Chapter 4: The Man in the Photograph
The lock clicked into place.
My father stood with his back against the bedroom door.
Vanessa remained near the foot of my bed, gripping the torn photograph so tightly that the paper bent between her fingers.
I stared at the man beside my mother's car.
“Who is Daniel?””
Neither of them answered.
“Dad?””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“You had no right to take that out of the album.””
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“You had no right to hide it for seventeen years.””
My eyes moved between them.
“Stop talking like I'm not standing here.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Aaliyah…”
“No.””
I stepped forward.
“You're both doing it again.””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Doing what?””
“Having a conversation around me instead of with me.””
I pointed at the photograph.
“You said my mother wasn't driving.””
Marcus swallowed.
“Yes.””
“You said she wasn't supposed to be in that car.””
“Yes.””
“Now there's a man named Daniel.””
Silence.
I felt my chest tightening.
“Who is he?””
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
“Tell her.””
He didn't.
“Tell me,” I said.
Marcus finally moved away from the door.
“His name was Daniel Brooks.””
“Who was he?””
“My friend.””
I stared at him.
“Your friend?””
“Yes.””
“What kind of friend?””
Marcus looked toward the floor.
“The kind who was around our family a lot.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“That isn't the whole truth.””
Marcus shot her a warning look.
“Vanessa.””
“No. She deserves to know.””
I stepped between them.
“Know what?””
Vanessa held up the photograph.
“Daniel was your mother's brother.””
I blinked.
“What?””
“My mother had a brother?””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“Don't.””
“Why?”” she demanded.
“Because you don't want her to know what happened?””
I grabbed the photograph.
Vanessa released it.
I studied the man's face.
He had my mother's eyes.
I knew that instantly.
The same shape.
The same slight crease beneath the left eye.
I had seen those eyes in old pictures of my mother.
My fingers began to shake.
“Why have I never heard his name?””
Marcus said nothing.
“Dad.””
“He left.””
“When?””
“Before you were born.””
“Why?””
“He and your mother had a fight.””
“What kind of fight?””
“Aaliyah, it was complicated.””
“Everything is complicated when you don't want to tell me the truth.””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Your father told everyone Daniel was unstable.””
Marcus looked at her sharply.
“I said he was angry.””
“You told your in-laws Daniel was dangerous.””
“He threatened me.””
“Why?””
“Because he blamed me for what happened to your mother.””
The room went silent.
I stared at my father.
“What happened?””
Marcus rubbed his hands over his face.
“There was an accident.””
“You already said that.””
“I know.””
“Then stop repeating the part you've already told me.””
My voice cracked.
“I want the part you didn't.””
He looked at me.
“Your mother had been fighting with Daniel that night.””
“About what?””
“I don't know.””
Vanessa scoffed.
“You know.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“You weren't there.””
“No. But I know what I found.””
My heart pounded.
“What did you find?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“A letter.””
Marcus went rigid.
“What letter?””
“The one Daniel left for your mother.””
I stared.
“You have it?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Not anymore.””
“Where is it?””
“Your father destroyed it.””
Marcus's voice rose.
“I did not destroy it.””
“You burned it.””
“I burned a copy.””
“A copy of what?””
He stopped.
I whispered, “Dad?””
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Your mother had been planning to leave.””
My knees weakened.
“Leave you?””
He nodded.
“Why?””
“She thought our marriage was over.””
I looked at the photograph.
“And Daniel?””
“I don't know what Daniel had to do with it.””
Vanessa gave him a look of disbelief.
“You know exactly what he had to do with it.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“I said I don't know.””
I suddenly noticed something in the photograph.
Behind Daniel's shoulder was a small white sign.
I leaned closer.
There was a building number.
*1847.*
“What's 1847?””
Marcus went pale.
Vanessa answered.
“The old storage facility.””
My head lifted.
“What storage facility?””
Marcus said nothing.
Vanessa walked toward the door.
“Ask your father where he kept your mother's things.””
Marcus stepped in front of her.
“Enough.””
Vanessa stared at him.
“You're going to keep lying?””
“I am trying to protect her.””
“You've been protecting yourself.””
I couldn't take it anymore.
“Both of you, stop!””
They went silent.
I looked at my father.
“I want the truth.””
Marcus's shoulders dropped.
“I know.””
“Not tomorrow.””
He looked at me.
“Not when you're ready. Not when Vanessa is ready. Now.””
He sat on the edge of my desk chair.
For a moment, he looked older than I'd ever seen him.
“Your mother had a small storage unit.””
“Why?””
“Because she was preparing to move.””
“With Daniel?””
“I don't know.””
“Did she love him?””
Marcus looked away.
“I don't know.””
“Did you kill her?””
The question came out before I could stop it.
Vanessa inhaled sharply.
Marcus stared at me.
“No.””
His answer was immediate.
Too immediate.
I searched his face.
“No?””
“No.””
“Were you there?””
He looked down.
“Yes.””
My stomach dropped.
“You were there?””
“I got to the road after the crash.””
“But you just said—”
“I didn't cause the accident.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because you were two years old.””
“You could've told me when I was twelve.””
“I was trying to give you a childhood.””
“You gave me a lie.””
His eyes filled.
“I thought I was protecting you.””
“You protected yourself.””
He didn't deny it.
My phone buzzed.
All three of us looked at it.
Unknown number.
I opened the message.
*You are asking the right questions. Now ask your father what happened at 11:42 p.m.*
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Marcus.
“What happened at 11:42?””
He froze.
Vanessa's face changed too.
I noticed.
“You know.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“You reacted.””
“I didn't.””
“You did.””
Marcus stood.
“Aaliyah, you need to stop answering these messages.””
“Why?””
“Because whoever this is wants you to dig into something you don't understand.””
“Then explain it.””
“I can't.””
“You won't.””
He turned toward the door.
I followed him.
“Dad.””
He stopped.
“What happened at 11:42?””
He didn't turn around.
Finally, he said, “That's when I received the call.””
“From who?””
Marcus's hand tightened around the doorknob.
“Daniel.””
I stared.
“Daniel called you after the crash?””
“No.””
He slowly turned.
“He called me before it.””
Vanessa whispered, “Marcus…”
He looked at her.
“It's over.””
Then he walked out.
I stood there, stunned.
A second later, Vanessa came close enough that I could hear her breathing.
“You shouldn't trust that man.””
“What man?””
“Daniel.””
“You just told me he was my uncle.””
“He was.””
“Then why shouldn't I trust him?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“Because Daniel wasn't the only person who knew your mother was going to leave.””
She walked away.
I remained frozen.
Then I looked at the camera above my desk.
Its tiny red light was blinking.
Recording.
I opened the security app.
The live feed showed my bedroom from above.
But something else caught my attention.
The timestamp was wrong.
It was twelve minutes ahead.
I frowned.
Then I checked the archived footage.
Someone had accessed the camera system remotely.
Not me.
Not Dad.
Not Vanessa.
Someone had been watching.
I opened the access log.
One device was connected.
The username was only a single word.
*DANIEL.*
Before I could touch the screen, the bedroom lights went out.
My phone buzzed.
This time, there was no message.
It was a video call.
May you like
And the caller ID said:
*Daniel Brooks.*