Chapter 7: The Dead Woman on the Telephone
Nobody moved.
Robert held his phone against his ear, his face completely drained of color.
Marcus stood beside the broken glass, staring at the device as though it had just spoken from another world.
Ethan was the first to react.
"Who is that?""
Robert raised his free hand, signaling for silence.
"Hello? Who is this?""
The woman on the other end took a shaky breath.
"Robert, please. I know you can hear me.""
Robert swallowed.
"Rebecca?""
A pause.
"Yes.""
Marcus grabbed the edge of the table.
"That's impossible.""
The voice continued.
"Marcus, if you're there, I need you to listen.""
Marcus stepped toward the phone.
"Who are you?""
A faint, exhausted laugh came through the speaker.
"It's been a long time, Marcus.""
He looked at Margaret.
Margaret's eyes were wide.
"That's Rebecca," she whispered.
Ethan moved closer.
"Mom?""
The woman began crying.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
Ethan covered his mouth.
For seven years, he had kept his mother's photographs, her handwritten recipes, and the birthday cards she had left in his bedroom.
He had visited her grave every year.
He had grown accustomed to speaking to her when he was alone.
And now a voice he recognized better than his own was calling him.
"Mom?"" he whispered again.
"I'm here, baby.""
Ethan's knees nearly buckled.
Marcus took the phone from Robert.
"Rebecca, where are you?""
"I can't explain everything over the telephone.""
"Where have you been?""
Another pause.
"Somewhere Daniel couldn't find me.""
I felt the room spinning.
Daniel couldn't find her?
What did that mean?
Marcus gripped the phone.
"Rebecca, we buried you.""
"I know.""
"We attended your funeral.""
"I know, Marcus.""
"Your son watched them lower your coffin into the ground.""
"I know.""
Marcus's voice broke.
"Then what the hell is going on?""
The woman exhaled.
"I wasn't in that coffin.""
Ethan stumbled backward.
Margaret sat down.
Robert slowly closed his briefcase.
And I felt something colder than fear settle inside me.
Because if Rebecca was alive, there was only one explanation.
Someone had lied to all of us.
And I had a terrible feeling I knew who.
"Tell me everything," Marcus demanded.
Rebecca's voice became quieter.
"Seven years ago, Daniel discovered that I had been investigating his financial activities. He knew I had copies of the original records. He also knew I intended to report him.""
Marcus looked at Margaret.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Daniel threatened our family," Rebecca answered.
"He said if I exposed him, Ethan would be the first person to suffer.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"Mom, why didn't you come home?""
There was silence.
Then Rebecca said something that made his face crumple.
"Because I believed you would be safer without me.""
Ethan shook his head.
"That's not true.""
"I know that now.""
"Mom, I spent seven years thinking you were dead.""
"I know, sweetheart.""
"I thought I wasn't going to see you again.""
Rebecca began sobbing.
"I'm so sorry.""
Ethan turned away.
Marcus took a breath.
"How did you disappear?""
Rebecca hesitated.
"I had help.""
"From whom?""
"Margaret.""
Everyone looked toward the attorney.
Margaret slowly stood.
"I can explain.""
Marcus's expression hardened.
"You knew?""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes.""
"You knew my wife was alive?""
"I knew Rebecca had survived the incident. I did not know where she was for much of the past seven years.""
Marcus stared at her.
"Incident?""
Rebecca interrupted.
"Marcus, please. Let me explain before you judge anyone.""
He closed his eyes.
Then he nodded.
Rebecca continued.
"Daniel had arranged for me to receive a payment through a charitable foundation. When I discovered the transfer was connected to his financial operations, he became desperate. He wanted the documents back.""
"Did he hurt you?"" Ethan asked.
"Not directly.""
"Then what happened?""
"I was driving home from the hospital when another vehicle forced me off the road. My car went over an embankment.""
Marcus covered his mouth.
"I remember that accident.""
"Yes.""
"They told me you died at the scene.""
"They found my car. They found blood. They found personal belongings.""
"But not your body?""
There was a pause.
"No.""
Marcus looked toward Margaret.
"How could that happen?""
Margaret answered quietly.
"Rebecca was taken to a private medical facility under a different identity. Daniel had people watching the hospital. We believed that if he discovered she had survived, he would finish what he started.""
Marcus's face twisted.
"Seven years.""
"I know.""
"Seven years, Rebecca.""
"I know.""
"You let me bury an empty coffin?""
Rebecca didn't answer.
Marcus walked toward the window.
His shoulders shook.
Ethan stood in the middle of the room, staring at the phone.
"Why now?"" he asked.
Rebecca's voice softened.
"Because I heard about the money. I heard that Vanessa had tried to access the trust.""
My stomach tightened.
Marcus turned.
"How?""
"Someone contacted Margaret after the first suspicious transfer. We have been monitoring the investigation.""
I stepped forward.
"That's impossible.""
Everyone turned toward me.
I lifted my chin.
"You're telling me Rebecca has been alive for seven years, hiding somewhere, while everyone believed she was dead?""
Rebecca's voice sharpened.
"Vanessa.""
I froze.
"Do not pretend you don't recognize my voice.""
I swallowed.
"Rebecca?""
"Yes.""
"You can't just appear after seven years and expect everyone to believe this story.""
"You're right," she replied.
"That's why I have documents, medical records, and witnesses.""
I laughed nervously.
"Convenient.""
Margaret opened her briefcase.
"Mrs. Cole, I have already verified Rebecca's identity through independent records. The woman on this call is who she says she is.""
Marcus looked at Margaret.
"Where is she?""
"She is in a secure location.""
"I want to see her.""
"You will.""
"Tonight.""
Rebecca spoke again.
"Marcus, there is something you need to understand. Daniel knows I survived.""
The room went silent.
Marcus turned.
"What?""
"He found out two years ago.""
I felt my stomach drop.
Rebecca continued.
"He contacted me through an intermediary. He wanted the original documents. He told me that if I didn't cooperate, he would expose Vanessa's involvement in the financial scheme.""
I stared at the phone.
Daniel had known.
For two years, he had known Rebecca was alive.
And he had never told me.
"Why didn't you contact the police?"" Ethan asked.
"I did. But Daniel had already created enough confusion to make the investigation difficult. I needed proof that connected him directly to the transfers.""
Robert nodded.
"Which is why the trust investigation was important.""
"Exactly," Rebecca said.
Marcus looked at the documents on the table.
"And the property?""
Rebecca's voice changed.
"That's why I'm calling.""
She paused.
"Vanessa didn't sign the transfer document.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"The signature is real, but the document was altered. Daniel used a power of attorney that I never authorized.""
Robert immediately picked up the deed.
"Do you have evidence?""
"Yes. The original deed is in my possession.""
Marcus looked stunned.
"Then who signed the transfer?""
Rebecca answered.
"Daniel.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
Ethan turned toward me.
"Why are you defending him?""
"I'm not!""
Rebecca's voice came through again.
"Vanessa, I know you helped Daniel. I know you signed documents. But I also know he used your identity in ways you never understood.""
I felt my eyes burn.
"Why are you doing this?""
"Because I don't want another person to spend seven years living in fear.""
I looked away.
Then Rebecca added something that made the entire room go silent.
"And because Daniel is not the only person who knows what happened that night.""
At 1:58 a.m., a second call came through.
This time, it was from an unknown number.
Robert answered.
"Hayes speaking.""
A man's voice said something.
Robert's face changed.
He looked at Marcus.
Then at the front door.
"Where?""
A pause.
"Understood.""
He ended the call.
Marcus stepped toward him.
"What happened?""
Robert swallowed.
"Daniel has been released.""
The officer immediately stood.
"Released?""
"He was questioned, but the investigators didn't have grounds to hold him at that moment.""
Marcus looked furious.
"He's outside?""
"No. He's gone.""
Ethan grabbed his jacket.
"Where did he go?""
Robert shook his head.
"We don't know.""
My phone vibrated.
One message.
DANIEL: You have no idea what you've started.
Another message followed.
DANIEL: Rebecca isn't the only person who survived that night.
I stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
A photograph.
A hospital corridor.
A woman lying in a bed.
And beside her stood a young man.
I recognized him.
Daniel's younger brother.
But the woman in the bed was someone I had not seen in seven years.
Someone who had been reported missing the same week Rebecca's car went over the embankment.
My younger sister.
Emily.
I dropped the phone.
Marcus looked at me.
"Vanessa?""
I couldn't speak.
May you like
Because the next message appeared on the screen.
*Bring the original trust documents to the old hospital by sunrise, or your sister disappears again.*
