Chapter 9: What Daniel Remembered
We made it to the hotel basement as firefighters rushed past us.
Smoke rolled along the ceiling.
The alarm screamed overhead.
Jessica was coughing.
Melissa had disappeared during the evacuation.
Rose was nowhere to be seen.
Detective Harris was speaking into his radio.
I barely heard him.
I was watching Daniel.
He stood against the concrete wall, staring at the floor.
“Daniel.””
He didn't answer.
“Look at me.””
Slowly, he raised his eyes.
“What did you do that night?””
His lips trembled.
“I didn't kill Dad.””
“I didn't say you did.””
He looked away.
“You think I did.””
“I think you know something.””
“I was twenty-four.””
“You said you were awake.””
“I was.””
“You said you heard your father.””
“Yes.””
“You said you saw someone who looked like Grandma.””
“Yes.””
“Then what happened?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I went downstairs.””
My chest tightened.
“You told me Dad told you not to.””
“I know.””
“Why did you go?””
“Because I heard Mom screaming.””
I stared at him.
“I wasn't screaming.””
“I know that now.””
“What did you hear?””
He swallowed.
“A man shouting.””
“Who?””
“Dad.””
“What did he say?””
Daniel's face tightened.
“He said, ‘Give it back.’”
“Give what back?””
“I don't know.””
“And then?””
“I saw someone standing over him.””
“Who?””
Daniel looked at me.
“You.””
I felt cold.
“You saw me?””
“Yes.””
“What was I doing?””
“You were holding something.””
“What?””
“A knife.””
The room seemed to tilt.
I shook my head.
“No.””
“I know.””
“No, Daniel.””
“I know you didn't do it.””
“Then why did you think I did?””
“Because you were standing there.””
“With a knife?””
He nodded.
I looked at Detective Harris.
He had stopped speaking.
He was listening.
Daniel continued.
“I heard Dad say, ‘Evelyn, please.’”
My throat tightened.
“What happened next?””
“I ran upstairs.””
“Why?””
“Because the woman turned around.””
“Which woman?””
“You.””
“I was downstairs.””
“I know.””
“Then who did you see?””
Daniel stared at me.
“I don't know.””
I stepped closer.
“Look at me.””
He did.
“You saw someone who looked exactly like me.””
“Yes.””
“What happened after you ran upstairs?””
“I hid in my room.””
“And then?””
“I heard a crash.””
“The accident?””
“I think so.””
“What happened at 10:22?””
Daniel rubbed his temples.
“I went downstairs again.””
“And?””
“You were gone.””
“Where was Dad?””
“In the driveway.””
“Alive?””
“Yes.””
My heart stopped.
“You saw him alive?””
Daniel nodded.
“He was lying beside the car.””
“What did he say?””
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“He told me to run.””
“Why?””
“He said they were coming back.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“What did you do?””
“I called 911.””
I stared at him.
“You never told me that.””
“I couldn't.””
“Why?””
“Because someone answered the phone.””
I frowned.
“911?””
“No.””
“Who?””
Daniel whispered:
“Grandma.””
I couldn't breathe.
He continued.
“She told me if I told anyone what I'd seen, she'd kill you.””
The basement suddenly felt freezing.
Detective Harris stepped forward.
“Daniel, this is important. Are you certain it was your grandmother?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
“I don't know.””
“Did you see her face?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
“It looked like Grandma.””
Harris looked at me.
“You said your mother was dead.””
“She was.””
“Are you sure?””
I nodded.
“I attended her funeral.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
I turned.
“What?””
“You attended someone else's funeral.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
Daniel looked terrified.
“Grandma told me she had arranged everything.””
My mind raced.
“The body…”
“I never saw her body.””
Neither had I.
At the funeral, the casket had been closed.
I had been told it was because of the accident.
A closed casket.
A death certificate.
A grave.
I had never questioned it.
Because she was my mother.
Because grief makes people accept things they would normally challenge.
Detective Harris pulled out his phone.
“I can check the death certificate.””
He stepped away.
Daniel sat on a concrete step.
“I've spent three years wondering if I imagined everything.””
I knelt beside him.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because every time I tried, someone stopped me.””
“Who?””
“Jessica.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“She found me two months after Dad died.””
“Why?””
“She said Dad had left something for me.””
“What?””
“A message.””
“Where is it?””
“I destroyed it.””
“Why?””
“Because it said you were in danger.””
I stared at him.
“What did it say exactly?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“It said, ‘Trust no one in your family.’”
My blood ran cold.
“Why would Dad write that?””
“Because he knew what was coming.””
Detective Harris returned.
His expression was grim.
“I found your mother's death record.””
I stood.
“And?””
“There is a problem.””
“What problem?””
“The death certificate was filed under Eleanor Carter.””
“Yes.””
“The attending physician's signature is legitimate.””
“So?””
“The physician died fourteen years ago.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
Harris showed me the screen.
“The signature is dated three years ago.””
Daniel stood.
“So the death certificate was forged.””
“Yes.””
I looked at him.
“My mother was alive.””
Harris nodded.
“Most likely.””
A voice behind us spoke.
“Not most likely.””
We turned.
Rose stood at the basement entrance.
Her face was covered in soot.
“She's alive.””
I stepped toward her.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You knew my mother was alive?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Three years.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Eleanor made me promise.””
“Why?””
Rose looked at Daniel.
“Because she said she would kill him.””
Daniel shook his head.
“She was already controlling me.””
Rose nodded.
“I know.””
“Who is she?””
Rose looked at me.
“Your mother.””
“Why would she do this?””
Rose's eyes filled with tears.
“Because she believes your husband stole something from her.””
“What?””
“The Carter family trust.””
Daniel frowned.
“I thought Dad created it.””
“He did.””
“What did he put in it?””
Rose hesitated.
“Evidence.””
“Evidence of what?””
“Fraud. Bribery. Money laundering.””
I stared at her.
“Who was involved?””
Rose looked at me.
“Your mother.””
I felt sick.
“My mother?””
“Eleanor built the operation.””
“And my husband discovered it?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did he stay with her?””
“He tried to expose her.””
“And she killed him.””
Rose nodded.
“But she didn't expect Jessica.””
Daniel turned.
“What did Jessica do?””
“She stole the original evidence.””
“Where is it?””
Rose looked at me.
“With you.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“What do I have?””
“The necklace.””
I looked down.
The velvet box was still in my hand.
The necklace was gone.
Jessica had taken it.
Rose said:
“The pendant contains more than a letter.””
Daniel stared.
“What else?””
“A memory card.””
My heart raced.
“Where is it?””
“Jessica has it.””
A voice came from behind us.
“No.””
We turned.
Jessica stood at the top of the stairs.
Her wedding dress was stained with soot.
She held the gold necklace in one hand.
In the other was a tiny memory card.
Daniel ran toward her.
“Jessica!””
She stepped back.
“Don't.””
He stopped.
“Give me the card.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because Melissa is coming.””
Rose looked toward the stairwell.
“We have to leave.””
Jessica shook her head.
“It's too late.””
Detective Harris raised his weapon.
“Jessica, put the card down.””
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because if I give it to you, Eleanor gets everything.””
I stepped forward.
“What is on it?””
Jessica looked at me.
“Your husband's final recording.””
My heart stopped.
“What recording?””
“The one he made before he died.””
Daniel whispered:
“Play it.””
Jessica inserted the card into her phone.
The screen lit up.
My husband's face appeared.
He looked exhausted.
Frightened.
Alive.
He stared directly into the camera.
“Evelyn,” he said.
I covered my mouth.
His voice broke.
“If you're seeing this, then I failed.””
Daniel began crying.
My husband continued.
“There's something I need you to know.””
He looked over his shoulder.
Then whispered:
“Your mother isn't the only person you need to fear.””
I felt my heart pounding.
He leaned toward the camera.
“Daniel…”
My son stepped closer.
His father's voice became almost inaudible.
“You remember what happened that night.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
My husband continued.
“You were there.””
Daniel's face went white.
“You saw everything.””
The video glitched.
Then my husband said:
“I'm sorry I made you forget.””
Daniel stumbled backward.
“What?””
The recording suddenly cut to black.
Jessica stared at him.
“What did he mean?””
Daniel couldn't speak.
Then the basement doors slammed shut.
A lock engaged from the other side.
The lights went out.
And from the darkness came my mother's voice.
“Because I made him forget.””
A match struck.
A small flame appeared at the top of the stairs.
Eleanor stood there.
Smiling.
And beside her was Melissa.
My mother looked at me.
“Hello, sweetheart.””
May you like
Then she looked at Daniel.
“It's time you remembered everything.””
