Chapter 5: The Woman in the Back Seat
I ran.
I didn't think about the traffic, the storage supervisor shouting behind me, or the fact that I was wearing expensive wedding shoes.
I just ran toward the gate.
"Ethan!""
The SUV accelerated.
I reached the driveway as it turned onto Memorial Drive.
For half a second, I saw the passenger-side window.
A woman's face appeared behind the tinted glass.
Dark hair.
Pale skin.
A scar near the left eyebrow.
My heart stopped.
Alicia.
It was her.
I knew it.
Even after three years, even after the photograph, even after the voicemail, I knew my wife when I saw her.
I stumbled toward the road.
"ALICIA!""
The SUV disappeared into traffic.
I pulled out my phone and called 911.
"This is Daniel Brooks. I need to report a possible kidnapping. A woman matching my missing wife's description is in a black SUV leaving Peachtree Storage on Memorial Drive.""
The dispatcher asked for the vehicle details.
I gave them everything I could remember.
Vanessa caught up with me, breathing heavily.
"Daniel!""
I turned.
"Did you see her?""
Vanessa nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"That was Alicia.""
She didn't answer.
"That was my wife!""
"I know.""
I stared at her.
"How could you know?""
Vanessa looked away.
Before I could question her, the dispatcher asked whether I had a relationship with the woman.
I explained that Alicia had been missing for three years.
The dispatcher instructed me to wait for officers and not pursue the vehicle.
I ended the call.
Then I faced Vanessa.
"You recognized her.""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
She hesitated.
"Because I saw her yesterday.""
I felt a surge of anger.
"You told me she only called you!""
"She did call.""
"Then why are you changing your story?""
Vanessa pressed her hands against her chest.
"Because she was standing outside my apartment when she called.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"She didn't just call me. She came to see me.""
"Why didn't you tell me that?""
"She made me promise.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone seems to have made promises to my wife except me.""
Vanessa looked down.
"She was terrified.""
"Of Ethan?""
"Of your father.""
I stepped closer.
"My father is supposedly dead.""
"Daniel, I saw him.""
"When?""
"Three years ago.""
I stared at her.
"Where?""
"At the hospital.""
"What hospital?""
"Grady Memorial.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible. My father died at home.""
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"That's what the funeral home told you.""
My phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered immediately.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice whispered:
"Daniel?""
My entire body went cold.
"Alicia?""
There was a sharp breath on the other end.
"Listen carefully. You shouldn't have gone to the storage unit.""
"Where are you?""
"I can't tell you.""
"I saw you in the SUV. Are you hurt?""
"No.""
"Then come home. Lily is waiting for you.""
Silence.
Then a quiet sob.
"How is our baby?""
I closed my eyes.
"She's okay. She's asking for you.""
"I know.""
"Where have you been?""
"I can't explain over the phone.""
"Three years, Alicia. Three years!""
"I know, Daniel. I know what I did to you.""
"Why didn't you come back?""
She didn't answer.
I pressed the phone against my ear.
"Did you see the letter?""
"Yes.""
"Did you write it?""
"Yes.""
"Is my father alive?""
A long pause.
Then:
"Your father is not the man you remember.""
I looked toward Vanessa.
She was watching me with an expression I couldn't understand.
"Alicia, I need you to tell me what's happening.""
"Did you find the phone?""
"Yes.""
"Did you listen to the recording?""
"Yes.""
"Then you know about your mother.""
I swallowed.
"Why did everyone tell me she died?""
"Because she wanted you to believe it.""
"Why?""
"Because she was protecting you.""
"From whom?""
Alicia's voice dropped.
"From the man who raised you.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"What does that mean?""
Before she could answer, another voice interrupted the call.
A man's voice.
"Enough, Alicia.""
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone.
Then I called back.
Unavailable.
I turned to Vanessa.
"Who was that?""
She looked toward the road.
"Ethan.""
"Was he with her?""
She nodded.
"Then why did you tell me she was alone when she visited you?""
Vanessa began crying harder.
"Because I didn't know who was listening.""
I grabbed her shoulders.
"Tell me the truth!""
She flinched.
"Daniel, please!""
I released her.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she said something I never expected.
"I was there the night Alicia disappeared.""
My hands dropped.
"What?""
"I went with her to meet Ethan.""
"Why?""
"Because she asked me to.""
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Because when we arrived, your father was already there.""
I stared.
"What happened?""
She shook her head.
"Your father argued with Alicia. He told her she was making a mistake. Ethan kept asking her for the documents.""
"What documents?""
"The financial records. The ones in the storage unit.""
I remembered the folders.
"Did she give them to him?""
"No. She handed them to me.""
I stepped back.
"You had the evidence?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Where is it?""
"I don't know.""
"What do you mean you don't know?""
"I hid it. But someone found it.""
"When?""
"Three years ago.""
I stared at her.
"Then what happened to Alicia?""
Vanessa covered her face.
"I heard a gunshot.""
The words seemed to hang in the air.
I felt my stomach turn.
"Who fired?""
"I didn't see.""
"Was Alicia hurt?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you see her afterward?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Yes.""
"When?""
"The next morning.""
"Where?""
"At a private medical clinic.""
I grabbed her arm.
"Was she alive?""
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
For three years, I had wondered whether my wife was dead.
Now I knew she had survived that night.
But the next question was worse.
"Why didn't she come home?""
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"Because she believed you were involved.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"Daniel—"
"No. I never hurt Alicia.""
"I know you didn't.""
"Then why would she think that?""
Vanessa reached into her purse and removed a folded sheet of paper.
It was a photocopy of a document.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
I recognized it immediately.
It was a medical authorization.
Dated the morning after Alicia disappeared.
Under the heading, it read:
*PATIENT TRANSFER APPROVED BY: DANIEL BROOKS.*
I stared at the paper.
"I never signed this.""
Vanessa nodded.
"I know.""
"Then who did?""
She looked toward the road.
"Your father.""
My phone vibrated again.
This time, it was Marcus.
I answered.
"What's wrong?""
His voice was urgent.
"Daniel, get home. Now.""
"Why?""
"Someone broke into your house.""
My heart dropped.
"Is Lily okay?""
"She's safe. Mrs. Carter took her to my apartment.""
"Who broke in?""
Marcus hesitated.
"Daniel, they didn't steal anything.""
"Then what did they do?""
"They left something in Lily's bedroom.""
"What?""
Marcus's voice cracked.
"A photograph of Alicia.""
I closed my eyes.
"What's wrong with the photograph?""
"It's from yesterday.""
"And?""
Marcus swallowed.
"Someone circled Lily's face in red ink. Underneath, they wrote one sentence.""
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"What sentence?""
"Tell Daniel that his daughter is next.""
