Chapter 6: The Call
The phone kept ringing.
Aaron stared at the screen until the name blurred.
*Dad.*
His father's name had been buried in his contacts for eleven years, preserved because Aaron had never been able to delete it.
He had changed phones three times.
Transferred his contacts twice.
Still, somehow, the old number had followed him.
"That's impossible," he whispered.
Detective Sullivan stepped closer.
"Answer it.""
Aaron looked at her.
"What?""
"Put it on speaker.""
Emma shook her head violently.
"No.""
Sullivan turned toward her.
"Why not?""
"Because that's what he wants.""
Aaron's thumb hovered over the green button.
The phone rang again.
He answered.
"Hello?""
Static.
Then breathing.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Aaron's throat tightened.
"Dad?""
A man's voice came through.
Older.
Rougher.
But unmistakably familiar.
"Aaron.""
Emma covered her mouth.
Sullivan's eyes narrowed.
Aaron gripped the phone.
"Who is this?""
A quiet laugh.
"You know who it is.""
"No.""
"You've always been stubborn.""
Aaron's knees weakened.
His father used to say that.
When Aaron was twelve and refused to apologize after an argument.
When he was seventeen and wanted to leave for college.
When he was twenty-eight and told his father he was marrying Emma.
Always the same sentence.
Always with the same tired laugh.
Aaron sat on the attic floor.
"You're dead.""
"I was supposed to be.""
Sullivan immediately signaled him to stay calm.
Aaron looked at her.
"Where is Lily?""
The voice went silent.
Then:
"She's with me.""
Aaron closed his eyes.
"Put her on.""
"Not yet.""
"Put my daughter on the phone.""
"Aaron, listen carefully.""
"I don't want to listen.""
"You do.""
The voice hardened.
"If you want Lily alive, you need to stop asking the wrong questions.""
Aaron's anger surged.
"Where is Marcus?""
A pause.
"Closer than you think.""
Emma began crying.
Sullivan pointed at her.
"Tell me what you know.""
Emma whispered, "He has the key.""
Aaron looked down.
"The key?""
"The room.""
His father's voice returned.
"Go to Lakeview.""
Aaron's blood ran cold.
"Room 17?""
"Yes.""
"What happened there?""
"Everything.""
"Who killed you?""
Another pause.
Then his father said:
"Ask Emma.""
The call ended.
Aaron slowly lowered the phone.
Everyone was silent.
Sullivan looked at Emma.
"You knew.""
Emma wiped her cheeks.
"I knew he was alive.""
Aaron stared at her.
"You knew my father was alive?""
"I found out six years ago.""
His face hardened.
"Six years?""
"I was trying to protect you.""
"You keep saying that.""
"I know.""
"Then stop saying it and tell me the truth.""
Emma looked toward the attic window.
Rain tapped against the glass.
"When I married you, I didn't know.""
"Didn't know what?""
"That your father had another family.""
Aaron frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
"James Blake wasn't the man you thought he was.""
"He was my father.""
"He was a liar.""
Aaron stood.
"Careful.""
Emma flinched.
Sullivan stepped between them.
"Both of you, stop.""
Aaron turned away.
He needed air.
He walked toward the attic window and looked down at the street.
No black SUV.
No Marcus.
Nothing.
Then he noticed something.
A white van parked at the corner.
Rear doors closed.
Engine running.
Aaron pointed.
"That van.""
Sullivan moved beside him.
"What about it?""
"It wasn't there before.""
She looked through the glass.
"Stay here.""
She went downstairs.
Aaron watched her cross the yard.
The van immediately pulled away.
Sullivan stopped in the street.
She looked back.
Her expression told him everything.
Someone had been watching the house.
Aaron turned to Emma.
"Why Lakeview?""
She swallowed.
"Because that's where I met your father.""
"When?""
"Six years ago.""
Aaron's jaw clenched.
"You said you didn't know he was alive.""
"I didn't. Not until then.""
"What happened?""
Emma sat on the floor.
"He called me.""
"Why?""
"He wanted money.""
"How much?""
"Forty thousand dollars.""
Aaron went completely still.
The same amount.
The same forty thousand.
"You've been paying him?""
Emma shook her head.
"No.""
"Then where was the money going?""
"Marcus.""
Aaron's eyes narrowed.
"Why?""
"Because Marcus was the one who found him.""
"Found my father?""
"Yes.""
Emma's voice broke.
"Marcus found James six years ago. Your father told him he'd been living under a different name. Marcus started helping him.""
Aaron stared at her.
"Helping him do what?""
"Disappear.""
"From who?""
Emma looked at him.
"From the people who thought he was dead.""
Sullivan returned upstairs.
"The van is gone.""
Aaron turned.
"Detective, we need to go to Lakeview.""
"No.""
"My daughter is there.""
"I know.""
"My father told me to go.""
"Which is exactly why we're not walking into his trap.""
Aaron stepped closer.
"You heard him.""
"I did.""
"He said Lily is alive.""
"And we should be grateful for that.""
"Then find her.""
Sullivan held his gaze.
"I will.""
She pulled out her phone.
"I'm putting an alert on Marcus's vehicle. We're also going to have officers watch every road around Lakeview.""
Aaron nodded.
Then his phone buzzed.
A text.
No number.
Just a photograph.
Lily sat on a motel bed.
She was wearing pajamas.
She looked frightened but unharmed.
Beside her sat an older man.
White hair.
Deep lines around his eyes.
Aaron's breath stopped.
His father.
Under the photograph was one sentence.
*Room 17. Midnight. Come alone.*
Sullivan looked at the screen.
"No.""
Aaron stared at Lily.
"He's giving me a choice.""
"He's giving you a trap.""
"What if it's not?""
Sullivan took the phone from him.
"You are not going alone.""
Aaron looked toward Emma.
"Then neither is she.""
Emma looked up.
"What?""
Aaron's voice was quiet.
"You're coming with us.""
Emma's face drained of color.
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because if James sees me—"
"That's exactly why.""
She shook her head.
"Aaron, you don't understand.""
"Then make me understand.""
Emma stood.
Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
"Your father didn't fake his death because he wanted to disappear.""
Aaron waited.
"He faked his death because eleven years ago, someone tried to kill him.""
"Who?""
Emma looked at Sullivan.
Then at Aaron.
"The same person who is trying to kill Lily now.""
Sullivan's phone rang.
She answered.
"Detective Sullivan.""
A pause.
Her expression changed.
"What do you mean she's missing?""
Aaron's heart stopped.
Sullivan slowly lowered the phone.
"The school just called.""
She looked at Emma.
"Your mother has disappeared.""
Emma's face went white.
And then, from downstairs, the front door slammed open.
Someone shouted Aaron's name.
Not his father.
Not Marcus.
A woman.
A familiar woman.
His mother's voice.
May you like
"Don't go to Room 17!""
Then the lights went out.
