CHAPTER 5: THE MAN IN THE REFLECTION
Daniel's phone went offline at 11:47 p.m.
I called again.
Nothing.
I called my mother.
Nothing.
Then I looked at the photograph one more time.
Daniel was sitting in the back seat of a car.
His wrists were bound.
My mother was beside him.
And reflected in the window was another man.
A man I had never met.
Except I had.
I just didn't know it yet.
I zoomed in until the image became pixelated.
The man's face was partially hidden by the darkness.
But I could see his clothing.
Dark jacket.
White shirt.
Hospital ID hanging from his neck.
I stared at it.
Then at the old photograph of Dad.
The same man was standing in the background.
My pulse accelerated.
I turned toward Dr. Porter.
“Who is he?”
She took the phone.
Her face changed immediately.
“I've seen him before.”
“Where?”
“At the hospital.”
“When?”
“The night your father died.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“What's his name?”
She didn't answer.
“Doctor?”
She looked at me.
“I don't know his name.”
“You must.”
“I only knew him by his badge.”
“What did it say?”
She closed her eyes.
“Dr. Cole.”
I searched the name on my phone.
Nothing useful.
Too many results.
“Was he a doctor?”
Dr. Porter shook her head.
“No.”
“Then why was he wearing a doctor's badge?”
“That was the problem.”
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
“He wasn't a doctor.”
The room suddenly felt colder.
“Then what was he?”
Dr. Porter looked toward the window.
“A hospital administrator.”
I frowned.
“That doesn't explain the badge.”
“He wasn't supposed to have one.”
“Why didn't anyone stop him?”
“Because someone gave him access.”
“Who?”
She looked at me.
“Your mother.”
I took a step backward.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You're saying my mother let a fake doctor into Dad's hospital room?”
“I am saying your mother had access to people who could make problems disappear.”
I remembered the guardianship papers.
The forged signatures.
The insurance policy.
The missing medical records.
Everything was becoming larger than I had imagined.
This wasn't just about Daniel.
It had started with Dad.
And maybe it had never stopped.
My phone rang.
Sarah.
I answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
“I saw the photograph.”
“What photograph?”
“The one you sent.”
“I didn't send you anything.”
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“Then they have access to your phone.”
I looked at Dr. Porter.
“Sarah, listen to me. I need to know where you are.”
“I can't tell you.”
“You said you had the vial.”
“I do.”
“Bring it.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“No. Tonight.”
“Your mother is watching.”
“How do you know?”
“Because someone is outside my house.”
I froze.
“Are you safe?”
“For now.”
“Call the police.”
“I did.”
“And?”
“They never came.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“I called three hours ago.”
“Sarah, get out.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“I have the original recording.”
My heart stopped.
“The recording of Dad?”
“Yes.”
“What does it prove?”
Sarah's voice trembled.
“It proves your mother wasn't the only person in that room.”
I looked at Dr. Porter.
“Who else?”
Sarah whispered:
“Your father.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“He wasn't unconscious.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was awake when the medication was changed.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Then why didn't he stop them?”
“Because he couldn't move.”
“Was he restrained?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“He was paralyzed.”
I stared at the floor.
“Paralyzed?”
“Temporarily. The medication caused it.”
My hands began shaking.
“Did Dad know he was being poisoned?”
“He knew something was wrong.”
“What did he say?”
Sarah was silent for several seconds.
Then:
“He told me to find Daniel.”
“Why?”
“Because he said your brother was the only person your mother couldn't manipulate.”
I closed my eyes.
That sounded like Dad.
He had always trusted Daniel's memory.
He used to say that Daniel noticed things other people ignored.
“What else did Dad say?”
“He gave me a name.”
“Whose?”
“Your mother's boyfriend.”
“Mark?”
“No.”
I froze.
“The other man.”
Dr. Porter stepped closer.
“Who?”
Sarah whispered:
“Elias Voss.”
The name meant nothing to me.
“Who is he?”
“I don't know.”
“You just said his name.”
“That's what your father called him.”
“Was he in the room?”
“Yes.”
“What did he do?”
“He changed the medication.”
I gripped the phone.
“Sarah, you need to get out of there.”
“I know.”
“Where are you going?”
She hesitated.
Then said:
“Your father's old house.”
My heart stopped.
“We sold that house years ago.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you going there?”
“Because your father left something there.”
“What?”
“The original trust documents.”
I stared at Dr. Porter.
She whispered:
“That's impossible.”
Sarah continued.
“Your mother never found them.”
“Where?”
“In the basement.”
I grabbed my keys.
“Stay there.”
“No.”
“I'll come to you.”
“Don't.”
“Sarah.”
“If you come here, they'll follow you.”
“Who?”
She whispered:
“Everyone.”
Then the call ended.
I looked at Dr. Porter.
“Where is Dad's old house?”
She gave me the address.
I drove.
The house was abandoned.
The windows were boarded.
The garden had disappeared beneath weeds.
I unlocked the side door with the key I still had from childhood.
Inside, everything smelled like dust.
I remembered the hallway.
The staircase.
The kitchen where Dad used to make pancakes on Sundays.
I swallowed hard.
Then I heard something.
A sound from the basement.
Three knocks.
Pause.
Two knocks.
I froze.
“Sarah?”
No answer.
I descended the stairs.
The basement was dark.
I switched on my phone flashlight.
Then I saw her.
Sarah was sitting against the wall.
Her hands were tied.
Blood covered the side of her face.
“Sarah!”
I ran toward her.
She grabbed my wrist.
“Don't.”
“Who did this?”
“They were here.”
“Who?”
She looked behind me.
I turned.
Nobody.
Sarah whispered:
“They're coming back.”
I cut the rope around her wrists.
“Where's the vial?”
She pointed toward an old wooden cabinet.
I opened it.
Nothing.
“Sarah?”
She shook her head.
“They took it.”
“Who?”
“The man in the photograph.”
My blood ran cold.
“Elias?”
She nodded.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
I helped her stand.
Then she grabbed my shirt.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
She pointed toward the floor.
“Your father built a false wall.”
I looked down.
“Where?”
She pointed to the far corner.
I moved several boxes.
Behind them was a section of concrete that looked slightly different.
I knocked.
Hollow.
I found a crowbar.
After several minutes, the panel came loose.
Behind it was a narrow compartment.
Inside sat a metal box.
I opened it.
There were documents.
Photographs.
A flash drive.
And a letter.
My father's handwriting.
I unfolded it.
My hands shook as I read the first line.
MY SON,
IF YOU ARE READING THIS, IT MEANS YOUR MOTHER FAILED TO CONTROL DANIEL.
I stopped.
Sarah stared at me.
I kept reading.
SHE WILL TELL YOU YOUR BROTHER IS DANGEROUS.
SHE WILL SHOW YOU VIDEOS.
SHE WILL HAVE DOCUMENTS.
NONE OF THEM ARE WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE.
Then the final paragraph.
I WAS NOT THE FIRST PERSON SHE TRIED TO SILENCE.
I looked at Sarah.
“What does that mean?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
I read the next line.
BUT I KNOW WHO SHE WILL TARGET NEXT.
My heart stopped.
The letter continued.
DANIEL.
I heard a noise upstairs.
A floorboard creaked.
Sarah's face went white.
“They're here.”
I grabbed the metal box.
“Can you walk?”
She nodded.
We moved toward the basement stairs.
Then a man's voice came from above.
“You really should have left this alone.”
I stopped.
Sarah grabbed my arm.
The voice continued.
“Your father made the same mistake.”
I looked up.
A silhouette appeared at the top of the stairs.
Elias Voss.
He stepped into the light.
And he was holding something in his hand.
A small glass vial.
The same vial Sarah had said was stolen.
Elias smiled.
“You want to know what was inside this?”
I said nothing.
He raised the vial.
“Your father's first dose.”
Then he dropped it.
The glass shattered on the basement floor.
May you like
And Elias said:
“Now you'll never know what actually killed him.”
