Chapter 6: Emily's Voice
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Michael stared at the photograph on my phone.
“Dad…”
I locked the screen.
“Don't look at it.””
“I already did.””
Claire took the phone from my hand.
Her expression changed.
“This was taken today.””
“I know.””
She looked toward the open storage door.
“We need to leave.””
David stepped into the hallway.
“Agreed.””
Sarah stayed beside the wooden chest.
She looked at the cassette.
“Emily recorded that for you.””
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“She made me promise never to play it.””
“Why?””
“She said if you heard her voice, you'd go after the truth.””
I looked at her.
“And?””
Sarah wiped her cheeks.
“She was right.””
We took everything we could carry.
Claire locked the unit behind us.
On the drive home, nobody spoke.
Michael sat beside me.
He held the cassette in both hands.
When we reached the house, I took an old cassette player from the garage.
It had belonged to my father.
I carried it into the living room.
Sarah stood near the doorway.
David stayed beside Claire.
Michael sat on the couch.
I inserted the tape.
The machine clicked.
Static filled the room.
Then I heard a voice.
My wife's voice.
“Marcus.””
My knees nearly gave out.
Michael covered his mouth.
Emily continued.
“If you're hearing this, then I'm gone.””
I closed my eyes.
Her voice sounded exactly as I remembered.
Warm.
Tired.
Alive.
“I need you to listen carefully.””
Static crackled.
“I didn't die because of an accident.””
Sarah began crying.
Emily's voice continued.
“Someone wanted me dead.””
Michael whispered, “Mom…”
I reached for his hand.
Emily said, “The person who caused the crash was Sarah. But she wasn't working alone.””
I looked at Sarah.
She didn't deny it.
“She believes the person behind this is Thomas Reed.””
Claire's face changed.
Emily continued.
“Thomas isn't after you, Marcus.””
A pause.
“He's after Michael.””
Michael squeezed my hand.
The tape clicked softly.
“Four years ago, I discovered something about our son.””
I looked at Michael.
Emily's voice became quieter.
“Something I should have told you sooner.””
My heart pounded.
“Michael's birth records were altered.””
I looked at Claire.
She nodded.
“His biological father is not the man listed on his birth certificate.””
Michael stared at the floor.
I felt the room spinning.
Emily continued.
“I found out that Michael was connected to a closed adoption investigation involving Thomas Reed.””
David whispered, “Oh God.””
The tape continued.
“Thomas was involved with a private organization that arranged illegal adoptions.””
I looked at Michael.
He was crying silently.
Emily's voice cracked.
“I tried to protect you both.””
A long silence followed.
Then:
“Marcus, there's something else.””
The tape hissed.
“If Thomas finds Michael, he will tell him a story about his birth.””
My skin prickled.
“He will claim Michael was taken from his biological family.””
Michael looked up.
“What does that mean?””
I didn't know.
Emily continued.
“But that's not the truth.””
I leaned closer to the speaker.
“The truth is that Michael was hidden.””
The tape stopped.
Everyone froze.
Then the machine clicked.
A second recording began.
Emily's voice was different.
Angry.
Urgent.
“I found the woman who gave birth to Michael.””
Michael stopped breathing.
I stared at the tape player.
“She is alive.””
Sarah whispered, “No.””
Emily continued.
“Her name is Rachel Reed.””
Claire stood abruptly.
“Reed?””
I looked at her.
“You know her?””
Claire's face had gone pale.
“Thomas Reed's wife.””
The room went silent.
Emily's voice continued.
“Rachel told me Thomas took Michael from her when he was a baby.””
Michael began shaking.
I put my arm around him.
Emily said, “But Rachel isn't the person you should fear.””
Static.
Then:
“Because Rachel didn't give Michael to Thomas.””
My heart stopped.
“Sarah did.””
Everyone turned toward her.
Sarah collapsed into the nearest chair.
Michael stared at her.
“What?””
Emily's voice continued.
“She was there the night Michael was born.””
Sarah covered her face.
I couldn't move.
The tape played on.
“Sarah knows exactly where Michael came from.””
I looked at Sarah.
“You knew?””
She was sobbing.
“I didn't know he was yours.””
“What does that mean?””
“I thought he was gone.””
Michael's voice was barely audible.
“You knew my real mother?””
Sarah looked at him.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
She couldn't answer.
I stepped toward her.
“Who is Rachel Reed?””
Sarah shook her head.
“No.””
“Who is she?””
“I can't.””
“You've lied for four years.””
“I was scared.””
“You're going to tell me now.””
She looked at Michael.
Then at me.
“Rachel isn't your mother.””
Michael stared at her.
“Then who is?””
Sarah's lips trembled.
“Your biological mother died.””
Michael's face crumpled.
“When?””
“Sixteen years ago.””
“What's her name?””
Sarah closed her eyes.
“Laura.””
The room went silent.
I knew that name.
I had heard Emily say it once.
Years ago.
I had thought it was the name of an old friend.
I looked at Claire.
She was staring at Sarah in disbelief.
“Laura Bennett?”” I asked.
Sarah didn't answer.
I knew.
Claire's face turned white.
“Marcus…”
“What?””
She looked at the cassette player.
Then at me.
“Laura Bennett was my sister.””
The tape suddenly clicked again.
Emily's voice returned.
“If Claire is there when you hear this, tell her I'm sorry.””
Claire covered her mouth.
Emily continued.
“Because the truth about Michael begins with Laura's death.””
Then the recording stopped.
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Michael stood slowly.
“Dad…”
I looked at him.
His eyes were full of fear.
“Why did Mom say my real mother died?””
I opened my mouth.
Before I could answer, someone knocked on the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Claire whispered, “Nobody should know we're here.””
I walked toward the door.
Another knock.
Then a man's voice came through the wood.
“Marcus?””
I froze.
I knew that voice.
It was the same voice from Sarah's phone.
The man who had called her.
The man outside Emily's mother's house.
Thomas Reed.
May you like
And then he said:
“It's time you learned what Emily was really hiding from you.””
