Chapter 5: The Father Who Never Came Home
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I stared at Madison.
"My father died twenty years ago.""
She shook her head.
"That's what Mom told us.""
"Then why are you saying you saw him?""
"Because I saw a photograph. Grandma showed it to me.""
Victor stepped closer.
"Madison, think carefully. When did this happen?""
"Three years ago.""
"Did you see the photograph yourself?""
"Yes.""
"What did it show?""
Madison closed her eyes.
"A man standing outside Grandma's house. He was older, his hair was gray, and he had a scar near his chin.""
Victor looked toward James.
James slowly lowered his briefcase.
"That sounds like Daniel.""
I felt my knees weaken.
Victor reached for a chair and pulled it toward me.
"Sit down, Nia.""
I shook my head.
"I don't want to sit down. I want someone to tell me what is happening.""
Madison took my hand.
For the first time in years, she wasn't looking at me like a rival.
She looked frightened.
"Grandma said Dad might still be alive.""
I pulled my hand away.
"No.""
"Nia—"
"No. I saw his memorial. I saw the photograph. Mom told me he was killed overseas.""
Denise finally spoke.
"He was.""
Her voice was strangely calm.
"Daniel died during his final deployment. The military notified me personally.""
Victor turned toward her.
"Who notified you?""
"A naval officer.""
"Name?""
"I don't remember.""
"Twenty years later, you don't remember the name of the officer who supposedly informed you that your husband was dead?""
Denise's lips tightened.
"I was grieving.""
Victor took a slow breath.
"Daniel's death was never officially confirmed.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He nodded.
"His mission was classified. His unit returned without him. The initial report listed him as missing in action.""
"Then why was there a memorial?""
"Because we believed he had died.""
"Did you find his body?""
Victor shook his head.
"No.""
I looked at Denise.
"You told me he had been buried.""
She didn't answer.
"You said you visited his grave.""
"I did.""
"Where?""
Denise's eyes moved toward the river.
"Arlington.""
James spoke carefully.
"There is a memorial marker, not a burial record.""
I felt a strange pressure behind my eyes.
Every memory I had of my father came from stories told by someone else.
A man who had supposedly carried me through the house.
A man who had supposedly sung to me.
A man who had supposedly promised to come home.
I had never seen a grave.
I had never received a letter.
I had never heard his voice.
"Victor," I said, "what happened during his final mission?""
Victor looked at the uniformed officers nearby.
Then he turned toward James.
"Can we speak somewhere private?""
James nodded.
The commander escorted us into a small building overlooking the water.
Inside, the room smelled faintly of coffee and polished wood. A long table stood beneath framed photographs of naval ships.
I sat beside Madison.
Denise chose the chair nearest the door.
Victor remained standing.
He removed his jacket and placed it over the back of a chair.
"Daniel was part of a special naval intelligence unit," he began.
"His work involved the recovery of classified information from compromised operations.""
I listened without interrupting.
"During his final deployment, something went wrong. His team encountered an operation that wasn't supposed to exist.""
"What kind of operation?""
Victor glanced at James.
James answered.
"An unauthorized transfer of military intelligence.""
My stomach tightened.
"Was Dad involved?""
"He was investigating it.""
Victor continued.
"Three days before his unit disappeared, Daniel contacted me. He said he had discovered evidence that someone inside the operation was selling classified information.""
"Did he say who?""
Victor shook his head.
"He didn't have the complete picture. But he believed the information was connected to a private contractor.""
James opened his briefcase.
"That contractor was called Meridian Defense.""
He placed a corporate document on the table.
The name meant nothing to me.
Victor's expression suggested otherwise.
"Meridian had contracts with several government departments. They also had connections to private security firms.""
I looked at him.
"Why are you telling me this?""
"Because the company was owned by someone who knew your mother.""
Denise stiffened.
"Don't.""
Victor continued.
"Someone who had access to your father's personal records.""
James slid another document toward me.
It contained a photograph of a man in his sixties.
His hair was white.
His suit was immaculate.
His smile looked almost identical to the one Madison wore when she wanted something.
"Who is this?"" I asked.
James answered.
"Richard Voss. Former chairman of Meridian Defense.""
Denise suddenly stood.
"I want to leave.""
Victor looked at her.
"Sit down.""
"Don't tell me what to do.""
"Nia deserves to hear this.""
Denise grabbed her handbag.
"She's heard enough.""
Madison stood too.
"Mom, stop.""
Denise turned toward her.
"You have no idea what you're involved in.""
Madison's voice trembled.
"Neither do you, apparently.""
For a moment, mother and daughter stared at each other.
Then Denise sat down.
Victor returned his attention to me.
"Richard Voss was the last person known to have spoken with Daniel before his team disappeared.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Was he responsible?""
"We couldn't prove it.""
"And now?""
Victor's expression hardened.
"Now I believe he knows where your father is.""
The room went silent.
I leaned forward.
"Then why haven't you gone to him?""
"Because he disappeared shortly after Daniel's mission.""
James added, "He sold his shares, resigned from Meridian, and moved overseas. His official records have been difficult to trace.""
I looked at Denise.
"Do you know him?""
She didn't answer.
"Mom?""
She stared at the table.
Victor placed another document in front of her.
It was an old photograph of Denise standing beside Richard Voss.
They were outside a large building.
Her hand rested on his arm.
She looked younger.
Happy.
And very familiar with him.
I felt my stomach turn.
"Why are you in a photograph with him?""
Denise looked up.
"I worked for his company.""
"When?""
"Before I married Daniel.""
Victor's face tightened.
"That wasn't what you told me.""
"Because it was none of your business.""
James placed another sheet beside the photograph.
A payment record.
A substantial amount had been transferred from Meridian Defense to an account bearing Denise's name.
The date was two weeks before Daniel's final deployment.
I stared at it.
"Mom, why did Richard Voss pay you?""
Denise's voice became sharp.
"That was my salary.""
"For what job?""
"I worked in administration.""
Victor shook his head.
"That payment was not salary.""
Denise stood again.
"Enough!""
Madison stepped between her and the door.
"Mom, please. Just tell us.""
Denise looked at her younger daughter.
Then she looked at me.
For the first time, I saw genuine regret.
"I was young. I made mistakes.""
"What mistakes?"" I asked.
She pressed both hands against the table.
"Richard was helping me financially. Your father didn't approve of him. He thought Richard was dangerous.""
"And?""
"And Daniel discovered that I had been speaking to him.""
Victor's expression darkened.
"Did you give Richard information about Daniel's mission?""
Denise shook her head.
"No.""
James leaned forward.
"Did you give him copies of Daniel's service documents?""
She said nothing.
Victor closed his eyes.
"Denise...""
"I didn't know what he was going to do with them!""
The words burst out of her.
I stared at her.
"What did you give him?""
"Nothing important.""
"Mom!""
"His deployment schedule. A few personnel details. Nothing more.""
Victor stepped back.
For a moment, he looked as though he might collapse.
"You gave a defense contractor your husband's deployment information?""
"I didn't know he was planning anything!""
James removed his glasses.
"Mrs. Carter, that information could have exposed the entire unit.""
Denise covered her mouth.
"I was trying to help. Richard told me he could make sure Daniel got a safer assignment.""
Victor's voice dropped.
"Did you tell Daniel?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
The silence that followed was unbearable.
I looked at the woman who had raised me.
The woman who had told me my father was a hero.
The woman who had refused to let me visit my grandmother.
The woman who had changed my records and hidden my family's history.
"Did Dad know you had given Richard those documents?""
Denise began crying again.
"He found out.""
"When?""
"The night before he left.""
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Is that why he argued with you?""
Denise nodded.
I felt cold.
"What happened that night?""
She stared at the table.
"He said he would report everything. He said he couldn't trust me anymore.""
My hands curled into fists.
"And then?""
"He left.""
"Did he come back?""
Denise shook her head.
Victor looked at James.
James opened a small compartment inside his briefcase.
He removed a digital recording device.
"This was recovered from Daniel's personal effects.""
He placed it on the table.
"His final recorded message.""
My heart began pounding.
"Can I hear it?""
Victor hesitated.
Then he nodded.
James pressed a button.
Static filled the room.
A few seconds passed.
Then a man's voice emerged.
Low.
Tired.
Unmistakably human.
"If anyone finds this, tell my father I tried.""
I stopped breathing.
Victor covered his mouth.
The recording continued.
"Tell Nia I love her. Tell her I never abandoned her.""
My eyes filled.
Then the voice changed.
It became urgent.
"Denise, if you're hearing this, you need to understand something. Richard knows about the second file. He knows about the children.""
A burst of static interrupted the recording.
Then one final sentence came through.
"Do not let him take Madison.""
The recording stopped.
Madison began sobbing.
I turned toward her.
"Why did he say your name?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Victor stared at the device.
James replayed the final seconds.
This time, I heard something beneath the static.
A faint voice.
A second person.
And one word.
"Transfer.""
James looked up sharply.
"That's not part of the original recording.""
Victor leaned toward him.
"What?""
James rewound the audio.
The faint voice repeated.
"Transfer confirmed.""
Then came a name.
May you like
A name that made Denise stand so abruptly that her chair fell backward.
"Richard Voss.""
