Chapter 7: The Face Behind the Mask
“Mommy is waiting there.”
Tommy's words followed me long after the truck left the hospital road behind.
I couldn't explain why a baby's voice frightened me more than the men shooting at us.
Maybe because bullets were simple.
You could see them coming.
You could run from them.
But a child saying things he had no possible way of knowing?
That was different.
Michael drove with both hands locked around the steering wheel.
Three black SUVs remained behind us.
Their headlights stayed fixed on our truck.
“They're not trying to pass,” I said.
“No.”
“They're herding us.”
Michael nodded.
“Toward the hospital.”
I looked at him.
“So Tommy was right.”
“Yes.”
“Then where are we going?”
“Somewhere they won't expect.”
He suddenly turned off the highway.
The truck bounced onto a narrow road between trees.
The SUVs followed.
Michael cursed.
“They're still behind us.”
I looked down at Tommy.
He was strangely calm.
Too calm.
His tiny hand was wrapped around my finger.
“Tommy.”
He looked at me.
“Where is Mommy?”
He didn't answer.
“Tommy.”
His eyes moved toward the rear window.
Then he whispered:
“She can't come outside.”
“Why?”
“She doesn't have a face.”
My stomach tightened.
Michael heard him.
He almost lost control of the truck.
“What did he say?”
I repeated it.
Michael went silent.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You know something.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
Michael looked at me.
“I've seen Claire.”
“Where?”
“At the hospital.”
“When?”
“Tuesday night.”
I stared at him.
“You saw her?”
“Yes.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you tell me she died?”
“Because I thought she did.”
“What happened?”
Michael's face tightened.
“I found her in the basement.”
“Doing what?”
“Giving birth.”
The words hit me.
I stared at him.
“You were there?”
“Yes.”
“Then who was the baby?”
Michael didn't answer.
“Michael.”
He finally whispered:
“I don't know.”
I looked down at Tommy.
“Then who is this?”
Michael's eyes flicked toward the rearview mirror.
“That's what we're going to find out.”
The truck suddenly slowed.
The engine sputtered.
“No,” Michael muttered.
“What?”
“Fuel.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No.”
The truck rolled to a stop.
The SUVs were getting closer.
Michael looked around.
Trees surrounded us.
No houses.
No lights.
No people.
“We're trapped.”
I looked at Lily.
She was trembling.
Michael opened his door.
“We have to run.”
“Where?”
“Into the woods.”
I grabbed Tommy.
“Go.”
We jumped out.
Michael carried Lily.
I carried Tommy.
We ran.
Branches tore at my arms.
Behind us, car doors slammed.
Men shouted.
“Find them!”
“Don't let Reed escape!”
I looked back.
Flashlights moved through the trees.
We ran deeper.
Then Lily whispered:
“Daddy.”
“What?”
“I know this place.”
I stopped.
“What?”
She pointed ahead.
“There used to be a house here.”
Michael froze.
“What house?”
Lily looked confused.
“Grandma's house.”
I stared at her.
“You've never been here.”
“Yes, I have.”
“When?”
She frowned.
“I don't remember.”
Michael looked at me.
“Memory suppression.”
I felt cold.
“Lily was here before?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Probably as a baby.”
I looked at my daughter.
“Why would my mother bring her here?”
Michael shook his head.
“She didn't.”
“Then who?”
A branch snapped behind us.
Michael raised his gun.
“Move.”
We continued running.
Then we saw it.
A house.
Old.
Abandoned.
Half-hidden beneath trees.
The red gate from my childhood memories stood crooked beside the driveway.
My mother's house.
I stopped breathing.
“We're here.”
Michael looked at the building.
“This isn't where we should be.”
“You said this was where Tommy was.”
“I said that's what the tracker showed.”
“Then let's find him.”
We approached the house.
The front door was already open.
Inside, everything was covered in dust.
Except for one room.
A light was glowing at the end of the hallway.
We stepped inside.
Lily grabbed my shirt.
“Daddy…”
“What?”
“Don't go there.”
“Why?”
“Because Mommy is inside.”
My heart stopped.
Michael raised his weapon.
We moved slowly toward the light.
The room contained a single chair.
A woman sat in it.
Her back was facing us.
Long brown hair.
White hospital gown.
My chest tightened.
“Claire?”
The woman didn't move.
Michael whispered:
“Don't.”
I stepped forward.
“Claire?”
She slowly turned.
I stopped.
Half of her face was covered in bandages.
The other half was swollen and bruised.
But it was her.
My wife.
Alive.
“Daniel…”
I almost collapsed.
“Claire.”
I rushed toward her.
She raised a trembling hand.
“Don't come closer.”
I stopped.
“Why?”
She looked at Tommy.
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Because that's not our son.”
I stared at her.
“Then who is he?”
Claire shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Tommy suddenly began crying.
Claire flinched.
“Don't let him touch me.”
I looked at Tommy.
He reached toward her.
“Mommy.”
Claire screamed.
“NO!”
Michael stepped between them.
Claire's breathing became frantic.
“Daniel, listen to me.”
“What happened?”
“They found me.”
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
“She is alive?”
Claire nodded.
“She came to the hospital Tuesday night.”
“What did she want?”
Claire stared at Tommy.
“She wanted the baby.”
I tightened my grip.
“Why?”
“Because she said he belonged to her.”
“Who?”
“Alex.”
I froze.
“Alex?”
Claire nodded.
“She called him by that name.”
“But Alex was dead.”
Claire looked at me.
“That's what they wanted you to believe.”
I felt dizzy.
“What are you saying?”
Claire reached beneath her gown and pulled out a small envelope.
She handed it to me.
Inside was a birth certificate.
I unfolded it.
The name on it made my blood run cold.
CHILD: ALEXANDER REED.
Mother:
CLAIRE REED.
Father:
DANIEL REED.
Date of birth:
TUESDAY.
I stared at Claire.
“This says Tuesday.”
“Yes.”
“And you gave birth Tuesday?”
“Yes.”
“Then who is Tommy?”
Claire began crying.
“I don't know.”
I looked at my son.
“But he was born before I left.”
Claire nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then how can there be two?”
“There can't.”
The room became silent.
I looked at the birth certificate again.
Then at Tommy.
Then at Claire.
“You're telling me there was only one baby?”
“Yes.”
“Then who is the baby in this certificate?”
Claire whispered:
“The baby I gave birth to.”
My heart pounded.
“Where is he?”
Claire looked toward the floor.
“He died.”
I couldn't speak.
“He lived for eleven minutes.”
“What?”
Claire covered her face.
“I held him.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“He looked exactly like you.”
I felt something break inside me.
“Then Tommy…”
Claire stared at the baby in my arms.
“That child came afterward.”
“From where?”
“I don't know.”
“Who brought him?”
Claire whispered:
“Your mother.”
A noise came from outside.
Michael turned toward the window.
“They're here.”
Claire's eyes widened.
“No.”
“What?”
“She found us.”
Headlights appeared through the trees.
Three SUVs.
Doors opened.
Men stepped out.
Then a woman emerged.
An elderly woman wearing a dark coat.
She stood beneath the red gate.
I couldn't see her face clearly.
But I knew her.
Even after nineteen years.
Somewhere buried beneath all the memories I'd been taught to forget…
I knew her.
My mother.
She looked toward the house.
Then she smiled.
Claire grabbed my arm.
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“Don't let her see Tommy.”
“Why?”
Claire's voice dropped to a whisper.
“Because she didn't come here for him.”
I frowned.
“Then what does she want?”
Claire looked at me.
“She came for you.”
A gunshot shattered the window.
Glass exploded across the room.
Michael dragged Lily to the floor.
“DOWN!”
Another shot.
Claire screamed.
I covered Tommy.
Outside, men surrounded the house.
Then my mother's voice came through a loudspeaker.
“Daniel.”
I froze.
“Come outside.”
Michael whispered:
“Don't.”
My mother continued.
“You've spent your whole life believing I abandoned you.”
A pause.
“You deserve to know the truth.”
Claire grabbed my hand.
“Don't listen.”
My mother laughed softly.
“You think Claire told you everything?”
Silence.
Then:
“She didn't tell you what happened to your first child.”
I looked at Claire.
Her face turned white.
“First child?”
My mother continued.
“Ask your wife why Lily was born two years before she told you.”
I stared at Claire.
“What does she mean?”
Claire began shaking.
“Daniel…”
“What is she talking about?”
My mother spoke again.
“Ask Claire where your daughter really came from.”
Lily looked at me.
Her face was terrified.
Then she whispered:
“Daddy…”
“What?”
“I remember.”
I knelt beside her.
“Remember what?”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“The hospital.”
“What hospital?”
“The room where Mommy left me.”
I felt my blood turn cold.
Lily grabbed my hand.
“There was another little girl.”
I stared at her.
“What little girl?”
“She looked just like me.”
Michael's face went pale.
Claire began sobbing.
Lily whispered:
“Mommy told me never to tell you.”
I looked at Claire.
“Tell me what?”
She couldn't answer.
Then the lights in the house went out.
A woman's voice came from directly behind me.
“Because the girl you're raising…”
I turned.
My mother stood in the doorway.
“…isn't Lily.”
May you like
She smiled.
“And neither is the baby in your arms.”
