robert Hayes walked into the station carrying a brown leather briefcase.
He wore a dark navy suit, polished black shoes, and a silver watch that caught the fluorescent light whenever he moved his hand.
He looked like every respectable detective I had ever seen on television.
He also looked exactly like the man who had once stood beside Curtis at the truck stop and told me to stop worrying about grown-up problems.
"Officer Miller," he said calmly.
"I heard you had some questions about an old investigation.""
Officer Miller didn't smile.
"Put the briefcase on the table, Robert.""
Hayes glanced around the room.
His eyes stopped on Daniel.
For half a second, his expression changed.
Then he looked at Sarah.
"Well, this is quite a reunion.""
Ray moved closer to Lily and me.
Officer Miller pointed toward the table.
"The briefcase.""
Hayes placed it down.
"What's this about?""
"We have evidence suggesting you interfered with the investigation into Margaret Hayes's death.""
Hayes laughed.
"That's a serious accusation.""
"Then you shouldn't have anything to worry about.""
Hayes opened the briefcase.
Inside was a small wooden box.
I recognized it immediately.
It was Mom's box.
But it wasn't the same one we had opened.
This one was smaller, darker, and had a brass handle.
"Where did you get that?"" I asked.
Hayes looked at me.
"Hello, Noah.""
I stepped backward.
"That's not yours.""
He gave me a polite smile.
"Your mother left a lot of things behind.""
Ray's voice became cold.
"Don't speak to him.""
Hayes ignored him.
"Officer Miller, I believe this belongs to the family.""
He pushed the box across the table.
Officer Miller didn't touch it.
"Why do you have it?""
"Because I found it.""
"Where?""
"At a property connected to the investigation.""
"Which property?""
Hayes closed the briefcase.
"That's classified.""
Officer Miller leaned forward.
"You're not handling this investigation anymore.""
Hayes smiled.
"Actually, I never stopped handling it.""
The room went silent.
Then he looked directly at Sarah.
"You should have stayed quiet.""
Sarah began trembling.
Officer Miller immediately stood between them.
"Robert, step away from the table.""
Hayes raised his hands.
"Relax. I'm trying to help.""
Ray stared at him.
"You've got a strange way of helping children.""
Hayes turned toward Ray.
"And who exactly are you?""
"Someone who knows what happens when adults hurt children and nobody speaks up.""
Hayes looked away.
Officer Miller asked him to provide identification and explain why he had taken possession of the box.
Hayes reached into his jacket.
But instead of pulling out identification, he removed a folded document.
He placed it on the table.
"This is the original property transfer authorization.""
Evelyn leaned forward.
Her face went pale.
"Where did you get that?""
Hayes smiled.
"From the woman who signed it.""
He pointed at Sarah.
Sarah shook her head.
"I never gave you that.""
Hayes shrugged.
"Maybe you forgot.""
Officer Miller picked up the document.
He examined the signature.
Then he looked at Sarah.
"Is this yours?""
Sarah stared at it.
"Yes, but I never authorized that property transfer.""
Hayes laughed.
"Of course you did.""
He turned toward me.
"Your mother wasn't exactly honest with everyone, Noah.""
I clenched my fists.
"Don't talk about my mother.""
"She kept secrets.""
"She was trying to protect us.""
Hayes's smile disappeared.
"From what?""
I looked directly at him.
"From people like you.""
For the first time, he seemed genuinely annoyed.
Officer Miller closed the document folder.
"Robert, you're coming with us.""
Hayes looked surprised.
"On what grounds?""
"Questioning regarding the unauthorized possession of evidence, possible interference with an investigation, and the circumstances surrounding Margaret Hayes's death.""
Hayes slowly stood.
"You don't have enough.""
Officer Miller nodded toward the hallway.
"We'll see.""
Two uniformed officers approached.
Hayes didn't resist.
But before leaving, he looked at me one more time.
"Ask your aunt what happened at the hospital.""
Then he walked away.
I turned toward Sarah.
She was crying.
"What happened?"" I asked.
Sarah covered her mouth.
"Your mother asked me to meet her that night.""
"Why?""
"She wanted to tell me something about Curtis.""
"What?""
Sarah shook her head.
"I never got to hear all of it.""
"Why not?""
"Because when I arrived, Curtis was already there.""
I remembered the photograph Daniel had shown us.
Curtis outside the hospital.
The visitor log.
The changed time of death.
"Did you see my mother?""
Sarah nodded.
"She was awake when I entered.""
I stepped closer.
"What did she say?""
Sarah looked at me.
"She told me she had discovered something about Curtis's real identity.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Sarah wiped her face.
"Your stepfather wasn't born Curtis Hayes.""
Evelyn slowly stood.
Daniel looked toward the floor.
Sarah continued.
"His real name is Curtis Brooks.""
I stared at her.
Daniel's brother.
The man who had been using another identity.
But then Sarah said something even stranger.
"Your mother had discovered he was using your grandfather's identity too.""
Officer Miller returned to the room.
He had heard the last sentence.
"What identity?""
Sarah looked at him.
"The name on the original inheritance documents. Curtis had been pretending to be Margaret's legal representative for years.""
Officer Miller looked toward the wooden box.
"Then the contents of that box may establish who actually controlled the estate.""
I looked at the box.
"Can we open it?""
Officer Miller nodded.
He put on gloves and examined the lock.
Inside was another envelope, a flash drive, and several pages of handwritten notes.
The envelope had my name on it.
I opened it.
The first sentence made my knees weak.
Noah, if you are reading this, then someone has finally discovered what Curtis did to our family.
I continued.
But there is one thing I never told you.
Curtis was not the only person who knew about the money.
Your father knew too.
I stopped.
I had never known my father.
I looked at Evelyn.
"What father?""
She slowly shook her head.
"Your mother never told me his name.""
Then I looked at Sarah.
She was staring at the letter as if she had seen a ghost.
"Sarah?""
She began crying.
"Your father isn't dead, Noah.""
My hands went cold.
"Then where is he?""
May you like
Sarah looked toward the hallway where Detective Hayes had disappeared.
"He's the reason Curtis has been so desperate to find that box.""
