Chapter 8: The Man With Two Names
I couldn't stop staring at the photograph.
Curtis Brooks.
The same last name as my stepfather.
I looked at Officer Miller.
"Is that the man who raised us?""
"No. Your stepfather's legal name is Curtis Hayes. Daniel Brooks is a different person.""
I looked at Evelyn.
"Then why do they have the same last name?""
She slowly shook her head.
"They were brothers.""
The room seemed to tilt.
I had never heard Mom mention a brother.
Not once.
Ray pulled out a chair.
"Start from the beginning.""
Evelyn opened her folder.
"Margaret met Daniel when they were both working for a small property investment company. They eventually started a business together. Daniel handled the accounts, while Margaret managed the properties.""
"What happened?"" Officer Miller asked.
"Money disappeared. Properties were transferred without proper authorization. Margaret discovered irregularities and confronted Daniel.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Was Daniel stealing?""
Evelyn nodded.
"That's what Margaret believed.""
"And Curtis?""
"He was Daniel's younger brother. He became close to Margaret after the business began falling apart.""
Ray leaned forward.
"So he married her to get access to the records?""
"That was Margaret's suspicion.""
My hands tightened.
I remembered Curtis sitting at our kitchen table, eating dinner while Mom washed dishes.
I remembered him calling me his boy.
I remembered him teaching me to ride a bicycle.
Was all of it fake?
"Did Mom know they were brothers?"" I asked.
"Yes. She discovered it shortly before she died.""
I stared at the floor.
Officer Miller received the hospital's address and arranged an interview.
Ray asked whether he could accompany us.
The officer agreed, provided the hospital approved the visit.
Lily remained with Ms. Bennett, who promised we would return together.
When we reached the hospital, a security guard escorted us to a private room.
Daniel Brooks was sitting beside the window.
He looked older than the photograph.
His hair was almost completely gray, and one of his hands trembled slightly.
When he saw Evelyn, he closed his eyes.
"You brought them.""
Evelyn nodded.
"These are Margaret's children.""
Daniel looked at me.
Then at Lily.
His eyes filled with tears.
"You're Noah.""
I nodded.
"And this is Lily.""
Lily held my hand.
Daniel slowly stood.
"I knew your mother loved you both.""
I didn't move.
"Why did you disappear?""
He looked down.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Curtis?""
He nodded.
Officer Miller pulled out a chair.
"Mr. Brooks, we need to discuss your relationship with Curtis Hayes.""
Daniel sat down.
"He was my brother. And I made a terrible mistake trusting him.""
He explained that Curtis had approached him after the business collapsed. He promised they could recover the missing money if Daniel helped transfer several properties into different names.
Daniel agreed.
At first, he believed it was legitimate.
Then he discovered that Curtis was using forged signatures.
One of those signatures belonged to my mother.
Daniel confronted him.
Curtis threatened to report him for the financial crimes.
Daniel disappeared before he could be arrested.
"Why didn't you tell the police?"" Ray asked.
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Because I had done things I wasn't proud of. I was afraid of prison.""
I looked at him.
"And Mom?""
Daniel's face tightened.
"Your mother discovered everything. She wanted to expose us both.""
"Did you hurt her?""
"No.""
His answer came immediately.
"I never laid a hand on Margaret.""
"Then what happened to her?""
Daniel looked toward the window.
"She was preparing to meet an investigator. She had the original records and a recording of Curtis admitting what he had done.""
Officer Miller leaned forward.
"Do you know who the investigator was?""
Daniel nodded.
"Her name was Evelyn Carter.""
Evelyn stiffened.
Daniel continued.
"But before Margaret could meet her, Curtis found out about the recording.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did he do?""
Daniel looked at me.
"He threatened her. He told her that if she handed over the evidence, he would make sure she lost everything.""
I remembered the hospital room.
Mom's weak voice.
Her warning about the key.
I swallowed.
"Did Curtis cause her death?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Officer Miller repeated the question.
"Mr. Brooks, do you have evidence that Curtis was involved in Margaret's death?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"I have something.""
He reached beneath his hospital blanket and removed a folded piece of paper.
It was an old photograph.
The image showed a black SUV parked outside the hospital.
A man stood beside the driver's door.
I recognized him immediately.
Curtis.
On the back was a handwritten date.
It was the night before Mom died.
Daniel handed it to Officer Miller.
"He came to the hospital that night. He told me Margaret was going to sign the documents and stop fighting.""
"Why were you there?""
"I had gone to warn her.""
"Did you see Curtis enter her room?""
Daniel nodded.
"I saw him leave.""
Officer Miller studied the photograph.
"How long was he inside?""
"Twenty-three minutes.""
I stared at Daniel.
"Did you tell anybody?""
"I called the police the next morning. But before I could make a statement, Curtis sent me a photograph of my daughter.""
Daniel's voice broke.
"He told me he knew where she lived.""
Ray's face hardened.
"Your daughter?""
Daniel nodded.
"Her name is Emma. She's the little girl in that photograph.""
I looked at the picture again.
"Where is she now?""
Daniel looked toward Evelyn.
"With her mother. I haven't seen her in years.""
Then he reached into his bedside drawer and pulled out another envelope.
"This is why I agreed to meet you.""
Officer Miller took it.
"What is it?""
"A copy of the hospital visitor log from the night Margaret died.""
He opened the envelope.
Inside was a printed page containing several names.
One entry had been circled in red.
Curtis Hayes.
But beneath it was another name.
A name that made Evelyn gasp.
*Sarah Mitchell.*
My aunt.
I looked at her.
"She was there too?""
Daniel nodded.
"She arrived before Curtis left.""
Officer Miller studied the timestamp.
Then he asked Daniel the question nobody had thought to ask.
"Why would Margaret's sister visit her at the hospital that night?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Because Sarah was the one who gave Curtis the key to Margaret's medical records.""
Evelyn stood.
"That's impossible.""
Daniel looked directly at her.
"Then explain why Sarah's signature appears on the document authorizing the hospital to release Margaret's personal records.""
I felt Lily's hand tighten around mine.
I wanted to believe Aunt Sarah had made one mistake.
Just one.
But now there were too many.
Then Daniel said something that changed the direction of the entire investigation.
"There's another recording. One Margaret made in the hospital. But it's not in the box.""
Officer Miller looked up.
"Where is it?""
May you like
Daniel pointed toward the hallway.
"Sarah has it.""
