Chapter 5: The Woman at the Door
“My mother is dead.””
The words came out automatically.
Mrs. Carter was still on the phone.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Daniel. Lily keeps saying it’s her grandmother.””
“Do not open that door.””
“I won’t.””
“Take Lily upstairs. Lock yourselves in a room.””
I heard movement, then Lily’s voice.
“But Grandma—”
“Now, Lily,” Mrs. Carter said.
Samuel grabbed my arm.
“What does the woman look like?””
I pulled away.
“Mrs. Carter, describe her.””
A pause.
“She’s maybe sixty. Grey coat. Dark hair with silver through it. She’s standing beside a tall man.””
My pulse stumbled.
“What else?””
“She has a scar near her chin.””
Samuel closed his eyes.
Vanessa whispered, “No.””
I looked at her.
“You know who that is?””
She shook her head too quickly.
Samuel crossed the room and tore one of the photographs from the wall.
“Ask whether she’s wearing a gold necklace with a green stone.””
I repeated the question.
Mrs. Carter moved toward a window.
“Yes.””
Samuel dropped the photograph.
For the first time since I had opened the steel door, he looked genuinely terrified.
“That’s Evelyn.””
“Who is Evelyn?””
“My sister.””
I stared at him.
“You have a sister?””
“Had.””
“What does that mean?””
Samuel looked at Vanessa.
“She supposedly died twenty-eight years ago.””
Vanessa backed against the wall.
“This is impossible.””
Samuel gave a hollow laugh.
“Today seems full of impossible things.””
Mrs. Carter suddenly gasped.
“They’re leaving.””
“What?””
“They’re walking toward a car.””
“Did they say anything?””
“There’s an envelope on my doorstep.””
“Leave it there.””
A vehicle started outside her house.
Then Lily’s voice came faintly through the phone.
“Dad?””
“I’m here, sweetheart.””
“Grandma looked different.””
My stomach tightened.
“How?””
Lily hesitated.
“She looked angry.””
The line went quiet.
I called the police and reported two unknown people approaching my daughter. Then I told Mrs. Carter I was coming.
I turned to Vanessa.
“You’re staying here.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
“My father could be involved.””
“That is exactly why you’re staying.””
Her expression changed.
“You think I’d hurt Lily?””
“I don’t know what to think.””
The pain on her face almost reached me.
Almost.
Samuel stepped forward.
“I’m coming with you.””
“You’ve spent decades hiding.””
“Which means I know exactly what Thomas is capable of.””
We drove to Mrs. Carter’s house in my SUV.
Samuel sat low in the passenger seat, watching every mirror.
“Tell me about Evelyn.””
He stared through the windshield.
“She was fourteen years younger than me. Thomas practically raised her after our parents died.””
“And she died?””
“There was a house fire in 1998.””
“No body?””
“There was one.””
I glanced at him.
“Let me guess. Identification was wrong.””
Samuel nodded.
“Dental records supposedly confirmed it.””
“Supposedly?””
“I stopped believing official records a long time ago.””
Mrs. Carter opened her door before we reached the porch.
Lily ran into my arms.
“Dad!””
I lifted her.
“You okay?””
She nodded.
“Was that Grandma?””
“No, sweetheart.””
“But she looked like her.””
That bothered me more than I wanted to admit.
My mother had no sister.
At least none I knew about.
Mrs. Carter pointed toward the doorstep.
The envelope remained there.
DANIEL was written across it.
Samuel stared at the handwriting.
“That’s Evelyn’s.””
Inside was a single sheet.
*Your mother lied to both of you.*
Below it was an address.
And a time.
*7:00 p.m. Come alone if you want the truth.*
Samuel read it twice.
“You’re not going.””
“Of course I am.””
“That’s what they want.””
“Then they finally have my attention.””
Lily tugged my jacket.
“The lady gave me something before Mrs. Carter closed the door.””
My blood chilled.
“What?””
Lily reached into her pocket.
A tiny silver locket.
I opened it.
Inside were two miniature photographs.
One showed my mother as a young woman.
The other showed Evelyn.
They were standing together.
Wearing matching dresses.
They looked almost identical.
“Twins?”” I whispered.
Samuel stared.
“No.””
“What?””
“They weren’t twins.””
He took the locket.
“Evelyn was much younger than your mother.””
“Then why do they look the same age?””
Samuel didn’t answer.
Mrs. Carter said quietly, “Daniel, there’s something else.””
She handed me her tablet.
Her security camera had recorded the visitors.
I played the clip.
The tall man remained near the car.
The woman approached the porch.
For several seconds, her face was clearly visible.
My knees nearly gave way.
She didn’t merely resemble my mother.
She looked exactly like her.
Then the woman turned toward the security camera.
As if she knew precisely where it was.
She smiled.
And mouthed five words.
Samuel read her lips with me.
*Ask him who Daniel’s mother is.*
I stopped the video.
“What does that mean?””
Samuel said nothing.
I turned.
“What does that mean?””
He looked older suddenly.
Defeated.
“Your mother’s name was Margaret.””
“I know.””
Samuel shook his head.
“No, Daniel.””
His voice broke.
“The woman who raised you was Margaret.””
May you like
A cold pressure formed behind my ribs.
“But Margaret wasn’t the woman who gave birth to you.””
