Chapter 7 - The Brother at the Gate
Police and paramedics filled the house within twenty minutes.
Emily refused to go anywhere until she saw the twins.
Daniel carried Noah upstairs. Sarah carried Mia.
The moment Emily saw them, she covered her mouth.
Noah stared at her for a long second.
Then he smiled.
“Mama.”
Emily broke.
She sank to the floor and gathered him against her chest.
Mia reached for her too.
Sarah turned away, tears burning her eyes.
The twins had not been imagining anything.
Emily had been coming through the service passage at night.
She had been afraid to reveal herself to Daniel because Vanessa had convinced her he was part of the plot.
“They showed me papers,” Emily said later as paramedics checked her. “Guardianship papers. Medical records. Documents saying Daniel had me declared mentally incompetent.”
Daniel stared at her. “I never signed anything like that.”
“I know that now.”
A police officer entered the room.
“Mr. Mercer, we have a situation at the gate.”
Daniel stood.
A silver sedan had pulled into the drive.
Charles Mercer stepped out wearing a camel coat and a look of irritated concern.
He was forty-four, broad-shouldered, handsome, and the chief financial officer of Mercer Dynamics.
He walked toward the officers as if he owned them.
“My brother called me,” he said. “What happened?”
Daniel had not called him.
Charles saw Emily through the open front door.
His face changed.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But Daniel saw it.
“You knew,” Daniel said.
Charles stopped.
“Knew what?”
“That she was alive.”
Charles gave a stunned laugh. “Daniel, Emily is dead.”
Emily stepped into the foyer.
“No,” she said. “You made sure everyone thought I was.”
Charles stared at her.
Then he turned to the nearest officer.
“She’s dangerous. She escaped from a psychiatric facility two weeks ago. She has a documented history of delusions.”
Emily went still.
Daniel’s hands curled into fists.
Charles reached inside his coat slowly and produced a folder.
“I brought the court order,” he said.
He opened it.
On the first page was Daniel’s signature.
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The order authorized Emily’s involuntary commitment.
And according to the date, Daniel had signed it three days after her funeral.
