Chapter 6: The Photograph
Elena’s words hung in the air.
“She’s right.””
I looked at her.
Zoe was still crying.
Daniel stood near the shattered window, staring at Elena as if he already knew what she was about to confess.
Victoria was the only person who looked relieved.
That frightened me more than anything else.
I stepped toward Elena.
“What did you do?””
She shook her head.
“Not what you think.””
“Then tell me what I should think.””
“I didn't hurt Daniel.””
“Did you know who did?””
Her silence was enough.
I felt something tighten in my chest.
“Who?””
Elena glanced at Zoe.
“Not in front of her.””
“She already knows.””
“She knows pieces.””
“So do I.””
I held out my hand.
“Give me the photograph.””
Elena stared at me.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because once you see it, there is no going back.””
I laughed bitterly.
“There hasn't been a way back since my daughter was dragged out of my wedding.””
Elena closed her eyes.
Then she reached into her coat.
She pulled out a small envelope.
It was old.
The paper was yellowed at the edges.
She held it against her chest.
“I kept this because I didn't know who to trust.””
Victoria stepped forward.
“You promised me.””
“I promised to protect Zoe.””
“You promised never to show him.””
“I promised until he was safe.””
“Safe from what?”” I snapped.
Elena looked at me.
“From your father.””
“He's dead.””
“That doesn't erase what he did.””
I glanced at Daniel.
“My father arranged everything?””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Not everything.””
“What does that mean?””
“I mean there were other people.””
“Victoria's father?””
“Yes.””
I turned toward Victoria.
She looked away.
I felt like I was surrounded by strangers wearing familiar faces.
“What happened the night you disappeared?”” I asked Daniel.
He took a long breath.
“I woke up in a farmhouse.””
“Whose?””
“I never found out.””
“How long were you there?””
“Three days.””
My stomach dropped.
“Three days?””
“I was unconscious most of the time.””
“Then what?””
“Someone came.””
“Who?””
“A woman.””
“Rachel?””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
Victoria whispered, “Don't.””
He looked at her.
“You know who she was.””
Victoria swallowed.
“She was my mother.””
My heart stopped.
“Your mother?””
She nodded.
“She found Daniel before my father did.””
I stared at her.
“Why would your mother help my brother?””
“Because she knew what my father had done.””
Daniel continued.
“She helped me escape.””
“Then why didn't you come home?””
He looked down at his hands.
“Because she said I couldn't.””
“Why?””
“Your father had already told the police I had died.””
“That should have been exposed.””
“He had witnesses.””
“What witnesses?””
Daniel looked directly at Victoria.
“People who lied.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
I felt anger burning through me.
“And you?””
I pointed at Victoria.
“What did you do?””
She looked at me.
“I was sixteen.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“I was terrified.””
“You helped them?””
“No.””
“You kept quiet.””
“Yes.””
“That's helping.””
Her face crumpled.
“I thought you would die too.””
I stared at her.
“What happened to the blue box?””
Victoria wiped her tears.
“My mother gave it to Daniel.””
I looked at my brother.
He nodded.
“She told me to keep it hidden.””
“Where?””
“I hid it for years.””
“Then how did Victoria know about it?””
Daniel didn't answer.
Victoria did.
“Because I found him.””
“When?””
“Six years ago.””
“You said you found out he was alive.””
“I did.””
“Then you saw him.””
“Yes.””
“And you still married me knowing this?””
Her voice broke.
“I loved you.””
I stepped backward.
“That's not love.””
She stared at me.
“No. It wasn't enough.””
I couldn't answer.
Elena moved closer.
“Marcus.””
I looked at her.
“She didn't send Rachel.””
Victoria suddenly shouted, “Don't!””
Elena ignored her.
“Rachel came because someone else asked her to.””
“Who?””
Elena reached inside the envelope.
She pulled out a photograph.
Then handed it to me.
The image was faded.
A parking lot.
A blue car.
A teenage Victoria.
My father.
Victoria’s father.
And Rachel.
But that wasn't what made my hands go numb.
In the center of the picture stood Elena.
She was younger.
Maybe twenty-two.
And beside her was a little girl.
Zoe's face was turned away.
Impossible.
Zoe hadn't even been born yet.
I looked at the date.
*May 2007.*
I shook my head.
“This is impossible.””
Elena whispered, “Look at the girl.””
I did.
The little girl wasn't Zoe.
But she had the same dark curls.
The same birthmark near her left ear.
The same bracelet Zoe had worn to school for the last two years.
My pulse thundered.
“Who is she?””
Elena looked toward Victoria.
Victoria sat down heavily.
“That’s why Zoe was never supposed to come here.””
My voice dropped.
“Tell me.””
Victoria covered her face.
Elena answered.
“That's your daughter’s sister.””
The world seemed to stop.
I stared at Elena.
“I have one child.””
“You have one child you were told about.””
I looked at Zoe.
She was sitting beside Daniel now.
Confused.
Frightened.
She looked at me like I was still the safe person in the room.
I didn't know what to say to her.
“Where is this girl?””
Elena shook her head.
“She died.””
Daniel stiffened.
“What?””
Elena looked at him.
“She died before Zoe was born.””
Victoria whispered, “No.””
Everyone turned.
Victoria was shaking.
“You said she died.””
“I thought she did.””
“You told me she was gone.””
“I was told she was gone.””
“Who told you?””
Elena looked toward the door.
“Your father.””
Victoria stood.
“No.””
“He told you the baby died.””
“That isn't what happened.””
“He took her.””
I felt sick.
“Who?””
“Your father.””
The words sounded insane.
But the photographs didn't.
The old letters didn't.
The lies didn't.
I looked at Elena.
“Why would my father take a baby?””
“Because the baby wasn't his son's.””
I didn't understand.
Then I did.
“Whose was she?””
Elena looked at Daniel.
Daniel went pale.
“No.””
Elena nodded.
“She was Daniel's daughter.””
Silence.
Daniel couldn't move.
I stared at him.
“You had a daughter?””
He whispered, “I didn't know.””
Victoria began crying.
“I knew.””
Everyone looked at her.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“My father told me.””
“Why?””
“Because he wanted Daniel to disappear.””
My voice grew sharper.
“What does a baby have to do with that?””
Victoria swallowed.
“Everything.””
She walked toward the window.
“My father and your father were partners. They had money tied up in companies and properties they couldn't explain. Daniel found the records.””
“And the baby?””
“They knew Daniel would expose them.””
“So they used his daughter?””
Victoria nodded.
“They told him if he came back, she would be taken.””
Daniel stared at her.
“You knew where my daughter was?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
Victoria couldn't look at him.
“I don't know anymore.””
Daniel grabbed the back of a chair.
“You let me believe she was dead?””
“I was sixteen!””
“You knew!””
“I was sixteen!””
His voice cracked.
“I lost everything!””
Victoria started sobbing.
“And I lost you.””
Daniel froze.
Victoria wiped her face.
“I lost you, too.””
I stepped between them.
“Enough.””
Daniel turned to me.
“What about Zoe?””
I looked at Elena.
She was crying now.
“She wasn't supposed to become part of this.””
“Then why is she?””
“Because someone discovered the old records.””
“Who?””
Elena took a breath.
“Rachel.””
I remembered the message.
The envelope.
The red hair.
The warning.
“What does Rachel want?””
Elena shook her head.
“She wants the truth exposed.””
“That sounds simple.””
“It isn't.””
“Why?””
“Because the documents don't just implicate your father.””
She looked at Victoria.
“They implicate people who are still alive.””
Victoria's expression changed.
“What people?””
Elena didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at the broken window.
“Marcus, did Rachel give Zoe anything besides the letter?””
“The ribbon.””
Elena nodded.
“Take it off.””
I looked at Zoe.
She raised her hand.
The blue ribbon was still tied around the little bouquet.
I reached for it.
Daniel carefully removed the ribbon.
Something small fell onto the floor.
A key.
Not a hotel key.
An old brass key.
With a number stamped into it.
*17.*
Daniel picked it up.
His face changed.
“I know this.””
“Where?””
“The old train station.””
I stared.
“What does it open?””
He turned the key over.
There was a tiny symbol engraved on the back.
A bird.
I had seen that symbol before.
On the blue box.
My heart began pounding.
“There's a locker.””
Elena nodded.
“Locker seventeen.””
Victoria suddenly ran toward the door.
Daniel caught her arm.
“Where are you going?””
“Let me go!””
“You know what's there.””
“No.””
“You just tried to run.””
“I need to make a call.””
“To whom?””
She struggled against him.
“To the only person who can stop this.””
“Who?””
She went still.
I stepped closer.
“Victoria.””
She looked at me.
Tears streamed down her face.
Then she whispered the name.
“The man who raised Daniel after the accident.””
I felt the air leave my lungs.
“That man is alive?””
Victoria nodded.
“Very much alive.””
“Who is he?””
Before she could answer, my phone buzzed.
An unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
It showed the train station.
Locker 17.
And beneath it was a message:
*Marcus, don't open it with Daniel beside you.*
I looked at my brother.
He had seen it too.
His face went white.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*Because he doesn't remember what he put inside.*
