Chapter 6
Mom's diary was like a bomb going off, turning the whole investigation upside down.
All the evidence pointed to one conclusion.
After years of stress and hatred toward Connor, my mom, Helen, ended up killing him.
And my dad, William, became the one who covered for her, to protect his wife and hold the family together.
In the interrogation room, Dad's defenses finally crumbled.
He confessed.
He admitted that he and Mom had hidden Connor's body in that cold, dark freezer together.
"What was I supposed to do?" he said. "When I got home, I found Helen on the couch, clutching Lucas, trembling uncontrollably.
"She told me Connor was dead. He'd fallen down the stairs and wasn't breathing anymore. She said she didn't mean to, that Connor had been careless.
"My mind went blank. What was I supposed to do? Call the cops? But what about Lucas? He needs his mom.
"I'm such a coward. I chose to cover it up, thinking I could keep this secret hidden forever.
"I thought that after the divorce, I'd take the freezer with me, find somewhere to bury it, and finally give Connor a proper burial."
Dad's voice came through the headphones, thick with despair and regret.
In the other interrogation room, Mom confessed, too. But what she said was nothing like the madness written in her diary.
She broke down in tears, saying it was an accident. "William wasn't home that day. I was in the kitchen, making dinner.
"The kids were playing ball in the living room. Connor went after the ball and ended up falling down the stairs by accident.
"When I rushed over, he wasn't moving at all. I was so scared. I was absolutely terrified. I didn't know what to do. All I could do was wait for William to come home.
"He told me we couldn't call the cops. If we did, that would be the end for all of us, and Lucas would be left all alone.
"It was him. He told me to put Connor in the freezer. He said that way, Connor wouldn't decompose right away.
"The diary? I was out of my mind with fear, and I scribbled nonsense. I wasn't thinking straight. Everything I wrote was crazy talk."
Mom claimed it was an accident, and Dad admitted to covering it up.
Their statements matched up perfectly, not a single crack in their story.
They blamed everything on an accident.
If it weren't for that diary and those two wild lines, maybe the cops really would have bought their story.
But now, nobody believes them.
Edward crushed out his cigarette, his eyes sharp as a blade. "They're lying.
"Stairs? Their place is all on one floor. Where the hell would there be stairs?
"Check the neighborhood surveillance right now. Track their movements on February 14th.
"Re-examine the crime scene. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathroom."
The investigation was stuck again.
Mom and Dad got locked up for now.
They sent me to a children's welfare home downtown.
There were lots of kids here, like me, with no parents by their side.
Everyone was super curious about me, always gathering around and bombarding me with questions.
"Where are your parents?" one of them asked.
"They're on a business trip," I lied, copying the way Dad used to cover things up.
"When will they be back?"
"They'll come back when I grow up."
I started learning to take care of myself, washing my face, getting dressed, and eating on my own.
I tried my hardest to behave and be obedient.
Because I was scared that if I wasn't good, Mom and Dad might not want me anymore for real.
*****
A week later, Edward came to see me.
He brought me my favorite strawberry cake. He also had some news for me. "Lucas, the DNA test results are back."
He crouched down in front of me, his eyes troubled as he looked at me. "Connor isn't your uncle's child. You two are half brothers with the same mother."
I was stunned. The cake slipped from my hand and hit the floor.
Half brothers with the same mother? What did that mean?
Edward noticed the confusion in my eyes, so he started explaining, his voice slow and heavy. "It means you and Connor have the same mom, but your dads are different.
"Lucas, the devil your mom mentioned in her diary is Connor's real dad. And before your mom married your dad, she used to be married to that devil."
My mind went completely blank.
It was all too much for me to take in.
There was only one thing I could focus on. "Then who is Connor's dad?"
Edward was silent for a long time.
He finally pulled out an old, faded photo from his pocket.
In the picture was a man with a cocky grin, his eyes exactly like Connor's. "This guy's name is Victor. He's a drifter with a criminal record. Five years ago, he got ten years for robbery and assault.
"Looks like Victor will be getting out of prison next month."