Chapter 5: The Family My Father Buried
I drove for forty minutes without speaking.
Derek sat in the passenger seat.
Renee was in the back.
Neither of them had argued when I told them they were coming.
I had no intention of going alone.
The location from the message led us to an abandoned motel nearly an hour outside the city.
The sign had lost several letters.
Only *SUN... MOTEL* remained.
Half the rooms were boarded up.
The parking lot was empty except for a black SUV.
The same SUV from the photograph.
I stopped the car.
Derek looked at me.
“This is a trap.””
“I know.””
“You shouldn't go inside.””
“My daughter is inside.””
“I know.””
“Then don't tell me to wait.””
He looked down.
“Fair.””
Renee leaned forward between the seats.
“Marcus.””
I turned.
“What?””
“If you see Victor…”
“Victor Cross?””
She nodded.
“Don't let him touch you.””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
“He doesn't threaten people.””
“That doesn't answer my question.””
“He makes offers.””
“What kind?””
“The kind you regret accepting.””
I got out.
Derek followed.
Renee stayed in the car.
I walked toward the motel office.
The front door opened before I touched it.
An elderly man stood inside.
Gray hair.
Brown coat.
His hands trembled slightly.
“Marcus Hale?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Thomas.””
“You have my daughter.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
I stepped forward.
“Then where is she?””
“Room twelve.””
I looked past him.
“Take me there.””
Thomas didn't move.
“You were told to come alone.””
“I don't care.””
Derek stepped beside me.
Thomas looked at him.
“You're Derek.””
Derek's expression hardened.
“How do you know me?””
“I know everyone who was involved.””
“Involved in what?””
Thomas looked at me.
“Your family.””
I felt the old anger return.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
“Because your family is the reason we're here.””
He turned and walked down the hallway.
We followed.
Room twelve was at the end.
Thomas knocked twice.
The door opened.
Aaliyah stood there.
The moment she saw me, she ran into my arms.
I held her so tightly she laughed through tears.
“Dad.””
“Are you okay?””
“Yes.””
“Did anyone hurt you?””
“No.””
I pulled back and checked her face.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
Derek stood behind me.
Aaliyah looked at him.
“I'm sorry.””
He nodded.
“Don't be.””
Thomas closed the door.
Aaliyah sat on the bed.
“I didn't know who else to trust.””
I crouched in front of her.
“You can always trust me.””
She looked at me.
“I know.””
“Then why didn't you call me?””
“Because Grandma's letter said not to.””
I closed my eyes.
“Your grandmother has been dead seven years.””
“I know.””
“She left you instructions?””
Aaliyah nodded.
“She said if anyone ever showed me a DNA test with your name on it, I was supposed to find Thomas.””
I looked at the old man.
“Why?””
Thomas pulled a chair closer.
“Because I worked for your father.””
I stared at him.
“What did you do?””
“Security.””
“For Samuel?””
“For the entire operation.””
Derek swore under his breath.
I looked at Thomas.
“What operation?””
Thomas glanced at Aaliyah.
She nodded.
“Tell him.””
He sighed.
“Your father and Victor Cross were partners.””
“I know that.””
“No. You know the photograph. You don't know what they did.””
“Then tell me.””
Thomas folded his hands.
“Victor moved money. Your father moved people.””
My stomach turned.
“What people?””
“Witnesses.””
“Witnesses to what?””
“Criminal activity.””
Derek leaned against the wall.
“And Elias?””
Thomas looked at him.
“Elias was one of those witnesses.””
Renee suddenly appeared in the doorway.
She had followed us after all.
“Where is my brother?””
Thomas looked at her.
“Dead.””
She stared at him.
“You knew?””
“I saw him die.””
Renee covered her mouth.
“When?””
“Twenty-four years ago.””
“Then why did you let me believe—”
“I was ordered to.””
“By who?””
Thomas looked at me.
“Samuel.””
I felt something inside me break.
“My father ordered you to lie?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Elias had evidence.””
“What evidence?””
Thomas shook his head.
“Not evidence against Victor.””
“Then what?””
“Evidence against Samuel.””
I couldn't breathe.
Aaliyah stood.
“What did my biological father know?””
Thomas looked at her.
“He knew your father was not who you thought he was.””
I frowned.
“My father?””
“Samuel.””
Thomas leaned forward.
“Your father had another identity.””
Silence.
Derek stared at Thomas.
“You're saying Samuel wasn't Samuel?””
Thomas nodded.
“Samuel Hale was the name he used after disappearing from another state.””
My mind raced.
“Why?””
“Because he had a brother who betrayed him.””
“Daniel.””
Thomas shook his head.
“No. Daniel was the one who helped him.””
I froze.
“Then who betrayed him?””
Thomas looked at Renee.
“Elias.””
Renee stumbled backward.
“No.””
“Elias discovered what Samuel had done.””
“What did he do?””
Thomas looked at Aaliyah.
“He had a child.””
Aaliyah's face tightened.
“With my mother?””
“No.””
The room went silent.
Thomas continued.
“Samuel had a daughter before Marcus was born.””
I stared at him.
“My father had a daughter?””
“Yes.””
“Where is she?””
Thomas looked at me.
“You know her.””
My heart stopped.
Aaliyah whispered, “Who?””
Thomas's eyes moved toward Renee.
“Renee.””
Renee went white.
“No.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
Thomas nodded.
“Renee wasn't your father's daughter by blood.””
Derek stepped forward.
“Then what was she?””
Thomas said quietly, “His daughter.””
Renee's knees almost gave out.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“Samuel raised you after your mother died.””
Renee shook her head.
“My father was Joseph.””
“Joseph was the man Samuel paid to disappear.””
Renee stared at him.
Thomas reached into his coat.
He pulled out a yellowed folder.
“This contains the original birth records.””
He handed it to me.
I opened it.
The first page showed Renee's name.
Her mother's name.
And under *Father*:
*Samuel Hale.*
I stared at it.
Renee began sobbing.
“You knew?””
I looked at Thomas.
“You knew all these years?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell her?””
“Because Samuel threatened to kill anyone who exposed him.””
Aaliyah took the paper from my hands.
She read it.
Then looked at Renee.
“So you were my grandfather's daughter?””
Renee nodded through tears.
“Yes.””
Aaliyah sat down.
I felt like I was watching strangers uncover my family history.
Then Derek spoke.
“What does that make Aaliyah?””
Thomas looked at him.
“That's the question.””
I stared at him.
“What do you mean?””
Thomas opened another folder.
Inside was a DNA report.
Different laboratory.
Different date.
Different names.
My name appeared on the left.
Aaliyah's on the right.
The result was unmistakable.
*Parent-child relationship: excluded.*
I stared at the page.
“No.””
Thomas said nothing.
I looked at Aaliyah.
She was staring at the floor.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“That's why I didn't tell you.””
My chest hurt.
“But you called me Dad.””
“You are my dad.””
“Then why would the test say—”
“Because you're not my biological father.””
The words came from her mouth so calmly that they hurt more.
I sat beside her.
“I don't care about that.””
She looked at me.
“I know.””
“I raised you.””
“I know.””
“You're my daughter.””
Her eyes filled.
“I know.””
I pulled her into my arms.
For a moment, the rest of the world disappeared.
Then Derek picked up the report.
“There are three names here.””
I looked over.
“What?””
He pointed.
The test had a third reference sample.
*Elias Bennett.*
I stared.
Elias.
Aaliyah's biological father.
But beneath his name was another line.
*Sample obtained from remains.*
I looked at Thomas.
“His body was identified?””
Thomas nodded.
“Officially.””
“Then why does this test exist?””
“Because it wasn't done twenty-four years ago.””
I frowned.
“When?””
Thomas looked at the date.
“Six months ago.””
Renee stopped crying.
“What?””
Thomas's voice lowered.
“Someone dug up Elias's remains.””
Derek stared at him.
“Who?””
Thomas looked toward the door.
“Victor.””
The lights suddenly went out.
Aaliyah screamed.
Something shattered in the hallway.
Derek grabbed her.
“Stay down!””
A gunshot cracked through the motel.
Thomas dropped to the floor.
Renee screamed.
I pulled Aaliyah behind the bed.
Another shot.
Then a man's voice echoed through the darkness.
“Marcus!””
I knew that voice.
I had never heard it before.
But somehow, after everything I had learned that night, I recognized it.
Victor Cross.
“Bring me the original report,” he shouted.
Then came another sentence.
May you like
One that made my blood run cold.
“Or I tell your daughter what Samuel did to her mother.””
