Chapter 4: The Secret About Ava’s Mother
The room went completely silent.
Even the sound of the television playing softly in Mrs. Hayes’s kitchen seemed to disappear.
I stared at Patricia Miller.
“What did you just say?””
She looked at me.
For the first time since the police arrived, she looked uncertain.
“I said I knew Ava’s mother.””
My chest tightened.
Ava’s fingers wrapped around mine.
She didn’t understand everything happening.
But she understood enough to know something was wrong.
Officer Collins looked between us.
“Mr. Williams, is there something we need to know?””
I swallowed.
“My daughter’s mother passed away when Ava was four.””
Ava looked down.
It was a sentence she had heard before.
But never in a moment like this.
Patricia’s expression changed slightly.
“I didn’t know she died.””
I stepped forward.
“Then how do you know her?””
No answer.
“Patricia.””
My voice was sharper this time.
“How do you know my wife?””
The woman looked around the room.
At the officers.
At the neighbors.
At Ava.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Because before she died, she asked me to watch over her.””
Ava’s eyes widened.
“What?””
I immediately turned toward her.
“Sweetheart, go with Mrs. Hayes for a minute.””
“No.””
Her voice surprised me.
She stood straighter.
“I want to know.””
I saw the fear in her eyes.
But I also saw something else.
A need for answers.
I understood.
For years, Ava had lived with one painful question.
Why did her mother leave so soon?
And now, someone was standing in front of her claiming to hold pieces of that missing story.
Officer Collins looked at me.
“Mr. Williams, would you like to explain?””
I took a deep breath.
“My wife, Rachel, and I moved here when Ava was five months old. She became sick a few years later.””
My voice became quieter.
“Before she passed, she wrote letters for Ava. Birthday letters. School letters. Things she wanted Ava to have when she got older.””
Ava looked at me.
“I have them.””
Patricia looked surprised.
“She wrote letters?””
“Yes.””
The woman looked away.
Like that information bothered her.
Officer Ramirez noticed.
“Ms. Miller, what is your connection to Rachel Williams?””
Patricia sat down slowly.
“I knew her before she married Marcus.””
My eyebrows lifted.
“How?””
She hesitated.
“We worked together.””
“Where?””
Another pause.
“At a company downtown.””
I stared at her.
That was impossible.
Rachel had never mentioned Patricia.
Not once.
Officer Collins noticed my reaction.
“You didn’t know about this?””
“No.””
Patricia looked uncomfortable.
“She didn’t tell you everything.””
Those words immediately changed the atmosphere.
I felt anger rising.
“Be careful.””
Patricia looked at me.
“I’m not trying to hurt you.””
“Then why did you call the police on me?””
She had no answer.
The silence returned.
Then Officer Ramirez spoke.
“Maybe we should focus on the current issue.””
He turned toward Patricia.
“You made a report claiming Mr. Williams may not have legal rights to be with Ava.””
Patricia looked down.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Her fingers tightened together.
“I received information.””
“From who?””
She looked toward the floor.
“I can’t say.””
Officer Collins frowned.
“You understand that refusing to identify the source makes this more complicated.””
Patricia remained quiet.
Then Ava spoke.
“Did you think my dad wasn’t my dad?””
Everyone looked at her.
Her voice shook.
“But he is.””
Patricia’s face changed.
For a second, she looked like she regretted everything.
“I didn’t know.””
Ava’s eyes filled with tears.
“How could you not know?””
Nobody had an answer.
Because the truth was simple.
Everyone knew.
The school knew.
The neighbors knew.
The bus driver knew.
The only person who refused to accept it was the person who wanted to believe something else.
Officer Collins took a step back.
“Ms. Miller, we need to speak privately.””
Before Patricia could respond, a loud knock came from the front door.
Everyone turned.
Mrs. Hayes looked confused.
“I’m not expecting anyone.””
Officer Ramirez walked toward the entrance.
He opened the door.
A young man stood outside.
He looked nervous.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“I heard what happened.””
Officer Collins looked at him.
“Can we help you?””
The man glanced inside.
Then his eyes landed on Patricia.
His face changed instantly.
“You told them?””
Patricia froze.
The room went silent.
Officer Collins turned.
“Told them what?””
The young man realized his mistake.
Too late.
He stepped back.
“I shouldn’t have come here.””
Officer Ramirez moved toward him.
“Sir, wait.””
But the man turned around.
Before leaving, he said one sentence that changed everything.
“Patricia wasn’t the one who started this.””
Everyone stared.
“Then who did?”” Officer Collins asked.
The young man looked terrified.
He slowly pointed across the street.
Toward the white house.
Then he whispered:
“The person who really wanted Marcus Williams separated from his daughter…”
May you like
A pause.
“…is someone much closer to this family than you think.””
