Chapter 12: The Truth Buried With Reena
Peter stared at the note.
ASK HIM WHO REALLY KILLED REENA.
The words were written in black ink.
Simple.
Cold.
Designed to destroy whatever trust was left in the room.
Peter slowly raised his eyes.
Everyone was watching Aaron.
Not because they believed the note.
Because they were afraid it might be true.
Aaron looked exhausted.
Older than he had moments ago.
The weight of years seemed to settle on his shoulders.
Peter held up the paper.
“Tell me.””
Aaron didn't move.
“Peter.””
“No.””
Peter's voice was quiet.
That made it more dangerous.
“I have spent three years believing you were dead.””
Aaron looked down.
“I know.””
“I have spent the last few days finding out that everything I believed was a lie.””
Aaron swallowed.
“I know.””
Peter stepped closer.
“So now I need one answer.””
The room was silent.
“Did you kill Reena?””
Aaron closed his eyes.
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
Then:
“No.””
Peter watched him carefully.
The answer came too quickly.
Too easily.
“Then why does Evelyn want me to ask?””
Aaron looked at the note.
“Because she knows the truth is complicated.””
Peter laughed bitterly.
“Everything with you is complicated.””
Aaron accepted that.
Because he deserved it.
Hale stepped forward.
“Peter.””
Peter looked at him.
“What?””
“Before you judge him, understand something.””
Peter stared.
“You knew.””
Hale didn't deny it.
“I knew part of it.””
“Everyone knows parts.””
Peter looked around.
“And I know nothing.””
Aaron stepped forward.
“That isn't true.””
Peter looked at him.
“Then tell me something true.””
Aaron went quiet.
Finally, he said:
“Reena died because of me.””
The words hit harder than Peter expected.
Hale looked at Aaron.
“Aaron.””
Aaron shook his head.
“No.””
He looked at Peter.
“He deserves the truth.””
Peter waited.
“Three years ago, the night I disappeared, I went to confront Reena.””
Peter frowned.
“Why?””
“Because I found proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That she was planning to take my children.””
Peter nodded slowly.
“I know.””
“No.””
Aaron looked at him.
“You don't know the worst part.””
Peter felt cold.
“What was the worst part?””
Aaron looked away.
“She wasn't planning to take them alone.””
“Thomas?””
Aaron shook his head.
“No.””
“Evelyn?””
Aaron nodded.
“And someone else.””
Peter frowned.
“Who?””
Aaron hesitated.
Then:
“Someone from my own family.””
Peter felt the air leave the room.
“What?””
Aaron continued.
“I found documents.””
“What kind of documents?””
“Documents proving someone had been moving money from the trust.””
Peter looked confused.
“The trust was protected.””
“Yes.””
“So how?””
Aaron's face tightened.
“Someone with access.””
Peter thought back.
The lawyers.
The accounts.
The people around Aaron.
“Who had access?””
Aaron didn't answer.
Peter's frustration returned.
“Say it.””
Aaron whispered:
“Reena.””
Peter stared.
“She stole from you.””
“Yes.””
“And you confronted her.””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Aaron looked down.
“She admitted it.””
Peter waited.
“And?””
Aaron's voice became quieter.
“She told me she had no choice.””
Peter frowned.
“No choice?””
“She said Evelyn had her trapped.””
Peter remembered.
Reena.
The woman everyone thought was the monster.
Was she also controlled?
Aaron nodded.
“She was afraid.””
Peter shook his head.
“I don't understand.””
“Neither did I.””
Aaron looked toward the dark hallway.
“But then I found out the truth.””
“What truth?””
“Reena wasn't trying to destroy my family.””
Peter stared.
“What?””
“She was trying to escape.””
The revelation changed everything.
Peter looked at Hale.
The detective nodded slowly.
“That was what Aaron discovered.””
Peter looked at him.
“You knew?””
“I helped him investigate.””
Peter turned back.
“Then why did everyone think Reena was the villain?””
Hale answered quietly.
“Because someone needed her to be.””
Peter looked at Aaron.
“Evelyn.””
Aaron nodded.
“She needed someone everyone would blame.””
Peter looked down at the note.
“So who killed her?””
Aaron was silent.
The silence told Peter there was something worse.
“Aaron.””
His brother finally spoke.
“Reena wasn't killed by a stranger.””
Peter waited.
“She was killed by someone she trusted.””
A chill moved through the room.
“Who?””
Aaron looked at Hale.
The detective's face changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
“No.””
Peter turned.
“What?””
Hale shook his head.
“No.””
Aaron looked at him.
“Marcus.””
Hale stepped back.
“No.””
Peter stared between them.
“What are you saying?””
Aaron looked devastated.
“Marcus was there.””
Peter's heart sank.
“But you said he wasn't the betrayer.””
“He wasn't.””
“Then why was he there?””
Aaron didn't answer.
Hale did.
“Because I tried to stop it.””
Peter looked at him.
“Stop what?””
Hale's voice became low.
“Reena's death.””
The station went silent.
Peter looked at Aaron.
“Explain.””
Aaron took a breath.
“That night, I went to Reena's house.””
“Alone?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
“She was already scared.””
“Because of Evelyn?””
“Yes.””
Peter waited.
“She wanted to tell me everything.””
“What stopped her?””
Aaron looked down.
“She was killed before she could.””
Peter felt a chill.
“By who?””
Aaron looked at Hale.
The detective closed his eyes.
“I arrived after.””
Peter stared.
“You found her?””
“Yes.””
“Alive?””
“No.””
Peter swallowed.
“And Aaron?””
Aaron looked away.
“I found her too.””
Peter froze.
“You were there.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you run?””
Aaron's expression broke.
“Because I thought I had caused it.””
Peter frowned.
“How?””
Aaron looked at him.
“Because when I arrived, Reena was already dead.””
He paused.
“But the evidence made it look like I did it.””
Peter understood.
Someone had framed him.
Aaron continued.
“My fingerprints were there.””
“Why?””
“Because I touched her.””
Peter stared.
“I tried to help her.””
Hale nodded.
“He was set up.””
Peter looked at him.
“By Evelyn?””
“Yes.””
“But why?””
Aaron answered.
“Because she needed me gone.””
Peter looked confused.
“Gone?””
“Yes.””
“Why not kill you?””
Aaron looked toward the floor.
“Because a dead man becomes a mystery.””
Peter waited.
“But a murderer becomes a monster.””
The words settled.
Evelyn hadn't wanted Aaron dead.
She wanted him destroyed.
Peter looked at Hale.
“Then why arrest him now?””
Hale answered.
“Because Evelyn needed the story completed.””
“What story?””
“That Aaron disappeared, returned, and murdered Reena to cover it up.””
Peter felt sick.
“She planned all of this.””
“Yes.””
A sudden sound interrupted them.
A phone ringing.
Everyone looked.
It was Aaron's.
He slowly picked it up.
Unknown number.
Peter watched.
Aaron answered.
A voice came through.
Ava.
“Daddy?””
Aaron froze.
“Ava?””
The little girl's voice trembled.
“She's here.””
Aaron stood immediately.
“Who?””
Silence.
Then:
“Mommy.””
Peter felt confused.
“Mommy?””
Aaron looked at him.
Ava continued.
“Daddy, she says she forgives you.””
Aaron's face changed.
“No.””
The fear returned.
“Ava, listen to me. Move away from her.””
Ava whispered:
“She said you would say that.””
Aaron looked terrified.
“Where are you?””
Ava didn't answer.
Instead, another voice came through.
A woman's voice.
Soft.
Calm.
Familiar.
“Hello, Aaron.””
Peter knew immediately.
Evelyn.
Aaron gripped the phone.
“Let her go.””
Evelyn laughed quietly.
“You still don't understand.””
“What?””
“This was never about punishment.””
“Then what?””
A pause.
Then Evelyn said:
“About proving something.””
Aaron's face tightened.
“Proving what?””
“That even after everything…”
Her voice became colder.
“You still choose the wrong people.””
Peter watched Aaron.
“Where are Drew and Lily?””
Evelyn ignored him.
“Aaron, tell Peter the final secret.””
Aaron went still.
Peter noticed.
“What final secret?””
Evelyn continued.
“The one you never wanted him to know.””
Aaron said nothing.
Peter felt his stomach tighten.
“Aaron.””
His brother looked at him.
Pain filled his eyes.
Evelyn smiled through the phone.
“Tell him who his real father was.””
Peter froze.
The room went silent.
“What?””
Aaron closed his eyes.
“Aaron?””
Evelyn spoke.
“Tell him.””
Peter stared.
“What is she talking about?””
Aaron didn't answer.
And that was the answer.
Peter took a step back.
“No.””
Aaron looked at him.
“Peter.””
“No.””
His voice shook.
“Not another secret.””
Aaron whispered:
“Our father wasn't your biological father.””
The words destroyed the room.
Peter couldn't understand them.
Couldn't process them.
“What?””
Aaron looked broken.
“I found out years ago.””
“When?””
“Before I disappeared.””
Peter stared.
“And you didn't tell me?””
Aaron's eyes filled.
“I was trying to protect you.””
Peter laughed.
A painful sound.
“Protect me.””
He repeated it.
“Everyone always protects me.””
Ava's voice suddenly came through the phone.
“Daddy?””
Everyone froze.
Then the line went silent.
Evelyn spoke one last time.
“Choose carefully this time, Aaron.””
A pause.
“Because one family member is waiting for you.””
The call ended.
Peter stood frozen.
His entire life had changed twice in one night.
His brother was alive.
His father wasn't his father.
His missing children were being held by the woman who controlled everything.
And the person who knew the truth was standing in front of him.
Aaron.
Peter looked at his brother.
“I don't know who you are anymore.””
The words hurt Aaron.
But he nodded.
“I know.””
Peter turned away.
Then his phone buzzed.
A new message.
From an unknown number.
A picture.
Drew.
Lily.
Ava.
Alive.
And underneath:
COME TO THE PLACE WHERE YOUR FAMILY STARTED.
Peter stared.
Then another line appeared.
BRING AARON.
A final message followed.
LEAVE EVERYONE ELSE BEHIND.
Peter looked up.
Aaron was already reading it.
And his face had gone completely white.
Because he knew where they had to go.
“The old house.””
Peter frowned.
“What old house?””
Aaron whispered:
“The house where our father disappeared.””
Outside, thunder rolled.
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And for the first time in three years...
The Calder family was going home.
