Chapter 6: The Seventeenth Piece
Nobody spoke after I finished reading the letter.
The gas station's broken sign flickered above us.
Once.
Twice.
Then went dark.
I stared at Mom.
“What does that mean?””
She couldn't look at me.
“Mom.””
Her hands covered her mouth.
“Tell me.””
“I don't know.””
“You're lying.””
“I swear I'm not.””
“Then why does Rebecca's letter say the seventeenth piece was inside me?””
Daniel took the letter from my hand.
“Because Rebecca believed you were the key.””
“The key to what?””
“The ledger.””
I laughed once.
It sounded wrong.
“You're telling me my shoulder is a criminal database?””
“No.””
“Then what?””
Daniel crouched in front of me.
“When you were born, Rebecca discovered that the organization wasn't storing information only on paper.””
I stared at him.
“They used coded records.””
“What kind?””
“Photographic film. Microdots. Chemical ink. Digital backups.””
“Where was mine?””
Daniel looked at my mother.
“Sarah?””
Mom wiped her eyes.
“Emily, when you were born, your father took you from the hospital.””
My blood went cold.
“He kidnapped me?””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“He was trying to save you.””
“From what?””
“Your father had discovered that the organization planned to kill you.””
“Why?””
“Because they believed Rebecca had hidden the ledger's final key inside your birth records.””
I shook my head.
“That makes no sense.””
Mom nodded.
“I know.””
“What did Dad do?””
“He stole you.””
“From the hospital?””
“Yes.””
I stared at the floor.
“He carried you out through the service entrance.””
Daniel added, “Rebecca helped him.””
I looked up.
“So Rebecca was alive.””
“At that time.””
“What happened afterward?””
Mom closed her eyes.
“She disappeared.””
I sat back.
“Why?””
“Because she was caught.””
“By Dad?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
Mom whispered, “The organization.””
A car passed on the road outside.
We all watched it until its taillights disappeared.
I asked, “What did they do to her?””
Daniel answered.
“We don't know.””
“Then why did you say she died?””
“Because that's what they wanted us to believe.””
I stood.
“I want to go back home.””
Mom grabbed my hand.
“No.””
“My stuff is there.””
“We can replace everything.””
“My schoolwork.””
“We can replace it.””
“My room.””
“Emily—”
“My life!””
The words came out louder than I intended.
“I want my life back!””
Mom began crying.
Daniel said quietly, “You can't.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“You can't go back to the life you had.””
“Because Dad beat us?””
“Because people are hunting you.””
“I don't even know why!””
“Neither do we.””
“Then find out!””
Daniel stared at me.
For the first time, he looked exhausted.
“We've been trying for fifteen years.””
I froze.
“Fifteen?””
He nodded.
“Your mother wasn't the only person looking for Rebecca.””
“Who else?””
“The FBI.””
“And?””
Daniel hesitated.
“And your father.””
I stared at him.
“Why would Dad look for her?””
“Because he loved her.””
I almost laughed.
“My dad?””
“Yes.””
“The man who nearly drowned my mother?””
Daniel's expression didn't change.
“People can become monsters without forgetting who they once loved.””
Mom whispered, “He wasn't always like this.””
I looked at her.
“Don't defend him.””
“I'm not.””
“Then don't tell me he loved anyone.””
“He did.””
She reached into her pocket.
She pulled out another photograph.
This one was older.
Dad was younger.
Mom stood beside him.
And Rebecca was between them.
All three were smiling.
Dad had one hand on Rebecca's shoulder.
Mom looked at them with an expression I'd never seen in any family photograph.
Joy.
Real joy.
“What happened?”” I asked.
Mom stared at the picture.
“Your father found out Rebecca had been working with the FBI.””
“And?””
“He confronted her.””
“Did he kill her?””
“No.””
Mom's voice broke.
“He let her go.””
I stared at the photograph.
“Why?””
“Because she told him about you.””
I looked up.
“Me?””
“You were only a baby.””
Mom nodded.
“She told him the organization would kill you if they found out what Rebecca had discovered.””
“So Dad turned against them.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did he hurt you tonight?””
Mom looked at me.
“Because something changed.””
“What?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel's phone rang.
Everyone froze.
He looked at the screen.
No caller ID.
He answered.
“Brooks.””
Silence.
Then his face changed.
He put the phone on speaker.
A woman's voice came through.
Weak.
Breathing hard.
“Daniel.””
Mom stood so quickly the chair fell behind her.
“Rebecca?””
The woman on the phone gasped.
“Sarah?””
Mom covered her mouth.
“No.””
Daniel stared at the phone.
“Rebecca, where are you?””
“I don't have much time.””
“Are you alive?””
A small laugh.
“For now.””
Mom began crying.
“Where have you been?””
“Watching.””
“Watching what?””
“Emily.””
I stepped closer.
The woman's voice softened.
“Hello, sweetheart.””
I couldn't breathe.
“Who are you?””
A pause.
“I'm the aunt your mother told you was dead.””
I looked at Mom.
She was shaking.
“Why were you watching me?””
Rebecca's breathing became heavier.
“Because I promised your father I would.””
My heart stopped.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
Daniel interrupted.
“Rebecca, Ethan was arrested tonight.””
“I know.””
“He attacked Sarah and Emily.””
“I know.””
“You knew?””
“I've been watching him for months.””
Mom whispered, “Then why didn't you stop him?””
Rebecca went silent.
When she spoke again, her voice was barely audible.
“Because Ethan wasn't trying to hurt Emily.””
I stared at the phone.
“He hit me.””
“I know.””
“He attacked Mom.””
“I know.””
“Then what are you saying?””
Rebecca took a shaky breath.
“Your father was trying to force the organization to reveal itself.””
Daniel frowned.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It will.””
Rebecca's voice dropped.
“Ethan knew they were watching the house.””
Mom shook her head.
“No.””
“He needed them to believe he had lost control.””
“Why?””
“So they would move.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“Move what?””
Rebecca whispered one word.
“Emily.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
Rebecca continued.
“Your father knew they would come for you if he made them believe Sarah had contacted me.””
I looked at Mom.
“Then the attack…”
“Was staged,” Rebecca said.
I touched my bruised cheek.
“No.””
Mom stared at the floor.
“No,” she whispered.
I looked at her.
“Mom?””
She couldn't answer.
I stepped backward.
“You knew?””
She started crying.
“I knew Ethan was trying something.””
“You let him hit me?””
“No!””
“Then why didn't you stop him?””
“I thought he would stop before—”
I turned away.
“Emily, please.””
I couldn't hear her.
All I could hear was Dad's voice from the kitchen.
You should keep your mouth shut, Sarah.
Then the sound of his hand striking my face.
The pain.
The floor.
My backpack beside me.
Rebecca spoke again.
“Emily, listen to me.””
I pressed the phone against my ear.
“What?””
“Your father made one mistake.””
“What?””
“He didn't realize they already had someone inside the police department.””
Daniel looked toward Officer Harris.
She had gone pale.
Rebecca continued.
“That's why they knew exactly where you were.””
Daniel slowly turned toward the officer.
Officer Harris raised both hands.
“I don't know what she's talking about.””
Rebecca's breathing suddenly became frantic.
“Daniel…”
“What?””
“They found me.””
A loud crash sounded through the phone.
Rebecca screamed.
Then the line went dead.
Daniel immediately tried calling back.
Nothing.
Mom grabbed my hand.
“Where did she go?””
Daniel looked at the dark screen.
“I don't know.””
Behind us, a car door slammed.
We all turned.
Officer Harris whispered, “Nobody move.””
A shadow appeared beyond the broken windows of the gas station.
Then another.
Daniel reached for his weapon.
And Officer Harris quietly locked the doors.
May you like
But she didn't lock them to keep the strangers out.
She locked them to keep *us* inside.
