Chapter 8: The Truth About Daniel Carter
The first thing I thought was that I had misheard Richard.
The second thing I thought was that he had finally lost his mind.
“My father?””
The words came out quietly.
Almost a whisper.
Richard looked away.
“I know how it sounds.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You don’t understand.””
“I do.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice rose before I could stop it.
“My father died twelve years ago.””
Richard nodded.
“I know.””
“Then why would Victoria say he attacked her?””
“I don’t know.””
And that was the worst answer.
Because after everything we had uncovered, “I don’t know” had become the most terrifying phrase in the world.
Eleanor looked between us.
Her face had gone pale.
“Richard.””
He turned.
“What?””
“Did she say anything else?””
Richard hesitated.
That hesitation told me there was more.
“What?”” I asked.
He looked at me.
“The police said Victoria was confused.””
“Confused?””
“She was injured. She wasn’t making much sense.””
“What exactly did she say?””
Richard took a breath.
“She kept repeating one thing.””
My heart started beating faster.
“What?””
He looked at Eleanor.
Then at me.
“She said, ‘Daniel knows where it is.’”
Nobody moved.
The room felt frozen.
Because those words weren’t random.
They connected to everything.
The drawer.
The flash drive.
The missing piece of Thomas’s letter.
My father.
“What is ‘it’?”” I asked.
Richard shook his head.
“I don’t know.””
Eleanor slowly pushed herself upright.
“Thomas knew.””
Richard looked at her.
“Mom?””
“Your father knew Daniel was alive.””
The sentence hit harder than anything else.
I stared at her.
“No.””
Eleanor’s eyes filled with sadness.
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
I stepped back.
“That’s impossible.””
I had spent twelve years grieving.
Twelve years believing I knew the worst thing that could happen.
Finding out your parent was gone was painful.
Finding out they might never have been gone at all was something else.
It was like losing someone twice.
“What do you mean alive?”” Richard asked.
Eleanor looked down.
“After Daniel disappeared, Thomas came to me.””
“When?””
“Six months after the accident.””
I stared.
“Accident?””
She nodded slowly.
“The accident everyone believed killed him.””
My hands felt numb.
“You knew?””
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I knew something was wrong.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
She looked at me.
“Because Thomas asked me not to.””
I laughed quietly.
Not because anything was funny.
Because I couldn’t believe how many people had made decisions about my life without me.
“Everyone knew something.””
I looked at Richard.
“Everyone except me.””
Richard looked ashamed.
“I didn’t know.””
“No.””
I looked at Eleanor.
“But you did.””
She closed her eyes.
“I knew Thomas believed your father was alive.””
The room went silent.
“Why?””
Eleanor looked toward the window.
“Because Thomas found evidence.””
“What evidence?””
She swallowed.
“A photograph.””
I froze.
“Of what?””
“Daniel leaving the building where he supposedly died.””
My breath caught.
“Supposedly?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Thomas never believed the accident was real.””
Richard walked closer.
“Why?””
“Because Daniel was investigating someone.””
“Who?””
Eleanor looked at the closed door.
Even now.
Even after everything.
She was still afraid.
“Victoria.””
The name landed heavily.
Richard closed his eyes.
“No.””
“I’m sorry.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
His voice became harder.
“You’re telling me my wife was connected to my father, your husband, and her own supposed attack?””
“I’m telling you the truth.””
Richard turned away.
His hands moved through his hair.
I understood the feeling.
The need to physically do something because your mind couldn’t process what was happening.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A pause.
His expression changed.
“Right now?””
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“It’s the police.””
My heart tightened.
“What did they find?””
Richard didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“They want you to come to the hospital.””
“Me?””
He nodded.
“Victoria asked for you.””
I almost laughed.
“Why?””
Richard looked uncomfortable.
“She said she needs to tell you something.””
I didn’t want to go.
Every instinct told me it was a trap.
But another part of me needed answers.
Answers about my father.
About Thomas.
About why my entire life had been built on a lie.
“I’ll go.””
Richard nodded.
“I’m coming with you.””
Eleanor grabbed his arm.
“No.””
He looked at her.
“Mom?””
“Go with her.””
Richard frowned.
“Why?””
Eleanor looked at me.
“Because if Victoria is telling the truth, she’s in danger.””
“And if she’s lying?””
Eleanor’s expression became sad.
“Then she’s still in danger.””
Neither of us understood.
Until she said:
“Because whoever controlled her knows she’s talking.””
The hospital smelled like antiseptic and fear.
The kind of fear people tried to hide behind white walls and quiet voices.
Victoria was in a private room.
A bandage wrapped around her head.
Her arm was in a sling.
When she saw me enter, her eyes immediately filled with tears.
The performance was back.
But something was different.
She looked genuinely shaken.
“Thank you for coming.””
I stayed near the door.
“I almost didn’t.””
She nodded.
“I understand.””
Richard stepped beside me.
“What happened?””
Victoria looked at him.
Then at me.
“I need to tell her.””
Richard frowned.
“Why her?””
“Because it’s about her father.””
The room became silent.
I felt every muscle in my body tighten.
“What do you know about my father?””
Victoria looked down.
For the first time, she looked exhausted.
Not manipulative.
Not powerful.
Just tired.
“Daniel Carter was not killed.””
I stared.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
“How?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was there.””
Richard stepped forward.
“What?””
Victoria looked at him.
“I was there the night he disappeared.””
The room went silent.
“Explain,” Richard said.
Victoria took a breath.
“Daniel was investigating your father’s death.””
“My father?””
“Yes.””
She looked at Richard.
“Thomas discovered someone was stealing from Eleanor.””
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“And?””
“And Daniel discovered the person behind it.””
“Who?””
Victoria looked at me.
And whispered:
“Me.””
My heart stopped.
Richard stared.
“What?””
Victoria continued.
“I was the person Daniel found.””
The confession shocked all of us.
Even me.
But then she said:
“I wasn’t the person controlling everything.””
I narrowed my eyes.
“Then who was?””
Victoria looked terrified.
Real fear.
The kind she couldn’t fake.
“Your father found out that someone in this family was helping me.””
Richard froze.
“Someone in my family?””
Victoria nodded.
“Someone with access. Someone with power.””
“Who?””
She looked at Richard.
And tears fell down her face.
“Your father’s closest friend.””
Richard frowned.
“My father’s closest friend died years ago.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice dropped.
“He didn’t.””
She looked directly at me.
“Your father didn’t disappear alone.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Then where is he?””
Victoria’s eyes moved toward the hospital window.
“He’s been alive all this time.””
I stopped breathing.
“Where?””
She whispered the answer.
And the name that followed made Richard step backward.
Because it was the one person none of us had considered.
The one person who had been guiding everything from the beginning.
“The man behind it all…”
May you like
Victoria said.
“…is Thomas Coleman.””
