Chapter 7 - Noah’s Real FamilyNoah ran.
Daniel followed him into the hallway.
“Stop!”
The boy reached the stairwell before Ghost blocked his path.
Noah pressed against the wall.
“Move.”
Ghost sat.
Daniel approached slowly.
“Noah.”
“Leave me alone.”
“No.”
“You don’t know anything.”
“Then tell me.”
Noah’s eyes filled.
“I don’t know who my dad is.”
Daniel stopped.
“My mom never told me.”
“Your mother’s name?”
“Rachel Reed.”
Adrian appeared behind Daniel.
His face changed.
“Rachel?”
Noah looked at him.
“You know her?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Rachel Reed had a daughter?”
“Son.”
“Noah.”
Adrian looked shaken.
Daniel noticed.
“What?”
Adrian ignored him.
“Noah, what was your mother’s middle name?”
The boy frowned.
“Elizabeth.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Jesus.”
Daniel felt another secret approaching.
“Who is she?”
Adrian looked at him.
“Madeline’s younger sister.”
Noah stared.
“No.”
“Half-sister.”
“No.”
“Rachel ran away from the family when she was nineteen.”
Noah shook his head.
“My mom said she had no family.”
“She wanted no family.”
Noah’s breathing became rapid.
“That means Madeline is…”
“Your aunt.”
Noah nearly collapsed.
Daniel caught him.
The boy shoved him away.
“No!”
Ghost whined.
Daniel understood something horrible.
Madeline might have known exactly who Noah was.
Maybe that was why she panicked when he arrived at the funeral.
Not because he was a random witness.
Because he was family.
Adrian explained Rachel had tried to expose Dr. Samuel Reed years earlier.
She disappeared from everyone’s life.
Adrian believed she changed names repeatedly.
“Where is she now?” he asked.
Noah stared at the floor.
“Dead.”
“When?”
“Last year.”
“How?”
“Overdose.”
Adrian’s face tightened.
“Was she using drugs?”
“No!”
Noah’s voice cracked.
“She hated pills.”
Daniel and Ross exchanged a look.
Noah continued.
“They said she took too much.”
“Who found her?”
“Police.”
“Where were you?”
“School.”
Adrian sat.
Daniel saw the same thought cross everyone’s mind.
A woman who hated pills.
Died from an overdose.
From a family with a history of prescription fraud.
“Did Madeline know your mother was dead?” Ross asked.
Noah wiped his face.
“I don’t know.”
“Did your mother ever mention Madeline?”
“No.”
“Samuel Reed?”
“No.”
Adrian looked at Ross.
“We need Rachel’s case file.”
Ross nodded.
Daniel felt the mystery expanding beyond his daughter.
Rebecca.
Rachel.
Emma.
Three girls or women tied to one family.
All harmed.
Maybe all because of the same secret.
He returned to Emma’s room.
She was awake.
Weak.
Daniel sat beside her.
“Hey.”
“Dad.”
He kissed her forehead.
“You scared me.”
“Sorry.”
“No.”
His eyes filled.
“Never apologize for surviving.”
Emma looked toward the door.
“Ghost?”
“He’s here.”
Daniel opened it.
Ghost immediately entered and laid his head beside Emma.
She smiled.
Her fingers moved through his wet white fur.
Daniel waited.
“Emma, I need to ask you something.”
Her smile vanished.
“About Madeline?”
“Yes.”
She looked frightened.
“You’re safe.”
Emma nodded.
“Did she tell you why she put you in the basement?”
“Yes.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“What did she say?”
“That someone wanted to kill me.”
“Who?”
“She said Uncle Adrian.”
Daniel’s pulse jumped.
“Did you know you had an uncle?”
“No.”
“Did she show you a picture?”
“Yes.”
“Was it the man who came here today?”
Emma slowly nodded.
Daniel’s head spun.
So Madeline had been telling at least part of the truth.
“What else?”
“She said Uncle Adrian killed Mommy.”
Daniel gripped the bed rail.
“Rebecca?”
Emma nodded.
“Do you believe her?”
Emma’s eyes filled.
“I don’t know.”
“What happened the night you got sick?”
Emma stared at Ghost.
“Madeline gave me tea.”
“What kind?”
“Sleepy tea.”
Daniel swallowed.
“She told me somebody was coming.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Emma continued.
“She said I had to pretend I was dead.”
Daniel felt cold.
“What?”
“She said it was the only way to hide me.”
“Did you agree?”
Emma began crying.
“I got scared.”
Daniel held her hand.
“It’s okay.”
“She gave me medicine.”
“What happened after?”
“I woke up downstairs.”
“Then?”
“Madeline told me everybody thought I died.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“How long were you awake?”
“Sometimes.”
“What do you mean?”
“She kept making me sleep.”
Daniel fought rage.
“Why?”
“She said if I woke up and made noise, he would find me.”
“Adrian?”
Emma nodded.
Daniel looked through the glass.
Adrian sat across the hallway.
Watching.
Emma squeezed Daniel’s hand.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“The night before the funeral…”
Daniel leaned closer.
“What happened?”
“Madeline came downstairs crying.”
“What did she say?”
“She said the plan went wrong.”
Daniel’s heart jumped.
“What plan?”
Emma swallowed.
“She said the wrong person found me.”
Daniel thought of Noah.
“Noah?”
Emma shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel stared.
“Then who?”
Emma whispered:
“Someone else came into the basement before Noah.”
Daniel felt ice move through him.
“Who?”
Emma looked toward the hallway.
“A woman.”
“What woman?”
May you like
Emma whispered:
“She looked exactly like Madeline.”
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