Chapter 13: The Man Who Was Supposed To Be Dead
I stared at the photograph until my eyes stopped understanding what I was seeing.
Daniel.
Alive.
Not a memory.
Not an old picture.
Not something from before the accident.
After.
The timestamp was visible in the corner.
Three years ago.
The night he died.
My hands started shaking.
“No.””
The word escaped before I even realized I had spoken.
Marcus looked over.
“What is it?””
I couldn’t answer.
I just handed him my phone.
His face changed instantly.
Rachel stepped closer.
“What happened?””
Marcus didn’t speak.
He just turned the screen toward her.
The color drained from her face.
“Impossible.””
That was the word everyone used when the truth became too painful.
Impossible.
But Daniel had always been good at proving impossible things were real.
Dr. Hayes was still standing outside.
“Emily?””
I looked at the door.
The anger returned.
“You knew.””
Silence.
“You knew he survived.””
Another silence.
That was enough.
I opened the door.
Dr. Hayes looked older than he had five minutes ago.
“Tell me.””
His eyes moved to the photograph.
Then back to me.
“I didn’t know he survived.””
“Then explain this.””
He looked devastated.
“Because that picture changes everything.””
I stepped outside.
“You’re going to tell me everything.””
He nodded.
“I will.””
Marcus came behind me.
Rachel followed.
Nobody trusted anyone anymore.
Dr. Hayes looked toward the street.
“Daniel was alive after the crash.””
My chest tightened.
“How?””
“He was found before emergency services arrived.””
“By who?””
Dr. Hayes looked at the ground.
“Richard.””
The name hit like a punch.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“Richard saved him?””
Dr. Hayes nodded.
“But he didn’t take him to the hospital.””
I felt sick.
“Why?””
“Because Daniel wasn’t supposed to survive.””
The world went quiet.
Dr. Hayes continued.
“Richard found Daniel conscious. He knew Daniel had evidence. He knew Daniel could expose him.””
“Then why didn’t he kill him?””
“Because someone stopped him.””
I stared.
“Who?””
Dr. Hayes looked at Rachel.
“Your aunt knows.””
Everyone turned.
Rachel closed her eyes.
“I knew he was alive.””
My heart broke.
“Rachel?””
She started crying.
“Daniel called me.””
“When?””
“The night he disappeared.””
I stepped back.
“You knew?””
“I thought he was dead.””
“No.””
“He called from a hidden number. He was hurt. Confused. He told me Richard had found him.””
My voice cracked.
“And you never told me?””
Rachel covered her face.
“I wanted to.””
“Then why didn’t you?””
“Because Daniel told me not to.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course he did.””
Rachel looked at me.
“He said if you knew, you would come looking for him.””
“That’s what I would have done.””
“Yes.””
She cried harder.
“And he was afraid you would get hurt.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“Where is he?””
Nobody answered.
That terrified me more than anything.
Dr. Hayes spoke quietly.
“He disappeared again.””
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
My stomach dropped.
“The same night?””
He nodded.
“After he gave me the final piece of evidence.””
I stared.
“Evidence against who?””
Dr. Hayes looked toward my house.
“The person who arranged everything.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Who?””
He hesitated.
Then said:
“Daniel’s mother.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“She wasn’t the victim you thought she was.””
“She’s dead.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Dr. Hayes looked at me.
“Because Daniel found out she was still alive.””
The sentence made no sense.
“My mother-in-law died before I met Daniel.””
“That’s what everyone believed.””
I looked at Rachel.
She looked away.
Another secret.
Another lie.
“Where is she?””
Dr. Hayes didn’t answer.
Instead, he pulled something from his coat.
A small envelope.
My name.
Again.
Daniel’s handwriting.
“This was the last thing Daniel gave me.””
I didn’t take it.
“Why should I believe you?””
“You shouldn’t.””
That surprised me.
He looked at me.
“You should listen.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sentence.
*Emily, if you are reading this, I failed to protect you. But I finally found the person who started everything.*
Below it was one name.
May you like
A name that made my heart stop.
*My mother.*
