Chapter 9: The House Beyond the River
Wade pushed Lucas toward the bathroom.
"Move!""
Martha grabbed Emily's hand.
The emergency lights flickered on, bathing the hospital corridor in a dim red glow.
Outside the room, footsteps approached.
Wade opened the bathroom door and looked through the small window.
A fire escape led down to the parking area.
"Can you climb?"" he asked Lucas.
Lucas looked at his cast.
"With one hand?""
"Then use the other one.""
Emily shook her head.
"Mom first.""
Martha protested.
"I'm not leaving you.""
Emily looked directly at her.
"You're going to see Dad again. That's an order.""
Martha's eyes filled.
Wade helped her through the window.
Then Lucas climbed out.
Emily followed.
Wade was about to leave when the hospital room door burst open.
Two men entered.
One carried a flashlight.
The other held a pistol.
"Where are they?""
Wade stepped behind the door.
The first man entered.
Wade struck him across the wrist, sending the flashlight flying.
The weapon hit the floor.
The second man raised his gun.
Wade threw himself sideways.
A shot shattered the bathroom mirror.
Wade grabbed the first man's jacket and slammed him against the wall.
Then he ran.
He climbed through the window just as another shot rang out.
Outside, Duke was waiting beside his truck.
"Get in!""
Wade jumped into the passenger seat.
"Where's everybody?""
"Already inside.""
The truck roared away.
Behind them, two black vehicles emerged from the hospital parking garage.
Duke checked the mirror.
"Looks like they really want that family reunion.""
Wade looked at Lucas.
"Do you know the address on that document?""
Lucas nodded.
"Yes.""
"Can you guide us?""
"There's a problem.""
Wade sighed.
"There's always a problem.""
Lucas opened his laptop.
"The address belongs to a property registered under an old company. The company was dissolved in 2001.""
"Who owns the property now?""
"Nobody officially.""
Wade looked at him.
"Then why was there a payment four days ago?""
Lucas turned the screen.
"Because somebody used a new account to pay the property taxes.""
"Whose account?""
Lucas hesitated.
"Richard Bell.""
Duke accelerated.
"Then we're going to have a very interesting morning.""
The house stood beyond the river, surrounded by trees and an old iron fence.
It was small.
White-painted.
With a narrow porch and a red mailbox.
Martha recognized it from the photograph.
"This is the place.""
Wade parked outside.
The others climbed out.
Duke checked the road.
Emily held Lucas's backpack while he examined the property records.
"There's no electricity registered to this address," Lucas said.
"Doesn't mean nobody's living here," Wade replied.
Martha approached the front door.
A small wooden sign hung beside it.
*BELL HOUSE.*
She touched the letters.
Frank had made signs like this when he was young.
She knew his handwriting.
Her fingers trembled.
"He's been here.""
Wade knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
Then he noticed a small brass bell attached to the doorframe.
He pressed it.
Three short rings.
One long ring.
A pause.
Then two short rings.
Martha turned.
"That's our signal.""
Wade looked at her.
"What?""
"When Frank used to leave the garage late at night, he'd ring the bell that way so I knew it was him.""
The door opened.
A woman stood inside.
Silver hair.
Blue scarf.
Eleanor.
Martha stared at her younger sister.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Eleanor stepped forward.
"Hello, Martha.""
Martha slapped her.
The sound echoed through the doorway.
Eleanor didn't defend herself.
Martha's voice broke.
"You let me bury you.""
"I know.""
"You let me believe I had lost everybody.""
"I know.""
"You let Emily grow up thinking her father had abandoned her.""
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
"I know.""
Martha began crying.
"Then why?""
Eleanor reached for her hand.
"Because if I had told you the truth, they would have found Frank.""
Martha pulled away.
"Who?""
Eleanor looked past her.
"Everybody.""
Wade stepped forward.
"Where is Frank?""
Eleanor glanced toward the interior of the house.
"He's inside.""
Martha stopped breathing.
"He's here?""
Eleanor nodded.
"He's been waiting.""
Martha pushed past her.
The living room was modest.
An old sofa stood beside a fireplace.
There were books on the shelves and photographs on the walls.
One photograph showed a younger Martha holding Emily as a baby.
Another showed Frank standing beside Wade.
And another showed Daniel as a teenager.
Martha touched the photograph.
Then she heard a voice from the kitchen.
"Martha?""
She turned.
A man stood in the doorway.
His hair was almost completely white.
His shoulders were thinner.
His face was lined with deep wrinkles.
But his eyes were the same.
The eyes she had looked into on their wedding day.
The eyes she had searched for in every crowd for thirty years.
Frank Bell.
Alive.
Martha took one step.
Then another.
"Frank?""
He nodded.
"My darling.""
She crossed the room and threw her arms around him.
Frank held her tightly.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Martha cried against his chest.
"You came home.""
Frank kissed the top of her head.
"I tried.""
She pulled back.
"Why didn't you call? Why didn't you write?""
"I did.""
"What?""
Frank looked toward Eleanor.
She lowered her head.
Martha understood.
Her sister had intercepted the letters.
"Why?""
Eleanor's eyes filled.
"Because Richard had people watching every mailbox. Every phone. Every person who came near you.""
Martha looked at Frank.
"Was that true?""
He nodded.
"I couldn't risk them finding you.""
"Thirty years, Frank.""
"I know.""
"You missed Emily's wedding.""
Frank closed his eyes.
"I know.""
"You missed Lucas being born.""
"I know.""
"You missed everything.""
His face crumpled.
"I know, sweetheart.""
Martha stepped away.
For the first time, anger rose above her relief.
"Then tell me why you stayed away when Richard was finally in prison.""
Frank looked confused.
"Richard was never in prison.""
Martha froze.
"What?""
"He told me he was going to prison in 2001. Eleanor said the same thing.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"I never said that.""
Frank looked at her.
"Then who told me?""
Silence filled the room.
Wade approached.
"Frank, Richard is alive. He owns the dealership. And he's working with someone using the identity of a dead man.""
Frank's expression hardened.
"Then the operation never stopped.""
Lucas stepped forward.
"I found the records.""
Frank turned toward him.
For a moment, he seemed unable to recognize the young man.
Then his eyes widened.
"Lucas?""
Lucas smiled nervously.
"Hi, Grandpa.""
Frank embraced him.
"My goodness. Look at you.""
Martha watched them.
For one brief moment, the missing years seemed almost recoverable.
Then Frank suddenly pulled away.
He looked at the laptop.
"Where did you get those files?""
Lucas explained.
Frank's face became increasingly serious.
"Who opened them?""
"Me. Yesterday. Then again at the hospital.""
Frank closed his eyes.
"Then they know.""
"Know what?"" Wade asked.
Frank walked to the fireplace and removed a loose brick.
Behind it was a small metal container.
He took out a photograph and placed it on the table.
It showed five men standing beside a black limousine.
Frank pointed to the first man.
"Richard.""
Then the second.
"Collins.""
The third was Dr. Samuel Price.
The fourth was a man Wade recognized as a former state investigator.
The fifth was an older man wearing a military-style coat.
Wade leaned closer.
"Who is that?""
Frank's expression darkened.
"That's the man who financed everything.""
Martha looked at the photograph.
"What's his name?""
Frank stared at her.
"Your father.""
The room went silent.
Martha's face drained of color.
"That's impossible.""
Frank nodded.
"I know.""
"My father died before Emily was born.""
"That's what they told us.""
Wade looked at Frank.
"You're saying her father is alive?""
Frank slowly turned the photograph over.
Written on the back was a name.
*HENRY BELL.*
And beneath it, a date.
Tomorrow's date.
Martha took a step backward.
Then someone knocked three times on the front door.
Eleanor looked through the curtain.
Her face changed.
"It's Richard.""
Frank immediately reached for the metal container.
Wade moved toward the entrance.
But Martha caught his arm.
"Wait.""
She stared at the photograph.
Then she looked at Frank.
"Why would my father want me to think he was dead?""
Frank's voice dropped.
"Because, Martha, he wasn't trying to hide from you.""
He looked toward the front door.
"He was trying to hide you from himself.""
The knocking came again.
This time, a familiar voice followed.
"Open the door, Martha.""
It was Richard.
May you like
And he wasn't alone.
"Your father wants to see his daughter.""
