Noah Kept Saying Someone Had Been Inside His Room — Then Ethan Played the Security Recording and Rachel Recognized Him
Chapter 2 — Rachel’s Brother
Ethan stared at his wife.
“Your brother?”
Rachel nodded.
Ethan knew Lucas existed.
But he had never met him.
Rachel had not spoken to her older brother in almost twelve years.
According to her, Lucas had left the family after a terrible argument.
That was almost everything Ethan knew.
“Why is he inside our house?”
Rachel looked toward Noah.
“I don’t know.”
Ethan immediately noticed something in her voice.
“That’s not completely true.”
Rachel looked down.
Noah whispered:
“He knew my name.”
Both parents turned.
“What?” Ethan asked.
Noah wiped his face.
He had come home early because soccer practice was canceled.
Grandma Diane dropped him off.
Noah went upstairs.
When he opened his bedroom door, Lucas was standing beside the writing table.
Lucas looked just as shocked as Noah.
“Did he touch you?” Ethan asked quickly.
Noah shook his head.
“No.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
Noah swallowed.
Lucas had said:
“Don’t be scared. I’m your uncle.”
Noah had never been told he had an uncle named Lucas.
Then Lucas said something stranger.
“Tell your mom I found what Dad left in the desk.”
Rachel went completely still.
Ethan looked at her.
“What desk?”
Noah pointed.
The antique writing table in his room had belonged to Rachel’s father.
It was one of the few pieces recovered from Rachel’s childhood home after a fire.
Rachel had given it to Noah when he started school.
Ethan looked back at the security footage.
Lucas wasn’t searching Noah’s toys.
He was searching the antique desk.
Then Ethan asked the question Rachel clearly didn’t want to answer.
“What happened between you and Lucas twelve years ago?”
Rachel whispered:
“Our father died.”
She looked toward the old desk.
“And everybody blamed Lucas.”
