They left for Brighton two days later.
Detective Morris had arranged for Mara to meet Rebecca Carter under controlled circumstances. Arthur came with her, but Daniel remained behind.
Mara did not tell Eli that they were looking for his brother.
He was too young to understand what brother meant in this context.
Instead, she told him they were going to meet someone important.
Eli accepted that explanation without argument.
The road was gray beneath a pale morning sky.
Arthur sat beside the window.
Mara drove.
For almost an hour, neither spoke.
Finally Arthur said, “I keep thinking about Claire.”
Mara glanced at him.
“So do I.”
“She must have been terrified.”
“Yes.”
“And still she planned everything.”
Mara touched the steering wheel.
“Maybe that's what mothers do.”
Arthur looked at her.
“What?”
“They are frightened and keep going anyway.”
He smiled.
“That sounds like you.”
Mara didn't answer.
When they reached Brighton, Detective Morris met them outside a modest community center.
Rebecca Carter was already inside.
Mara saw her through the window.
She looked older than the photograph.
Tired.
Protective.
When she saw Mara, she stood.
Her eyes immediately went to Eli.
Then to Arthur.
Her face changed.
“You're Claire's father.”
Arthur nodded.
Rebecca sat down.
“You found us.”
Mara sat across from her.
“We didn't know you existed until two days ago.”
Rebecca looked at the letter.
“Claire promised me she would tell someone.”
“Did she?”
“No.”
“Then why did you keep Samuel?”
Rebecca looked toward the hallway.
“He was seven months old when Claire brought him to me.”
Mara's breath caught.
“Why?”
“Because someone was looking for him.”
“Northbridge?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“Someone worse.”
Arthur leaned forward.
“Who?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“I was told never to say the name.”
Mara said, “That isn't enough anymore.”
Rebecca's eyes filled.
“I know.”
She took a photograph from her bag.
It showed Claire holding Samuel.
On the back was a date.
Mara looked at it.
“Why would Claire separate her children?”
“Because she believed Elias had already been identified.”
Rebecca explained that Claire had discovered Northbridge's network was larger than she had first thought.
Children were assigned new identities.
Medical histories were altered.
Birth records were manipulated.
But there was another operation.
Some children were not placed with wealthy families.
They were hidden completely.
Their existence was erased.
“Why?”
Rebecca answered quietly.
“Because some of them were witnesses.”
Mara stared.
“Witnesses to what?”
“Financial crimes. Medical experiments. Illegal adoptions.”
Arthur's hands tightened.
“And Samuel?”
“Samuel wasn't a witness.”
“Then why hide him?”
Rebecca looked at Mara.
“Because his blood type made him valuable.”
Mara frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“Claire told me someone was looking for a child with a rare blood type.”
Mara felt cold.
“Samuel?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“She never told me.”
Arthur looked at Mara.
“Elias?”
Mara shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Rebecca continued.
“Claire said if anyone came asking for Samuel, I should tell them he was dead.”
Mara looked at the photograph.
“Who paid you?”
Rebecca's face tightened.
“I don't know.”
“You received payments.”
“Yes.”
“From whom?”
“I was told they were from a trust.”
“What trust?”
“Bennett Family Trust.”
Arthur looked stunned.
“That doesn't exist.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“It did.”
Arthur sat back.
“Claire's mother left nothing.”
“I know.”
Mara looked at him.
“Then who created it?”
Nobody answered.
Detective Morris stepped into the room.
“We found it.”
Mara turned.
“What?”
“The trust.”
Morris placed a folder on the table.
“It was created six months before Claire died.”
Arthur opened the file.
The signature belonged to Daniel.
Mara's stomach dropped.
Daniel had created the trust.
Rebecca looked at her.
“He told me he was protecting Samuel.”
Mara closed her eyes.
Daniel had not told her about Samuel.
He had not told Arthur.
But he had arranged money for the woman raising him.
Morris continued.
“There's more.”
She placed another document on the table.
Daniel had also made payments to Rebecca after Claire's death.
For three years.
Mara looked at the dates.
The payments had continued even after Daniel supposedly disappeared.
“He never abandoned Samuel,” she whispered.
“No,” Morris said.
“He was protecting him.”
Arthur looked troubled.
“Then why didn't he tell me?”
“Because,” Mara said, “he didn't trust you.”
Arthur accepted the answer silently.
Mara thought of Daniel's confession.
He had lied to everyone.
But perhaps not every lie had been selfish.
Morris pointed toward the doorway.
“There's someone you should meet.”
A boy entered.
He was eleven years old.
Dark hair.
Thin shoulders.
A blue jacket.
He stopped when he saw Mara.
Then looked at Eli.
Eli stared back.
Neither moved.
Rebecca crouched.
“Samuel, this is Mara.”
Samuel looked suspicious.
“Who is she?”
Mara swallowed.
She had imagined this moment differently.
“I knew someone who loved you very much.”
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
Samuel's face changed.
He looked at Rebecca.
“Is she dead?”
Mara nodded.
“Yes.”
Samuel looked down.
“She promised she'd come back.”
Mara's throat tightened.
“I know.”
Samuel stared at her.
“How do you know?”
Mara looked at Eli.
“Because she left something for us.”
Samuel approached.
He looked at Eli.
“Who's he?”
Mara answered carefully.
“Your brother.”
Samuel went completely still.
Eli smiled.
“I'm Eli.”
Samuel looked at him.
Then at Mara.
“You're lying.”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because your mother left us proof.”
Samuel took a step backward.
Arthur stood.
“Samuel.”
The boy looked at him.
“Who are you?”
Arthur swallowed.
“I'm your grandfather.”
Samuel's expression hardened.
“You have to be joking.”
“No.”
“You're not.”
Arthur nodded.
“I am.”
Samuel looked away.
Mara understood.
A stranger had just told him he had a family he had never known.
It was too much.
Eli walked toward him.
“Airplane?”
Samuel looked down.
Eli held out the wooden airplane.
Samuel hesitated.
Then took it.
A small smile appeared.
It lasted only a second.
But it was enough.
Rebecca began crying.
Mara looked at her.
“Why didn't Claire come back?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“She tried.”
“When?”
“Two weeks before she died.”
Mara froze.
“She saw Samuel?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't anyone tell Arthur?”
“Because Daniel came with her.”
Arthur looked at Mara.
“He knew.”
Rebecca nodded.
“Daniel told me he had to leave immediately.”
“Why?”
Rebecca's face tightened.
“Because someone had found us.”
Mara felt the old fear return.
“Who?”
Rebecca whispered a name.
“Victor Hale.”
Mara looked at Detective Morris.
“But Victor was watching Claire.”
“He was watching everyone,” Morris said.
Samuel's face had gone pale.
Mara noticed.
“Samuel?”
He looked at her.
“Victor came here once.”
Mara froze.
“When?”
“Two years ago.”
“Why didn't you tell anyone?”
“Rebecca told me not to.”
Rebecca lowered her head.
“What did he want?”
Samuel looked at Mara.
“He asked about Eli.”
The room went silent.
Mara felt every muscle in her body tighten.
“He knew about Eli?”
Samuel nodded.
“He said my little brother was important.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
Morris stepped closer.
“What else did he say?”
Samuel thought.
“He said if Daniel ever came back, I should tell him the watch was still missing.”
Mara touched the silver watch on her wrist.
Arthur looked at it.
“The watch.”
Samuel nodded.
“Victor wanted it.”
Mara suddenly understood.
The watch had not only belonged to Claire.
It contained something.
Perhaps a key.
Perhaps a recording.
Perhaps proof.
She looked at Detective Morris.
“We need to examine it.”
Morris nodded.
Arthur stared at the watch.
“Claire knew.”
Mara looked at him.
“She knew someone would come looking.”
Samuel asked quietly, “What is inside it?”
Mara looked at him.
“I don't know.”
Samuel held the wooden airplane.
“Then we should find out.”
Mara smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
But before they could leave, Morris's phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed.
“What's wrong?” Mara asked.
Morris looked at her.
“Daniel is missing.”
Arthur stood.
“What?”
“He was being transported for another interview.”
Mara felt cold.
“Who took him?”
Morris shook her head.
“We don't know.”
Mara looked at Samuel.
Then at Eli.
The past had found them again.
This time, it had taken Daniel.
And somewhere in the distance, someone still wanted the watch.
Click Here to continue read next: PART11: The Missing Watch Finally Opened Claire’s Last Door, but the Truth Inside Forced Mara to Reconsider Everything She Believed About Daniel
The Elderly Stranger at the Airport Who Asked a Tired Young Mother One Question She Had Spent Years Trying to Forget
Part 10 of 16
