Chapter 7: The Aunt Who Knew Everything
"Curtis isn't your real enemy, Noah.""
Aunt Sarah's words echoed through the room.
I stared at the phone in my hand.
"What does that mean?""
She was crying now.
"Sweetheart, I know this is confusing, but you have to trust me.""
I looked at Ray.
He immediately shook his head.
Don't trust her.
I understood.
"Where are you?"" I asked.
"At home.""
"Which home?""
There was a pause.
"The house your mother used to own.""
I frowned.
"Mom never owned a house.""
Sarah stopped crying.
Then she whispered, "That's what Curtis wanted you to believe.""
Officer Miller moved closer and signaled for me to put the call on speaker.
I did.
"Sarah, this is Officer Miller. We need you to come in and explain why you entered the truck-stop office and removed evidence.""
Her voice changed immediately.
"Officer, I can explain everything.""
"Then tell me where the missing envelope is.""
"It's safe.""
"Where?""
"I can't tell you over the phone.""
Officer Miller's expression hardened.
"Then we'll arrange to speak with you in person.""
Before he could continue, Sarah said something else.
"Noah, your mother made a terrible mistake. She trusted the wrong person. And Curtis wasn't the only one who wanted that money.""
"What money?"" I demanded.
Sarah sighed.
"The money your mother inherited from your grandfather.""
I looked at Evelyn.
She seemed just as surprised as I was.
"My grandfather died before I was born," I said.
"Yes. But he left something for you and Lily.""
"Then why did Curtis take everything?""
"He didn't take everything.""
"Then why were we sleeping in a storage room?""
Sarah went silent.
I could hear her breathing.
Finally, she said, "Because I was trying to protect you.""
I felt something break inside me.
"Protect us? You told everybody we lived with you!""
"I know.""
"You let Curtis tell people we were in Ohio!""
"I know, Noah.""
"You knew we weren't going to school!""
Sarah began sobbing.
"I didn't know about the school. I swear.""
Ray stepped closer.
"Then explain why you forged the guardianship document.""
Sarah stopped crying.
Officer Miller looked at the phone.
"Sarah?""
"I didn't forge it.""
"Your signature is on the document.""
"Because Curtis brought it to me and told me it was temporary. He said he needed permission to handle the children's medical paperwork.""
"And you signed it?""
"I didn't understand what I was signing.""
I stared at the table.
Everyone seemed to have an excuse.
Curtis had an excuse for locking Lily away.
Sarah had an excuse for abandoning us.
But nobody had asked whether we were hungry.
Nobody had asked whether we were frightened.
Nobody had asked what it felt like to be eleven years old and responsible for keeping an eight-year-old alive.
"Did Mom know you signed it?"" I asked.
Sarah didn't answer.
"Did she know?""
"Noah...""
"Did she know?""
Finally, she whispered, "Yes.""
I felt my stomach twist.
"She knew you helped him?""
"She found out afterward.""
"Then why did she leave you the second key?""
Sarah took a shaky breath.
"Because she wanted me to fix what I had done.""
Officer Miller interrupted.
"Sarah, we're coming to your location. Do not leave.""
The call ended.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Lily climbed onto the chair beside me.
"Is Aunt Sarah bad?""
I looked at her.
"I don't know.""
Ray crouched.
"Sometimes adults make choices they can't take back. But that doesn't mean you have to trust them.""
I nodded.
An hour later, Officer Miller received a message from the property manager at Mom's former apartment.
Someone had entered the building.
The security camera showed a woman carrying a black handbag.
It was Sarah.
She had gone there before the police could reach her.
Officer Miller immediately sent officers to the address.
But when they arrived, the apartment was empty.
The kitchen table had been moved.
The loose floorboard beneath the bedroom closet had been lifted.
And the small metal safe hidden underneath was gone.
Sarah had taken it.
Ray stared at the photograph on the officer's tablet.
"What's in that safe?""
Evelyn slowly sat down.
"Margaret told me it contained the original inheritance documents.""
Officer Miller looked at her.
"Why didn't you mention this before?""
"Because I thought the box held everything.""
"Apparently not.""
Evelyn shook her head.
"There's something else. Margaret said the safe contained a letter from Daniel Brooks.""
The name made Ray look up.
"The missing business partner?""
"Yes.""
Officer Miller immediately requested a search for Daniel.
But Sarah's actions had created another problem.
She had left behind a small piece of paper on the apartment floor.
Officer Miller read it aloud.
The children must never meet Daniel. He knows what happened the night Margaret died.
My mouth went dry.
I looked at Evelyn.
"Did Daniel hurt my mother?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Then why does Sarah want us away from him?""
Evelyn looked down.
Before she could answer, Officer Miller's phone rang.
He listened.
Then his face changed.
"Where?""
He grabbed his jacket.
"Send the unit immediately.""
Ray stood.
"What happened?""
Officer Miller looked at me.
"We found Daniel Brooks.""
"Where?""
He hesitated.
"At a hospital.""
My heart pounded.
"Is he alive?""
Officer Miller nodded.
"Yes.""
Then he added:
"But he's been using a different name for the past two years.""
He showed us a photograph.
It was the same man standing beside my mother in the picture from Evelyn's folder.
May you like
And written beneath his hospital identification photograph was a name I had never heard before.
*Curtis Brooks.*
