Chapter 15: The Daughter of a Dead Woman
Wade felt the floor shift beneath his feet.
"That's impossible.""
Sarah's voice came through the receiver.
"That's what everybody keeps telling me.""
Wade grabbed the phone.
"Sarah, listen to me. Your name is Mercer. Your mother was Susan Mercer.""
"That's what my adoption papers say.""
"Then why are you calling Thomas your father?""
"Because he raised me.""
Wade couldn't breathe.
Frank closed his eyes.
Martha stood beside him, listening.
Sarah continued.
"My adoptive parents died when I was sixteen. A man came to the funeral. He said he had known my biological mother. He told me there were people who wanted to hurt me because of my father's business.""
Wade's voice cracked.
"Who was that man?""
"Henry Bell.""
Wade looked at Frank.
Sarah continued.
"He paid for my education. He helped me buy my first apartment. He visited me every Christmas.""
Wade shook his head.
"Henry wasn't your father.""
"Then why did he have photographs of my mother?""
Wade had no answer.
Sarah took a breath.
"There's something else. A month before he died, Henry gave me a box. He told me never to open it unless somebody named Wade Mercer contacted me.""
Wade's heart pounded.
"What was inside?""
"A letter. And a photograph.""
"Can you read the letter?""
Sarah hesitated.
"Not over the phone.""
"Please.""
"No. I need to see you.""
Wade closed his eyes.
"Where?""
"There's an old diner on Route 16. Tomorrow morning. Eight o'clock.""
"Sarah—"
"And bring Frank Bell.""
The line went dead.
Wade stared at the receiver.
Frank slowly sat down.
Martha approached.
"What does this mean?""
Frank looked exhausted.
"It means Thomas has been playing a much longer game than we thought.""
That evening, they gathered around the repair shop's workbench.
Lucas had recovered more information from the ledger.
The forty-three names were connected to businesses, government contracts, banks, and several people who had supposedly died decades earlier.
One name appeared repeatedly.
*THOMAS BELL.*
Another appeared beside it.
*SUSAN MERCER.*
Wade studied the entries.
"My wife never worked for Thomas.""
Frank looked at him.
"She may have been forced.""
"Why?""
Frank pointed to a payment made in 1996.
"Look at the account number.""
Lucas enlarged it.
"This is a trust account.""
"Whose?""
Lucas checked the records.
"Sarah's.""
Wade frowned.
"She was two years old.""
Frank nodded.
"Thomas created an account in her name. It was used to move money through several companies.""
Wade looked sick.
"My daughter was used as a bank account.""
"That's what it looks like.""
Martha touched his shoulder.
"She didn't know.""
Wade shook his head.
"I should have protected her.""
Frank looked at him.
"You couldn't protect somebody you didn't know existed.""
Wade turned toward him.
"You keep saying that.""
Frank didn't respond.
Wade stood and walked to the window.
"How many more people are there? How many children? How many families did Thomas destroy?""
Lucas looked at the ledger.
"Forty-three names.""
Martha stared at the screen.
"Then we find all forty-three.""
Frank nodded.
"That's why the ledger matters.""
Lucas scrolled further.
"There are photographs attached to several entries.""
He opened one.
A man standing beside a red motorcycle.
Another photograph showed Richard Bell at a warehouse.
Then a third image appeared.
It showed Susan Mercer.
She was standing outside a hospital, holding a newborn baby.
Wade stepped closer.
The date was October 1994.
He stared at the baby.
"That's Sarah.""
Lucas nodded.
But there was another person in the photograph.
A younger Thomas Bell.
And beside him stood a woman Wade recognized.
Martha gasped.
"Eleanor.""
Wade looked at Frank.
"Your sister-in-law knew Susan?""
Frank nodded slowly.
"Apparently.""
Martha stared at the photograph.
"She told me she'd never met Susan.""
Lucas opened the next image.
It showed Eleanor entering a hospital room.
Then another photograph showed her leaving with a small envelope.
Wade's expression hardened.
"She was involved in the adoption.""
Frank looked down.
"I think she arranged it.""
Martha shook her head.
"Why would she do that?""
Frank's answer came quietly.
"Because Susan knew about the ledger.""
A sudden silence filled the repair shop.
Wade turned.
"You're saying my wife was killed because of this?""
Frank nodded.
"She found out that Thomas was using Sarah's trust account. She threatened to expose him.""
Wade's voice broke.
"And you knew?""
"I suspected.""
Wade grabbed Frank by the jacket.
"You knew my wife might have been murdered, and you never told me?""
Frank didn't resist.
"I'm sorry.""
Wade released him.
He stepped backward.
Martha moved between them.
"Please. We need answers, not another fight.""
Wade turned away.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Lucas noticed something on the screen.
"There's a video file.""
He opened it.
The footage was grainy.
A woman sat in a hospital room.
It was Susan.
She looked tired, but alive.
She was speaking directly to the camera.
"If Wade ever sees this, tell him I didn't leave him.""
Wade stumbled toward the laptop.
"Susan.""
The recording continued.
"I know what Thomas has done. I know about the money, the stolen motorcycles, and the false identities. I've tried to stop him, but he's threatened Sarah.""
She looked toward someone outside the frame.
Then she continued.
"There's one person I still trust. Frank Bell.""
Wade turned toward Frank.
Susan's voice became quieter.
"If anything happens to me, don't let Thomas raise our daughter.""
The video stopped.
Wade stared at the blank screen.
Then he slowly sat down.
"My wife was alive.""
Frank nodded.
"Yes.""
"She knew everything.""
"Yes.""
"Where is she now?""
Frank didn't answer.
Wade looked at him.
"Frank.""
Frank swallowed.
"The last time I saw Susan was in 2004.""
Wade's voice became almost inaudible.
"What happened?""
"She was trying to get Sarah away from Thomas. She arranged to meet me near the river.""
"And?""
Frank looked toward the floor.
"She never arrived.""
Wade closed his eyes.
Another person had disappeared.
Another life had been stolen.
Another empty grave.
Martha looked at the video again.
"Maybe she's still alive.""
Frank didn't answer.
Lucas suddenly opened another file.
"Wait. There's a newer photograph.""
It showed a woman entering a small grocery store.
Her hair was gray.
Her face was older.
But Wade recognized her immediately.
Susan.
The date was only six months old.
Wade grabbed the screen.
"Where was this taken?""
Lucas read the location.
"Portland, Oregon.""
Wade stared at the photograph.
His wife had been alive six months ago.
For twenty-nine years, he had believed she was dead.
And now he had proof that she might still be somewhere in the country.
Then another message appeared on Lucas's laptop.
It was from an unknown sender.
*STOP SEARCHING FOR SUSAN.*
A second message followed.
*SHE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SON.*
Wade looked toward Daniel's hospital photograph.
Then he looked at Frank.
"What does that mean?""
Frank's expression became unreadable.
Finally, he whispered:
"It means Susan may have known Daniel was alive before either of us did.""
Wade shook his head.
"No. She couldn't have.""
Frank opened his mouth.
But before he could answer, the repair shop's side door opened.
A woman stood in the doorway.
Her hair was gray.
Her face was older.
But her eyes were unmistakable.
Wade dropped the photograph.
"Susan?""
She looked at him.
Tears filled her eyes.
"Hello, Wade.""
He took one step forward.
Then she raised her hand.
"Don't come any closer.""
Wade stopped.
Susan looked toward Frank.
"You weren't supposed to bring him into this.""
Frank stood.
"Susan, we need to talk.""
She shook her head.
"No. You need to tell him the truth.""
Wade stared at his wife.
"What truth?""
Susan looked directly into his eyes.
Then she delivered the words that would change everything.
"Daniel isn't your biological son, Wade.""
May you like
She paused.
"And the man who raised him knows exactly who his real father is.""
