Chapter 5: The Man Who Disappeared
Jake woke up thirty-six hours later.
I found out because Daniel called me at 6:15 on a Thursday morning.
"He's conscious," he said.
I was sitting on the edge of my detention-center bed.
"Did he say anything?""
"Not yet. Detective Bennett is with him.""
"Put me on the phone.""
"Michael, he needs medical attention.""
"Daniel, please.""
There was a pause.
Then I heard Detective Bennett's voice.
"Mr. Carter, Jake has agreed to speak with us. But he's frightened.""
"Tell him I need to know what happened.""
"I'll pass that along.""
I waited.
Every minute felt like an hour.
Finally, Daniel called again.
"He's willing to talk. But he wants to see you.""
"Then bring him here.""
"He can't leave the hospital yet.""
"Can I see him?""
"Detective Bennett is arranging a secure video call.""
Two hours later, a tablet was placed on the table in the visitation room.
Jake appeared on the screen.
His face was bruised. A white bandage covered his forehead, and his left arm was wrapped in a sling.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he looked down.
"Hey, Mike.""
I swallowed.
"Hey, brother.""
His eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry.""
I leaned closer.
"What happened?""
Jake rubbed his face with his good hand.
"I should've told you months ago.""
"Told me what?""
He glanced toward someone outside the camera.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Sarah came to the shop the night you got arrested.""
I frowned.
"She came to the shop?""
"Yeah.""
"When?""
"About six-thirty. You'd already left.""
I remembered that evening.
I'd been in a hurry because Sarah had called about Emily.
"What did she want?""
Jake closed his eyes.
"She asked me to help her move something.""
"What?""
"A bag.""
"What was in it?""
"I didn't know at first.""
He took a shaky breath.
"She said it was some paperwork Richard needed to get rid of. She offered me five hundred dollars.""
My stomach tightened.
"Did you take it?""
"No.""
"Then what happened?""
"She got angry. She said I owed her because she'd helped you get the shop loan.""
I stared at the screen.
Sarah had never helped me get that loan.
I'd secured it through a local credit union after months of saving.
"What was in the bag, Jake?""
He looked directly at me.
"A knife.""
I felt cold.
"The knife they found in my garage?""
He nodded.
"She brought it in a black grocery bag. There was blood on the handle.""
My mouth went dry.
"Did you touch it?""
"No. I told her I wasn't getting involved.""
"What did she say?""
Jake looked away.
"She said it didn't matter. She had already taken care of everything.""
I gripped the table.
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because Richard came to my apartment the next day.""
"Richard?""
Jake nodded.
"He showed me pictures of my little girl.""
I stopped breathing.
Jake had a daughter named Lily. She was seven.
"Where is Lily?""
"She's with my ex-wife. Richard knew her school. He knew what time she got out.""
Jake wiped his eyes.
"He said if I talked, Lily would get hurt.""
I closed my eyes.
The photograph of Emily flashed through my mind.
The same threat.
The same cruelty.
"Jake, why did you disappear?""
"Richard gave me money. Told me to leave town. Said if I stayed, I'd end up in prison beside you.""
"How much?""
"Ten thousand.""
I stared at him.
"You took it?""
Jake nodded.
"I thought I could protect Lily. I thought if I disappeared, they'd leave everyone alone.""
"And the attack?""
Jake's expression changed.
"They found me anyway.""
Detective Bennett stepped into the camera frame.
"Jake, tell him what you told me about the photographs.""
Jake hesitated.
Then he looked at me.
"Sarah had another phone.""
"What phone?""
"A small silver one. She kept it in the glove compartment of her car.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"She used it to communicate with Richard. I saw messages on it when she came to the shop.""
"What messages?""
"Something about making the bruises look worse.""
I felt my stomach twist.
Jake continued.
"She said the hospital pictures had to match the story. Richard told her to make sure nobody could prove when the injuries happened.""
I stared at the screen.
"Can you prove that phone exists?""
Jake nodded.
"I took a picture of it.""
"Where?""
"On my old phone.""
"Do you still have it?""
He shook his head.
"Richard took my phone when he came to my apartment. But I emailed the picture to myself before that.""
Detective Bennett leaned closer.
"Do you remember the email account?""
Jake gave her the address.
She wrote it down.
"Anything else?""
Jake hesitated.
Then he said something that changed everything.
"Michael, the knife wasn't the only thing Sarah planted.""
I leaned forward.
"What else?""
"A recording.""
"What recording?""
Jake looked terrified.
"The night you were arrested, Sarah recorded herself screaming.""
I frowned.
"She was screaming at me?""
"No. She was alone in the hallway before you got there.""
I couldn't understand.
"Why would she do that?""
"Because she wanted the recording to sound like you were attacking her. Richard edited it afterward.""
My hands began shaking.
"Where is it?""
Jake looked toward Detective Bennett.
"On Richard's computer. In a folder called Insurance.""
Detective Bennett immediately stood.
"That's enough for now.""
But Jake wasn't finished.
"Wait.""
She stopped.
Jake looked directly at me.
"There's something else you need to know.""
"What?""
"Sarah didn't just want you arrested.""
My throat tightened.
"What are you talking about?""
"She and Richard were planning to sell your house. They had already forged your signature on the mortgage documents.""
I stared at him.
"Our house?""
Jake nodded.
"They needed you out of the picture before the closing.""
Daniel, standing beside the tablet, slowly closed his notebook.
"How much money?""
Jake swallowed.
"Almost half a million dollars.""
I couldn't speak.
The house we'd bought when Emily was born.
The bedroom where I'd read her bedtime stories.
The backyard where she'd learned to ride her bicycle.
They had turned all of it into a business transaction.
Then Jake whispered one final sentence.
"Mike, I think they're going to move Emily before the court hearing.""
The video call ended.
Daniel immediately called Detective Bennett.
I sat motionless.
For months, I'd believed the worst thing Sarah could do was take my daughter away.
May you like
Now I understood something much more frightening.
She might not be planning to let Emily come home to anyone.
