Chapter 7: The Man They Buried
The photograph slipped from my fingers.
Dad caught it before it hit the floor.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Daniel Reeves was supposed to be dead.
Yet there he was in the photograph, standing outside my mother's hospital room the day before she died.
Alive.
Watching.
Waiting.
I looked at Vanessa.
“You said he disappeared.””
“I said that's what Lena told me.””
“You said he was dangerous.””
“I was wrong.””
“You said he was dead.””
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“That is what I was told.””
Dad turned toward Jonathan.
“Can you identify him?””
Jonathan studied the photograph.
“I've never met him.””
“But you've seen his name.””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Jonathan walked to the filing cabinet.
He pulled out an old legal directory and flipped through several pages.
“Daniel Reeves was an attorney.””
I stared at him.
“My uncle was a lawyer?””
“Yes.””
“What kind?””
“Estate law.””
Dad's face tightened.
“Then he would know about the trust.””
Jonathan nodded.
“He helped establish the original trust.””
The room seemed to tilt.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
“So he knew everything.””
“Not everything,” Jonathan said.
“But enough.””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“Why did Lena tell me Daniel was dangerous?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“She didn't.””
Dad froze.
“What?””
“Lena never said Daniel was dangerous.””
“Then who did?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“I did.””
“Why?””
“Because someone asked me to.””
My father stared at her.
“Who?””
She looked at me.
“I didn't know his name.””
“You're lying.””
“No.””
“Then what did he look like?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Tall. Gray suit. Dark hair.””
Dad's expression changed.
“Was it the man from the photograph?””
“I don't know.””
I grabbed the picture.
“Look at him.””
Vanessa did.
Her face went white.
“Yes.””
Dad stepped forward.
“You've seen him?””
“Once.””
“When?””
“Three days after Lena died.””
“Where?””
“Outside the funeral home.””
I felt cold.
“What did he say?””
Vanessa's hands began shaking.
“He told me Daniel had died.””
“Who told you?””
“The man in the photograph.””
Dad paced across the room.
“So someone impersonated Daniel's death.””
Vanessa nodded.
“And convinced you to help keep Maya away from him.””
“I thought I was protecting her.””
“You've been protecting whoever that man is.””
“I didn't know!””
Dad slammed his palm onto the table.
“You signed custody documents.””
“I was trying to keep Maya safe.””
“You canceled her ticket.””
“I was told to.””
“You redirected the refund.””
“I was told to.””
I stared at her.
“Where did the money go?””
Vanessa looked down.
“I don't know.””
Dad stepped closer.
“You're going to find out.””
Her phone buzzed.
She jumped.
Everyone stared at it.
Dad picked it up.
The message said:
*You have failed.*
Another message arrived.
*Bring Maya to the house tonight.*
Then another.
*Or Marcus learns what happened in the hospital.*
Dad went still.
“What happened in the hospital?””
Vanessa's lips parted.
“I don't know.””
“You've seen this person before.””
“No.””
“Then why threaten you with the hospital?””
“I don't know!””
I looked at Dad.
“What does he mean?””
Dad didn't answer.
“Dad.””
He looked away.
“Marcus?””
I knew something was wrong.
“You know.””
He shook his head.
“I know there was something your mother didn't tell me.””
“About her death?””
“Yes.””
“Then tell me.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because I don't have proof.””
I stepped toward him.
“Then let's get proof.””
Jonathan cleared his throat.
“There may be some.””
He opened a drawer and removed an old envelope.
“This was delivered to my office eight years ago.””
Dad stared at it.
“Why didn't you give it to me?””
“Because your wife's instructions were explicit. I could only release it if something happened to the trust.””
“What does it contain?””
Jonathan handed it to me.
Inside was a hospital wristband.
My mother's name.
And a handwritten note.
*Room 417.*
I looked at Dad.
“What is this?””
He stared at the wristband.
His face had gone gray.
“That's not possible.””
“Why?””
He took a step backward.
“Because your mother wasn't in Room 417.””
Jonathan frowned.
“The hospital records say she was.””
Dad shook his head.
“No.””
I felt my pulse pounding.
“Where was she?””
He whispered, “Room 214.””
The room went silent.
Jonathan looked at the document.
“That means someone changed the medical records.””
Dad looked at me.
“Or your mother was moved.””
“Why?””
He didn't answer.
Vanessa suddenly whispered, “Because they wanted to make it look like she died.””
I turned toward her.
“What?””
She covered her mouth.
Dad grabbed her shoulders.
“Explain.””
“I don't know everything.””
“Tell us what you know.””
She started crying.
“The night Lena died, I saw someone leave her room.””
“Who?””
“I couldn't see his face.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because he threatened me.””
“What did he say?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“He said if I told Marcus what I'd seen, Maya would disappear.””
My blood ran cold.
Dad released her.
“Where did he go?””
“Down the service corridor.””
“Did you follow him?””
“No.””
“Then how do you know he didn't leave the hospital?””
“Because I saw him again.””
“When?””
“The next morning.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“Where?””
Vanessa pointed at the photograph.
“Standing beside Daniel.””
I looked at the picture again.
Two men were visible.
One was Daniel.
The other stood half-hidden behind the door.
I zoomed in.
His face was blurry.
But there was something around his wrist.
A silver watch.
Dad suddenly stopped moving.
“What?””
He touched his own wrist.
“I know that watch.””
My heart pounded.
“Whose is it?””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
She whispered the answer.
“Your father's.””
I stared at him.
“My grandfather?””
Dad shook his head.
“My father died ten years ago.””
“Then whose watch?””
He didn't answer.
Because he was staring at his own wrist.
At the old silver watch he had worn every day since my mother died.
I whispered, “Dad?””
He slowly removed it.
On the back was an engraving.
*For Marcus. From L.*
My mother's initials.
Then Jonathan noticed something.
“There's a second engraving.””
Dad turned the watch over.
Under the first inscription were tiny numbers.
*4-1-7.*
The same number from the hospital wristband.
Nobody spoke.
Then the front door of the law office slammed open.
A man rushed inside.
He was breathing hard.
“Mr. Harris?””
Jonathan stood.
“Who are you?””
The man looked directly at me.
“Maya?””
I stepped back.
“Who are you?””
He held up an identification card.
“Detective James Cole.””
Dad moved between us.
“What do you want?””
The detective looked at the photograph on the table.
His expression changed.
“Where did you get that?””
Dad said nothing.
The detective lowered his voice.
“Because we've been looking for Daniel Reeves for eight years.””
I stared at him.
“You knew he was alive?””
“No.””
“Then why are you looking for him?””
The detective swallowed.
“Because three hours ago, we found a body.””
My stomach dropped.
“Whose?””
May you like
He looked at me.
“Daniel Reeves.””
