Gabriel moved first.<\/p>\n
He crossed the room silently and pushed the bathroom door open.<\/p>\n
The room was empty.<\/p>\n
The window above the bathtub was open, though neither of us had opened it. Rain had blown across the sill, leaving a dark trail on the tile. A wet footprint marked the floor beneath it.<\/p>\n
Gabriel crouched beside the print.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone was here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
The glass of mango juice sat untouched behind us.<\/p>\n
Gerald knocked again.<\/p>\n
\u201cGabriel.\u201d<\/p>\n
My husband unlocked the door.<\/p>\n
Gerald entered immediately.<\/p>\n
His eyes went to the bathroom.<\/p>\n
Then to the glass.<\/p>\n
Then to me.<\/p>\n
He understood that I had noticed more than he wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is the man?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Gerald's expression hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat man?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one you said shouldn't be here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was speaking generally.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you weren't.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel stepped between us.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, tell us what's happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at his son for a long moment.<\/p>\n
Then he said, \u201cSomeone has been asking questions about this family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat kind of questions?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cOld questions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald ignored me.<\/p>\n
Instead, he walked to the nightstand and reached for the mango juice.<\/p>\n
I caught his wrist.<\/p>\n
He looked down at my hand.<\/p>\n
Then at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice was very quiet.<\/p>\n
I released him.<\/p>\n
He picked up the glass and stared at the bottom.<\/p>\n
The white grains had collected in one corner.<\/p>\n
Gerald's face changed.<\/p>\n
Only slightly.<\/p>\n
But I saw it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn't have looked.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mouth went dry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are they?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald set the glass down.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why are you worried?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned toward Gabriel.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake your wife downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel didn't answer.<\/p>\n
Gerald's gaze sharpened.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel remained where he was.<\/p>\n
That was the first time I saw father and son stand on opposite sides of a decision.<\/p>\n
Gerald walked out.<\/p>\n
Gabriel closed the door behind him.<\/p>\n
Then he whispered, \u201cWe need to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust get dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still haven't told me what's in the juice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew enough to tell me to drink it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He shut his eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was trying to keep you calm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou weren't.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were trying to make me obey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel said nothing.<\/p>\n
I changed clothes without taking my eyes off him. I put the container holding the juice into my handbag. If Gerald wanted it back badly enough to come upstairs twice, I wanted evidence before anyone could make it disappear.<\/p>\n
When we reached the staircase, Rachel was standing below us.<\/p>\n
She looked frightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere have you been?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
She glanced toward the study.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad told me to stay upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was the man?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes widened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat man?\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
She lowered her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cChloe, we need to talk somewhere private.\u201d<\/p>\n
We went into the kitchen.<\/p>\n
Rachel closed the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found something in Dad's study three weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA folder.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel appeared in the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cRachel.\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice stopped her.<\/p>\n
But I stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was in the folder?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel looked at her brother.<\/p>\n
Then at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhotographs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n
The word struck harder than it should have.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cPictures of you leaving work. Going to the grocery store. Sitting in your car. Walking into this house.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel's face tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are they?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDad took them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would he photograph Chloe?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Gabriel.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew about the folder.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou promised you wouldn't tell her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI promised Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel wiped her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow I'm done keeping his secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n
The kitchen became very quiet.<\/p>\n
I could hear rain tapping against the window.<\/p>\n
\u201cRachel,\u201d I said, \u201cwhat else did you find?\u201d<\/p>\n
She hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cA name.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhose?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMarcus Reed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know. But his photograph was in the folder too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before I could ask another question, something struck the kitchen window from outside.<\/p>\n
We all jumped.<\/p>\n
Gabriel ran toward it.<\/p>\n
Nothing.<\/p>\n
Only rain.<\/p>\n
Then I saw a shadow move behind the glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cGabriel.\u201d<\/p>\n
He opened the back door.<\/p>\n
A figure ran across the yard.<\/p>\n
Gabriel followed.<\/p>\n
I stayed inside with Rachel.<\/p>\n
Seconds later, we heard a crash.<\/p>\n
Then silence.<\/p>\n
Gabriel returned alone.<\/p>\n
His breathing was heavy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe got away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn't see his face.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it was the man from the study.\u201d<\/p>\n
I reached into my bag and felt the plastic container.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to call the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause we don't know what Dad has done.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's exactly why we should call them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cChloe, please.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease what?\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't make this worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him for several seconds.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou keep saying that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn't respond.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd every time you say it,\u201d I continued, \u201cI find another reason to be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n
The front door opened.<\/p>\n
Gerald walked inside.<\/p>\n
His coat was wet.<\/p>\n
His face was calm again.<\/p>\n
Too calm.<\/p>\n
He looked at all three of us.<\/p>\n
\u201cFamily meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody answered.<\/p>\n
Gerald removed his coat and hung it carefully on the rack.<\/p>\n
\u201cChloe, you have been asking questions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was hoping you'd say that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel moved between us.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have no idea what you're protecting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know what I'm protecting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald's voice sharpened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think you married an innocent woman.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel went still.<\/p>\n
I looked from one man to the other.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald laughed softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk your husband about your mother's account.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mother?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know about her account?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald said nothing.<\/p>\n
That silence told me more than an answer could have.<\/p>\n
My mother had died six years earlier.<\/p>\n
She had left behind almost nothing that anyone knew about. A few clothes. Some photographs. A small savings account I had never discussed with the Lawson family.<\/p>\n
And one memory.<\/p>\n
A strange warning from her final weeks.<\/p>\n
She had been lying in bed, weak from illness, gripping my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever happens,\u201d she had whispered, \u201cdon't let the Lawson family find the blue box.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the time, I thought medication had confused her.<\/p>\n
I never found a blue box.<\/p>\n
I had eventually stopped looking.<\/p>\n
Now Gerald knew about the account.<\/p>\n
And he knew about the warning.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Gerald's smile disappeared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're asking the wrong question.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen give me the right one.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes settled on the handbag at my side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is the juice?\u201d<\/p>\n
My fingers tightened around the strap.<\/p>\n
Gabriel noticed.<\/p>\n
Gerald noticed too.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou kept it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn't have.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald took one step toward me.<\/p>\n
Gabriel blocked him.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay away from her.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a moment, father and son stared at each other.<\/p>\n
Then Gerald said quietly, \u201cYou really don't remember what happened twenty-two years ago?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel's face lost its color.<\/p>\n
Rachel whispered, \u201cDad, stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald turned toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou found the photographs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel stepped backward.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou went into my study.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou read the documents.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald's voice became almost gentle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you already know this family isn't what you think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Gabriel.<\/p>\n
He wouldn't meet my eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
He remained silent.<\/p>\n
\u201cGabriel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nothing.<\/p>\n
Gerald smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour wife deserves the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel finally looked at me.<\/p>\n
His eyes were wet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn't know how to tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me what?\u201d<\/p>\n
He opened his mouth.<\/p>\n
A loud crash came from upstairs.<\/p>\n
Everyone looked toward the ceiling.<\/p>\n
Then another.<\/p>\n
Gerald moved toward the stairs.<\/p>\n
Gabriel grabbed his arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald pulled free.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel followed him.<\/p>\n
Rachel and I remained in the hallway.<\/p>\n
A few seconds later, footsteps pounded above us.<\/p>\n
Then a man's voice shouted.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet away from me!\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel yelled something I couldn't understand.<\/p>\n
There was a struggle.<\/p>\n
Then a heavy thud.<\/p>\n
I ran upstairs.<\/p>\n
The bedroom door was open.<\/p>\n
A man stood inside.<\/p>\n
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in dark clothing. His face was partly hidden by a cap.<\/p>\n
Gabriel was on the floor.<\/p>\n
Gerald stood near the dresser.<\/p>\n
The stranger looked directly at me.<\/p>\n
Then he ran.<\/p>\n
Gabriel tried to get up.<\/p>\n
I helped him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was that?\u201d<\/p>\n
He stared toward the hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald stepped forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cChloe, go downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald's expression changed.<\/p>\n
The stranger had dropped something beside the bed.<\/p>\n
A small envelope.<\/p>\n
I picked it up.<\/p>\n
My name was written across the front.<\/p>\n
CHLOE.<\/p>\n
I looked at Gerald.<\/p>\n
He went pale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Gabriel asked.<\/p>\n
I opened the envelope.<\/p>\n
Inside was a photograph.<\/p>\n
It showed my mother.<\/p>\n
Standing beside a man I had never seen before.<\/p>\n
On the back, someone had written a date from twenty-two years earlier.<\/p>\n
And beneath it were four words:<\/p>\n
ASK GERALD ABOUT HIM.<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
Gerald had stopped pretending to be calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive me that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
He moved toward me.<\/p>\n
Gabriel stepped between us.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, who is the man in that photograph?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gerald's face hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone who should have stayed dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room went silent.<\/p>\n
Rachel appeared in the doorway.<\/p>\n
She looked at the photograph.<\/p>\n
Then at her father.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone turned toward her.<\/p>\n
Rachel's voice shook.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe's the man Dad said left the family twenty years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
She swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy uncle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriel stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cRobert?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe isn't dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
A floorboard creaked behind us.<\/p>\n
We all turned.<\/p>\n
The hallway was empty.<\/p>\n
But from downstairs came the sound of the front door opening.<\/p>\n
Gerald suddenly ran.<\/p>\n
Gabriel chased him.<\/p>\n
And somewhere outside, an engine roared to life.<\/p>\n
Gabriel moved first. He crossed the room silently and pushed the bathroom door open. The room was empty. The window above the bathtub was open, though neither of us had … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-readmore"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2277"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2277\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2287,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2277\/revisions\/2287"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readstoryus.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}