Chapter 4: The Mother at the Door
“Marcus!””
I knew that voice before I saw her face.
Zoe ran.
“Mommy!””
Her mother caught her in both arms, and Zoe buried her face against her shoulder so hard the pearl clip still hanging from her hair fell to the floor.
I stood frozen.
My former wife, Elena, looked like she had driven straight through a storm to get there.
Her coat was half-buttoned.
Her hair was damp from the rain.
There was a red mark across one wrist.
And her eyes were fixed on Victoria.
Not on me.
Not on Daniel.
On Victoria.
Elena’s voice dropped.
“You lied to him.””
Victoria took a step backward.
“Not here.””
Elena laughed bitterly.
“Then where?””
I stepped between them.
“What is going on?””
Elena looked at me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then she said, “I tried to tell you.””
“When?””
“Before the wedding.””
My throat tightened.
“You never called.””
“I called.””
“No, you didn’t.””
“I called your old number.””
“I've had the same number for five years.””
Elena stared at me.
Then she looked at Victoria.
“Ask her who changed the forwarding settings.””
Victoria shook her head.
“That is not what happened.””
Elena’s voice sharpened.
“You told him I was unstable.””
“I told him you were angry.””
“You told him I was trying to keep Zoe from him.””
“You were.””
“Because I knew you were watching her!””
Zoe lifted her head.
“Mommy?””
Elena immediately softened.
“I’m here, baby.””
She kissed Zoe’s hair.
I stared at the red mark on her wrist.
“What happened to you?””
Elena's eyes dropped.
“This morning, a woman came to my house.””
“The red-haired woman?””
She looked at me.
“You saw her?””
I nodded.
“She took Zoe.””
My stomach turned.
“What?””
“She said you sent her.””
“That wasn't me.””
“I know.””
Victoria made a small sound.
Everyone looked at her.
Elena stepped closer.
“So now you know.””
Victoria’s voice trembled.
“You don’t understand.””
Elena pointed at her.
“I understand exactly.””
“No, you don't.””
“I know what you did two years ago.””
Silence.
Zoe squeezed Elena’s coat.
I could barely hear myself speak.
“What happened two years ago?””
Elena looked at me.
“You really don't remember?””
“I remember Zoe being sick.””
“She wasn't sick.””
My chest tightened.
“Then what happened?””
Elena stared at Victoria.
“She was missing.””
The word seemed to drain the air from the room.
“What?””
Elena’s eyes filled with tears.
“Zoe disappeared for six hours.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“You picked her up that afternoon, remember?””
I searched my memory.
“Yes.””
“She wasn't with me.””
The room tilted.
“I don't understand.””
“You were told I had her.””
“You told me she was sleeping.””
“I told you that because Victoria told me to.””
I turned toward Victoria.
“Why?””
Victoria whispered, “Because we didn't have a choice.””
“Who is ‘we’?””
She said nothing.
I stepped closer.
“Who?””
Elena answered.
“Your parents.””
That stopped me.
“My parents?””
“Yes.””
“My mother told me Zoe was in the hospital.””
“She thought she was protecting you.””
“From what?””
Elena looked at Victoria.
“From the same person who was protecting herself.””
Victoria backed toward the window.
“You promised you would never come here.””
Elena gave a cold smile.
“And you promised you would stop lying to Marcus.””
“I was trying to keep everyone safe.””
“You were trying to keep yourself safe.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was watching the two women like he couldn't decide which one to believe.
“Okay,” I said.
“No more fragments.””
I pointed at Elena.
“You start at the beginning.””
Then I pointed at Victoria.
“And you don't interrupt.””
Neither spoke.
I took a breath.
“Two years ago, Zoe disappeared. I was told she was in the hospital. Victoria knew.
My parents apparently knew. Now someone is sending me messages about a blue box and my dead brother.””
Elena's face changed when I mentioned him.
“You opened it?””
“No.””
“Good.””
“Why?””
“Because there is something inside it that should never have existed.””
Victoria whispered, “Elena.””
“Don't.””
Elena turned to me.
“Your brother didn't drown.””
I stared at her.
The room went completely still.
“What?””
“You've spent your whole life believing Daniel died in a boating accident.””
“My brother's name was Daniel?””
Elena nodded.
A strange cold passed through me.
The old photographs.
The boy.
The scar.
The flashes of water.
“You said he didn't drown.””
“He survived.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
I looked at her.
“You told me he died.””
“I was told he was dead.””
“By whom?””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Elena answered.
“Your father.””
I felt the floor beneath me disappear.
“My father said my brother died.””
“Yes.””
“Why would he lie?””
“Because after the accident, your brother wasn't the same.””
Victoria whispered, “Stop.””
Elena ignored her.
“He remembered what happened.””
“What happened?””
“He remembered who pushed the boat.””
Victoria suddenly grabbed Elena’s arm.
“Enough.””
Elena jerked free.
“You don't get to touch me.””
I stepped between them.
“Who pushed the boat?””
Victoria looked at me.
Her face was wet now.
“I don't know.””
Elena stared at her.
“Yes, you do.””
Victoria shook her head.
“No.””
“You were there.””
“I was a child.””
“So was Marcus.””
“I didn't push him!””
“I never said you did.””
That silenced Victoria.
I stared at her.
“Then who did?””
Elena looked at me.
“The person who was in the blue car.””
I frowned.
“What blue car?””
“The one parked near the lake.””
A memory flashed.
Rain.
A blue sedan.
Someone standing beside it.
A woman's red hair moving in the wind.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
“I've seen her.””
Victoria looked at me sharply.
“No.””
“I have.””
“Marcus, that's impossible.””
“No.””
The memory grew stronger.
I was thirteen.
My brother was shouting.
Someone was crying.
A woman was holding something.
A camera?
A phone?
I couldn't tell.
Then my brother fell.
I heard water.
And afterward, an unfamiliar voice said:
He won't remember.
I looked at Victoria.
“I heard that.””
She went pale.
“What?””
“Someone said I wouldn't remember.””
Elena closed her eyes.
“That’s what they wanted.””
“Who?””
Elena looked at Victoria.
Victoria shook her head violently.
“Please.””
“Who?””
Elena said, “Your brother remembered.””
I stared at her.
“But you said he died.””
“He disappeared.””
My pulse hammered.
“Where?””
“We don't know.””
“Who doesn't know?””
“Me. Your parents. Victoria.””
Victoria whispered, “I tried to find him.””
Elena looked at her.
“No. You tried to make sure Marcus never found him.””
“That isn't true.””
“You took the letters.””
“What letters?””
I looked at Victoria.
She looked away.
Elena continued.
“After Daniel disappeared, there were letters.””
“From him?””
“Yes.””
My hands began to tremble.
“To whom?””
“Your parents.””
“And?””
“They kept them.””
“Why?””
“Because the letters named names.””
I turned toward Victoria.
“Which names?””
She didn't respond.
“Which names?””
Her voice broke.
“Marcus, please.””
“I want the truth.””
“You're not ready.””
“I was standing at an altar ten minutes ago with two hundred people watching. I think I'm past the point of needing to be ready.””
Victoria wiped her tears.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
She took a shaky breath.
“The box belonged to your mother.””
“What was inside?””
“Letters.””
“From Daniel?””
“Yes.””
“Where is the box?””
Victoria looked toward the closet.
“It was taken.””
“By who?””
She hesitated.
Then said, “Your father.””
I stared at her.
“My father died six years ago.””
Victoria nodded.
“I know.””
“Then how could he have it?””
She looked at Elena.
“Because he gave it to someone before he died.””
“Who?””
Victoria's phone rang again.
She didn't move.
The ringing continued.
Daniel checked his watch.
“No caller ID.””
I stepped closer.
“Answer it.””
Victoria shook her head.
“Marcus…”
“Answer it.””
She picked up.
“Hello?””
Nothing.
Her face changed.
She slowly turned the phone toward me.
A video was playing on the screen.
It showed a dark room.
A chair.
A man sitting in it.
His face wasn't visible.
Then a voice came through the speaker.
Older.
Weak.
But unmistakable.
“Marcus.””
I stopped breathing.
Elena covered her mouth.
Victoria closed her eyes.
The voice continued.
“If you're seeing this, then Victoria finally failed.””
My knees nearly buckled.
I knew that voice.
I had heard it in old home videos.
My father.
The recording crackled.
“There is something you need to know about the night Daniel disappeared.””
The screen went black.
Then another sentence appeared.
*Your brother was not the only child in the boat.*
Zoe suddenly whispered,
“Daddy…”
I looked at her.
Her face had gone white.
She pointed at the phone.
“I know that voice.””
I stared at her.
“How?””
Zoe looked at Elena.
Then at Victoria.
And finally back at me.
“Because the red-haired lady played it for me this morning.””
May you like
Victoria dropped the phone.
And from somewhere inside the suite came the unmistakable sound of a lock turning.
