Chapter 4: The Call That Should Have Been Impossible
My mother's name flashed across the screen.
MOM.
I couldn't move.
For seventeen years, that name had existed only in old photographs, faded birthday cards, and memories I was terrified of forgetting.
Now it was calling me.
“Answer it,” Nathaniel whispered.
I stared at him.
“What if it's someone pretending to be her?””
“Then we'll find out.””
The phone rang again.
I pressed the green button.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a familiar voice whispered, “Rose?””
My knees nearly gave way.
“Mom?””
A quiet sob came through the speaker.
“Oh, sweetheart.””
I covered my mouth.
It was her.
Older, weaker, but unmistakably her.
“Mom, where are you? Are you hurt? Who has you?””
“Listen to me. You must leave that building.””
“I'm not leaving without you.””
“Rose, please.””
I looked at Nathaniel.
He had moved closer, listening carefully.
“Mom, I saw the photograph. I know you're alive. I know about Nathaniel. I know about the hospital.””
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered, “They told you.””
“Yes.””
“Who told you?””
“Eleanor.””
My mother's breathing changed.
“Did she give you the blue envelope?””
I looked at Eleanor.
“What blue envelope?””
My mother began crying.
“Then she hasn't told you everything.””
Eleanor stepped forward.
“Grace?””
My mother heard her.
Her voice immediately hardened.
“Don't you dare speak to my daughter.””
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“Grace, I know I don't deserve forgiveness.””
“You're right. You don't.””
Nathaniel took the phone.
“Mrs. Carter, this is Nathaniel.””
Silence.
Then my mother's voice broke.
“My little boy.””
Nathaniel turned away.
He pressed one hand against his forehead.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered.
“For what?””
“For not finding you.””
“Oh, sweetheart. You were a child. None of this was your fault.””
He began crying.
I had never seen a billionaire cry before.
For a moment, he wasn't Nathaniel Callaway, heir to a four-billion-dollar fortune.
He was simply a man who had just discovered that his mother had been alive all along.
Then a man's voice sounded in the background.
“Time's up, Grace.””
My mother's breathing quickened.
“Rose, listen carefully. The man who has me isn't Harold.””
“Then who is he?””
“He's the reason your father died.””
A loud crash came through the phone.
My mother screamed.
“Mom!””
The call disconnected.
I immediately called back.
The number was unavailable.
I turned toward the police officer.
“Find her!””
He raised his hand.
“We're already tracing the number.””
“How long?””
“I can't give you an exact—”
“Then get someone who can!””
Nathaniel stepped forward.
“Officer, activate an emergency response. I want every available unit looking for her.””
The officer nodded and left.
Eleanor sat motionless.
I turned toward her.
“You knew my mother was alive.””
She looked up.
“I suspected.””
“You saw the photograph. You knew where she lived. You knew she was hiding.””
“I didn't know she was still alive until recently.””
“That's convenient.””
“Rose, please.””
“No. You've had twenty-nine years to explain yourself.””
I held up the photograph.
“Who is the man behind her?””
Eleanor stared at it.
Her face lost what little color remained.
“It's Richard.””
Nathaniel froze.
“Grandfather?””
Eleanor nodded.
“That isn't possible,” Nathaniel said.
“He died twenty years ago.””
“That's what the family was told.””
The room went silent.
I looked at the photograph again.
The man holding my mother looked older, but his face was unmistakable.
“Your father is alive?”” I asked.
Eleanor swallowed.
“Yes.””
Nathaniel stepped backward.
“Why would he fake his death?””
“To disappear from the investigation into Daniel's death.””
I felt sick.
“You mean the fire?””
Eleanor nodded.
“Richard arranged it.””
Nathaniel gripped the back of a chair.
“Are you telling me my grandfather murdered my biological father?””
“Yes.””
“And you knew?””
“I found out years later.””
Nathaniel's voice rose.
“Years later? You let me grow up believing he was a respected businessman!””
“I was afraid.””
“Everyone in this family is afraid!””
He slammed his hand against the desk.
For the first time, Eleanor didn't defend herself.
A police officer returned.
“Mr. Callaway, we've traced the last signal. It came from a property in Westchester County.””
Nathaniel grabbed his coat.
“Let's go.””
The officer shook his head.
“We can't just rush in. We need a tactical team.””
“My mother is there!””
“And we intend to get her out safely.””
I stepped forward.
“I'm going with you.””
Nathaniel turned.
“No.””
“She called me.””
“And that's exactly why you're staying here.””
“She's my mother.””
“She's my mother too,” he replied.
“And I'm not losing you both tonight.””
I stared at him.
Something about the way he said it made my anger soften.
But only slightly.
Eleanor suddenly stood.
“If Richard has Grace, he won't wait for the police.””
The officer looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because he believes the original birth certificates are still in my possession.””
Nathaniel turned.
“Where are they?””
Eleanor reached into her handbag.
She removed a small brass key.
“Inside the old family chapel. There's a safe beneath the altar.””
The officer frowned.
“Why would you keep documents in a chapel?””
“Because Richard never believed anyone would look for them there.””
Nathaniel took the key.
“Then we're going.””
Before we could move, Marcus appeared in the doorway.
“Mr. Callaway.””
Nathaniel turned.
“What?””
Marcus held up another phone.
“We recovered this from the wedding suite. It belongs to Victoria.””
“What's on it?””
“A scheduled message.””
He placed the phone on the desk.
The screen displayed a countdown.
<text color="secondary" size="xs">SCHEDULED MESSAGE</text>
<title size="2xl" color="danger" tabularNums>00:00:42</title>
Nathaniel frowned.
“What's it sending?””
Marcus opened the message preview.
It contained a photograph of Eleanor.
Below it were the words:
If Richard is arrested, release the recording of what Eleanor did to Grace's daughter.
My stomach tightened.
“What did Eleanor do to me?””
Nobody answered.
The countdown reached zero.
A notification appeared.
*MESSAGE DELIVERED TO 18 RECIPIENTS.*
Eleanor covered her mouth.
Then Nathaniel's phone began ringing.
It was his chief financial officer.
He answered.
“What's happening?””
The man's voice was frantic.
“Sir, we have a problem. Someone just released a recording accusing your mother of attempting to kill one of her grandchildren.””
Nathaniel stared at Eleanor.
“What?””
The CFO continued.
“And there's a second video. It shows Eleanor leaving a hospital carrying a newborn baby.””
Nathaniel went completely still.
“Which baby?””
The man hesitated.
“Your sister, sir.””
I felt my heart stop.
Because if Eleanor had carried me out of that hospital, then my mother's story about escaping with me might not have been the whole truth.
May you like
And if Eleanor had taken me once...
What else had she done?
