Chapter 8 - Rachel Hayes
Rachel agreed to meet.
One condition.
Victor had to come.
Police refused to let us handle it alone.
The meeting was arranged inside a closed church with officers positioned outside.
Rachel arrived through a side entrance.
She was sixty-one.
Elegant.
Thin.
Her hair almost completely silver.
Ethan ran toward me before anyone could stop him.
I dropped to my knees and held him.
“You’re okay.”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry.”
“You did nothing wrong.”
Rachel watched us.
Then looked at Victor.
He looked like he had seen a ghost.
“Rachel.”
“You always hated that I survived.”
Victor clenched his jaw.
She smiled sadly.
“I did love you once.”
I stared between them.
Rachel explained.
She married Dad young.
Too young.
Victor was Dad’s younger brother.
Rachel and Victor began an affair.
She became pregnant.
Dad discovered the truth after Noah was born.
But he legally remained Noah’s father to protect the baby from scandal.
Then Rachel disappeared.
“Why?”
“Because Victor wanted me gone.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
Rachel ignored him.
“He did not want Michael exposing us.”
“Did he try to kill you?”
“No.”
That surprised everyone.
“He paid me to disappear.”
Victor shouted.
“You agreed!”
“Yes.”
Rachel looked at him.
“Because you threatened to take Noah.”
Victor went silent.
Rachel moved to another city.
Victor secretly paid expenses.
Dad eventually discovered she was alive.
Six months before his murder, he found Noah.
“He apologized.”
Rachel’s eyes filled.
“He told Noah he was still his father in every way that mattered.”
I felt tears in my eyes.
Dad had planned to bring Noah back into the family.
Victor panicked.
“If Noah returned, everyone would learn what Victor had done.”
Victor snapped.
“I did not kill Michael.”
Rachel looked at him.
“No.”
The room changed.
I stared.
“What?”
Rachel stepped closer.
“Victor helped cover it up.”
My stomach dropped.
“But he did not stab your father.”
Even Victor looked shocked that she had said it.
“Then who did?”
Rachel looked at me.
“Your mother knows.”
I stared.
“Mom said she didn’t do it.”
“She didn’t.”
“Then why wouldn’t she name the killer?”
Rachel’s expression softened.
“Because the killer was someone she was willing to die protecting.”
My heart stopped.
Ethan gripped my hand.
I whispered.
“Who?”
May you like
Rachel answered.
“You.”
