Chapter 7: The Second Person on the Stairs
I read Ethan's message three times before I understood what he was telling me.
I wasn't the only one Mom asked to hurt Emily. She asked someone else to finish the job if I failed.
I looked at Detective Reeves.
"Where is my stepson?""
"At the hospital. Two officers are with him.""
"Then we need to get there.""
"James, we need to be careful. Dr. Hale has made a serious allegation.""
"Ethan is seventeen years old. He has been manipulated by his mother for years.""
Reeves picked up his phone.
"That doesn't mean we ignore what happened.""
"I agree. But it doesn't mean we believe a dying doctor's version of events either.""
The detective studied me.
"There's something about that video you haven't considered.""
"What?""
"Dr. Hale entered your house carrying a medical bag. He locked the front door.
Then he approached Emily with a syringe. But the footage doesn't show him pushing her.""
I stared at him.
"So?""
"So, someone else may have been involved.""
My phone vibrated again.
This time, Ethan had sent a photograph.
It showed a handwritten note on a piece of white paper.
I recognized Vanessa's handwriting immediately.
If Emily refuses to cooperate, Ethan will handle it. If he loses his nerve, call the other person. No witnesses.
At the bottom was a phone number.
I looked at Reeves.
"Can you trace this?""
He photographed the screen.
"Yes.""
I read the note again.
No witnesses.
My wife had written those words about our daughter.
At the hospital, Ethan was sitting in a private consultation room.
His face was pale, and his eyes were swollen from crying.
When he saw me, he stood.
"Dad.""
I walked toward him.
"Tell me everything.""
He looked at the two officers near the door.
"Can I talk to him alone?""
Reeves nodded to the officers.
They stepped outside but remained within sight.
Ethan sat down.
I pulled a chair opposite him.
"Did you push Emily?""
He closed his eyes.
"Yes.""
The answer hit me harder than I expected.
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Why?""
"Mom told me she was going to hurt herself if I didn't help.""
"What?""
"She said Emily had found documents that could send her to prison. She said if the papers got out, she would lose everything.""
"That doesn't explain why you pushed your sister.""
Ethan began crying.
"I didn't mean to push her down the stairs.""
I said nothing.
He continued.
"Mom told me to take the envelope. Emily wouldn't give it to me. We argued near the staircase. I grabbed her arm, and she pulled away.""
He wiped his face.
"Then I pushed her.""
I felt sick.
"How hard?""
"Not that hard. I thought she would stumble backward, maybe sit down. I didn't know she would fall.""
I stood and walked toward the window.
For several seconds, I couldn't look at him.
"Did you know she had already been injured?""
"No.""
"Did you see Dr. Hale?""
Ethan nodded.
"He came through the front door while Mom was arguing with Emily.""
"What did he do?""
"He took out a syringe.""
"Why?""
"He said it was something to calm her down.""
I turned.
"And you believed him?""
Ethan shook his head.
"No. Emily started screaming when she saw it.""
"What happened next?""
"Mom told me to hold Emily's arms. I refused.""
I stared at him.
"Then?""
"Mom slapped me.""
His voice broke.
"She told me I owed her everything because she had raised me.""
I sat down again.
"Ethan, listen to me. Whatever happened between you and your mother, you were not responsible for her choices. But you are responsible for what you did to Emily.""
He nodded.
"I know.""
"Why didn't you call an ambulance immediately?""
His eyes dropped.
"Mom took Emily's phone. Dr. Hale said he needed a few minutes to check her.""
"And you let him?""
"I was scared.""
"Where were you when Vanessa called 911?""
"In the kitchen.""
"What happened?""
Ethan looked at the door.
Then he whispered:
"Someone else was already inside the house.""
My heart stopped.
"Who?""
He shook his head.
"I didn't see his face.""
"What do you mean?""
"He was wearing a black jacket. He came through the back door. Mom spoke to him like she knew him.""
"Did you hear his name?""
Ethan nodded.
"She called him Marcus.""
I looked at Reeves.
The detective immediately entered the room.
"Marcus what?""
Ethan shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"Did he touch Emily?""
Ethan hesitated.
Then he said:
"He picked up the envelope after she fell.""
"Which envelope?""
"The brown one.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"Did he leave with it?""
Ethan nodded.
"Yes. But before he left, he said something to Mom.""
"What?""
Ethan's eyes filled again.
"He said, 'You promised me the girl.''"
Nobody spoke.
Reeves slowly closed his notebook.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
"Reeves.""
A few seconds passed.
His expression changed.
"Are you certain?""
He listened again.
Then he looked at me.
"We traced the number on Vanessa's note.""
"To whom?""
He turned his phone around.
The screen showed a driver's license photograph.
The man looked familiar.
Very familiar.
I stared at the name beneath it.
*Marcus Bennett.*
Vanessa's older brother.
A man I had met only twice during our twelve years of marriage.
A man who had supposedly been living in California for the past decade.
But the detective had something else.
"James, there's an active warrant for this man.""
"Why?""
"Assault, identity fraud, and suspected involvement in an illegal adoption network.""
I felt the room tilt.
"Illegal adoption?""
Reeves nodded.
"And he has a history of targeting vulnerable families through medical facilities.""
I looked at Ethan.
"Did your mother know what he did?""
Ethan nodded slowly.
"She used to send him money.""
"How much?""
"I don't know. But I saw transfers in her email.""
Reeves took out his phone.
"Where can we find those emails?""
Ethan looked at me.
"At home.""
Then he said something that made the entire situation even darker.
"Mom told Marcus he could have Emily if she couldn't keep her.""
The hospital called before we could ask another question.
Emily had experienced a sudden drop in blood pressure.
I ran toward the intensive care unit.
A nurse stopped me outside the room.
"Mr. Carter, she's being examined.""
"Is she conscious?""
"Not at the moment.""
"What's happening?""
"We're checking for a possible reaction to medication.""
My blood turned to ice.
"What medication?""
The nurse glanced at the chart.
"That's what we're trying to determine.""
I looked through the glass.
Emily lay motionless.
A doctor adjusted the IV line while another checked her pupils.
Then I noticed something.
The IV bag had a label I didn't recognize.
I turned to the nurse.
"Who authorized that medication?""
She looked at the chart.
"Dr. Hale.""
I grabbed the counter.
"He's not supposed to be treating her anymore!""
The nurse immediately called the attending physician.
Within seconds, another doctor entered the room and ordered the IV stopped.
A hospital supervisor arrived.
Then Reeves.
He examined the medication label.
"James, this changes things.""
"What?""
"Dr. Hale's orders were entered into the hospital system after he was removed from the case.""
I stared at him.
"How?""
"We're investigating.""
I looked through the glass again.
Someone had tried to reach my daughter even after she was taken into police custody.
And whoever it was had access to the hospital system.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice spoke quietly.
"Mr. Carter?""
"Who is this?""
"You don't know me, but I know your daughter.""
"Marcus?""
A soft laugh.
"Your wife has been telling you stories, hasn't she?""
"Where are you?""
"That doesn't matter.""
"If you come near Emily, I'll make sure you never see daylight again.""
The man laughed again.
"You're still thinking like a father. That's why you're going to lose.""
I tightened my grip.
"What do you want?""
"The envelope.""
"Which envelope?""
"The one Claire left behind.""
I looked at Reeves.
He signaled for me to keep him talking.
I continued.
"I don't have it.""
"Don't lie to me, James. Ethan gave you the papers.""
"Then why don't you come and get them?""
The man's voice became colder.
"Because I already have what I need.""
The line went dead.
Reeves immediately called the technical team.
I looked toward Emily.
Her fingers moved.
I rushed to the glass.
"Emily?""
The nurse turned.
"She's waking up.""
I entered the room.
Emily slowly opened her eyes.
"Dad?""
"I'm here, sweetheart.""
She looked frightened.
"Did he call?""
"Who?""
"Marcus.""
I froze.
"How do you know about him?""
Emily tried to lift her head.
"He was there when Mom showed me the papers.""
"Did you see him before tonight?""
She nodded.
"Several times.""
"Where?""
"At Grandma Margaret's house.""
I sat beside her.
"What did he want?""
Emily swallowed.
"He kept asking Mom about a baby.""
My chest tightened.
"What baby?""
She looked at me.
Then she whispered:
"The baby Claire gave birth to before me.""
I stopped breathing.
Before I could ask another question, Emily reached for my hand.
"Dad, I think Claire had another child.""
And suddenly, the photograph in my wife's drawer made sense.
There had been two babies at St. Mary's.
May you like
Not one.
And someone had spent seventeen years making sure I never discovered the second.
