CHAPTER 10: THE BROTHER I NEVER KNEW
Every phone in the hallway began ringing at once.
One after another.
The sound echoed through the abandoned hospital like an alarm.
Detective Harris pulled out his phone.
The other officers did the same.
My mother's phone rang.
Judge Whitaker's phone rang.
Even Dr. Cole's phone, which an officer had taken from him, began vibrating.
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel whispered:
“Don't.”
I looked at him.
“Don't answer.”
“Why?”
He stared at the phones.
“Because Dad said they would call.”
My skin prickled.
“Who?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Then one phone stopped.
Another began.
Then another.
Finally, Detective Harris answered.
“Detective Harris.”
Silence.
He frowned.
“Who's calling?”
A man's voice came through.
“Tell the boy to open the box.”
Harris looked at me.
“What box?”
The voice laughed.
“You know exactly which one.”
The call ended.
I stared at the metal box.
Rebecca moved closer.
“Don't open anything else.”
“Why?”
“Because they know we have it.”
“Who?”
She didn't answer.
I looked at Daniel.
“Who is my brother?”
Daniel's face tightened.
“You don't remember him.”
“I've never had another brother.”
“You did.”
“What's his name?”
Daniel stared at the floor.
“Michael.”
The name hit me strangely.
Not because I remembered him.
Because something inside me did.
A flash.
A red bicycle.
A boy laughing.
A bedroom door.
Then nothing.
I rubbed my forehead.
“Michael?”
Daniel nodded.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
My mother suddenly screamed.
“Stop talking about him!”
Everyone turned.
Detective Harris stepped toward her.
“Who is Michael?”
She shook her head.
“There is no Michael.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You told me never to say his name.”
My mother went pale.
I stared at her.
“Mom.”
She wouldn't look at me.
“Who is Michael?”
“No one.”
“You just said there is no Michael.”
“Because there isn't.”
“Daniel remembers him.”
“Daniel remembers things that never happened.”
Daniel flinched.
I stood.
“Don't talk about him like that.”
My mother looked at me.
“You don't know what you're doing.”
“Then tell me.”
She said nothing.
Detective Harris turned toward her.
“Mrs. Whitmore, who is Michael?”
She looked at him.
Then at Daniel.
Then at me.
Finally she whispered:
“Your father's first son.”
Silence.
My entire body went numb.
“My what?”
“Your father's son.”
“You mean my half-brother?”
She nodded.
I stared at Daniel.
“How old was he?”
“Older than you.”
“Where is he?”
My mother closed her eyes.
“He died.”
“When?”
“Before you were born.”
I felt something crack inside my memory.
The red bicycle.
The bedroom.
The laughter.
A little boy.
But if he died before I was born, why did I remember him?
I looked at Daniel.
“You remember him too?”
Daniel nodded.
“He didn't die.”
My mother whispered:
“Daniel.”
“He didn't die,” Daniel repeated.
My mother lunged toward him.
The officers restrained her.
“Enough!”
She fought against them.
“You don't understand!”
Detective Harris stared at her.
“Then explain.”
She suddenly stopped.
Her face became empty.
“Ask your father.”
“He's dead.”
“Exactly.”
She looked at me.
“He can't tell you what happened.”
I stepped closer.
“You can.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you, you'll find him.”
My heart stopped.
“Michael is alive?”
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Detective Harris ordered the officers to secure the hallway.
Then he looked at Rebecca.
“What do you know?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“Michael was involved in the investigation.”
“What investigation?”
“David's.”
“Your father's first son wasn't just a witness,” Rebecca said.
“He was one of the people your father was protecting.”
“From my mother?”
“From everyone.”
I stared at her.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why did Dad hide him?”
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“Because Michael had proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“Your mother wasn't the person who started this.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“She was working for someone.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who?”
Rebecca opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
A sound came from the corridor.
Footsteps.
Everyone turned.
A man walked slowly toward us.
He was wearing a dark coat.
Gray hair.
No hospital badge.
No weapon.
He stopped beneath the emergency light.
I stared at him.
Something about his face felt familiar.
He looked at me.
Then at Daniel.
Then at my mother.
My mother whispered:
“Michael.”
The man smiled.
“Hello, Mother.”
I couldn't move.
Daniel stood perfectly still.
“Michael?”
The man looked at me.
“You don't remember me.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
He smiled sadly.
“Of course you don't.”
He looked at Daniel.
“But he does.”
Daniel took one step forward.
“You came back.”
Michael nodded.
“I promised Dad I would.”
My mother began shaking.
Detective Harris raised his weapon.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Michael lifted both hands.
“I'm not here to hurt anyone.”
“Then why are you here?”
He looked at me.
“To finish what Dad started.”
I stared at him.
“What did Dad start?”
Michael's expression became serious.
“A war.”
The word echoed through the hallway.
I almost laughed.
“A war?”
“Yes.”
“Against whom?”
Michael looked toward my mother.
“People who believe they can buy human lives.”
My mother whispered:
“You don't know what your father did.”
Michael turned toward her.
“I know exactly what he did.”
“What?”
“He saved us.”
She shook her head.
“He destroyed this family.”
“No.”
Michael stepped closer.
“You did.”
My mother looked at Daniel.
“You have no idea what he told them.”
Daniel suddenly covered his ears.
“Stop.”
Michael looked at him.
“Daniel.”
“Stop.”
“I'm sorry.”
Daniel looked at him.
“You left.”
Michael's face changed.
“I had to.”
“You promised.”
“I know.”
“You promised you'd come back.”
“I did.”
“Dad died.”
“I know.”
“You didn't come.”
Michael's eyes filled with tears.
“I couldn't.”
Daniel turned away.
I looked between them.
“What happened?”
Michael didn't answer.
I asked again.
“What happened the night Dad died?”
He stared at me.
“Your father discovered the final payment.”
“What payment?”
“A payment to eliminate the last witness.”
“Who?”
Michael looked toward my mother.
“Me.”
My blood ran cold.
“You were the witness?”
Michael nodded.
“I saw what she did.”
“What?”
“The medication.”
My mother whispered:
“No.”
Michael continued.
“I saw Mom enter Dad's room.”
“I saw Mark.”
“I saw Elias.”
“And I saw another man.”
I stared at him.
“Who?”
Michael looked at me.
“The man who ordered it.”
“Who?”
Michael took a breath.
Then said:
“Your grandfather.”
I froze.
“My grandfather was dead before I was born.”
Michael shook his head.
“No.”
“He died years ago.”
“That was the story.”
I stared at him.
“What are you saying?”
Michael looked toward the metal box.
“Your grandfather didn't die.”
My mother suddenly screamed:
“MICHAEL!”
He turned.
She was crying.
For the first time, she looked completely broken.
Michael continued:
“He disappeared.”
“Where?”
Michael pointed toward the box.
“Your father found him.”
I stared at the box.
“What does that mean?”
Michael's voice dropped.
“Your grandfather was the man funding the entire network.”
I couldn't breathe.
Then the metal box suddenly clicked.
Everyone turned.
The lid began opening by itself.
Inside was a small digital recorder.
It activated.
My grandfather's voice filled the hallway.
“I know you're listening.”
My blood ran cold.
The recording continued.
“And if Michael has returned…”
A pause.
“…then David failed.”
I looked at Michael.
He had gone completely pale.
The voice continued:
“Your father believed he could destroy me.”
Another pause.
“He was wrong.”
Then the final sentence played.
“Because the person who killed David…”
The recording crackled.
“…was never your mother.”
The hallway fell silent.
My mother stared at the recorder.
Daniel stopped breathing.
And Michael whispered:
May you like
“He knows we're here.”
Then every light in the hospital turned off.
