Chapter 6: The Third Child
The recording hissed.
Nathaniel reached for the old cassette player, but Eleanor caught his wrist.
"Don't stop it.""
His eyes burned.
"How much more did he hide from us?""
"Everything that mattered," she whispered.
Richard's voice continued.
"Three children were born that night. Not two. Grace gave birth to three babies, and I made certain only two wouldiel reached for the old cassette player, but Eleanor caught his wrist.
"Don't stop it.""
His eyes burned.
"How much more did he hide from us?""
"Everything that mattered," she whispered.
Richard's voice continued.
"Three children were born that night. Not two. Grace gave birth to three babies, and I made certain only two would appear in the records.""
I covered my mouth.
Nathaniel stared at the cassette player.
Three.
There had been three of us.
Richard continued.
"The first two were twins. The third was born twenty-three minutes after Rose. Eleanor insisted the child be saved. She made promises she had no right to make.""
Eleanor began shaking.
"Turn it off.""
I stepped appear in the records.""
I covered my mouth.
Nathaniel stared at the cassette player.
Three.
There had been three of us.
Richard continued.
"The first two were twins. The third was born twenty-three minutes after Rose. Eleanor insisted the child be saved. She made promises she had no right to make.""
Eleanor began shaking.
"Turn it off.""
I stepped toward her.
"No. You wanted to tell the truth. Now we're listening.""
The recording crackled again.
"Grace believed she could take all three children and disappear. She was wrong. I allowed her to keep one. I toward her.
"No. You wanted to tell the truth. Now we're listening.""
The recording crackled again.
"Grace believed she could take all three children and disappear. She was wrong. I allowed her to keep one.
I raised another as my own. The third was given to someone who understood the value of silence.""
Nathaniel's face drained of color.
"Who?""
The recording answered.
"Margaret Sterling.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"Victoria's mother?""
She nodded slowly.
Victoria's name suddenly appeared in a different light.
Not simply a greedy bride.
Not merely a raised another as my own. The third was given to someone who understood the value of silence.""
Nathaniel's face drained of color.
"Who?""
The recording answered.
"Margaret Sterling.""
I looked at Eleanor.
"Victoria's mother?""
She nodded slowly.
Victoria's name suddenly appeared in a different light.
Not simply a greedy bride.
Not merely a woman trying to marry into a fortune.
She had grown up inside the same secret.
Nathaniel paced toward the doorway.
"You're telling me Victoria's mother raised our sister?""
"Yes.""
"Then Victoria knew?""
"I believe woman trying to marry into a fortune.
She had grown up inside the same secret.
Nathaniel paced toward the doorway.
"You're telling me Victoria's mother raised our sister?""
"Yes.""
"Then Victoria knew?""
"I believe she suspected it. I don't know what Margaret told her.""
I looked at the hospital record.
Baby C had a date and time written beside her name. Beneath it was a transfer authorization signed by Richard and witnessed by Eleanor.
The signature made my stomach turn.
"Eleanor, you signed this.""
She didn't deny it.
"Richard threatened to send the baby she suspected it. I don't know what Margaret told her.""
I looked at the hospital record.
Baby C had a date and time written beside her name. Beneath it was a transfer authorization signed by Richard and witnessed by Eleanor.
The signature made my stomach turn.
"Eleanor, you signed this.""
She didn't deny it.
"Richard threatened to send the baby somewhere she would never be found. Margaret had been promised a child of her own for years. She couldn't have children, and she had been loyal to Richard.""
"So you gave away our sister?""
"I thought somewhere she would never be found. Margaret had been promised a child of her own for years. She couldn't have children, and she had been loyal to Richard.""
"So you gave away our sister?""
"I thought I was saving her.""
I slammed the file onto the desk.
"That's what everyone keeps saying! You saved Nathaniel. You saved me.
You saved her. But none of us got to grow up together!""
Eleanor's shoulders collapsed.
"I know.""
"No, you don't.""
My voice broke.
"My foster mother used to tell me that I was lucky to have a home. She I was saving her.""
I slammed the file onto the desk.
"That's what everyone keeps saying! You saved Nathaniel. You saved me.
You saved her. But none of us got to grow up together!""
Eleanor's shoulders collapsed.
"I know.""
"No, you don't.""
My voice broke.
"My foster mother used to tell me that I was lucky to have a home. She said I should stop asking questions about Grace because dead people couldn't answer them. I spent my birthdays wishing I had a sister, wishing I had someone who remembered the same things I did.""
Nathaniel approached quietly.
"Rose.""
I turned away said I should stop asking questions about Grace because dead people couldn't answer them. I spent my birthdays wishing I had a sister, wishing I had someone who remembered the same things I did.""
Nathaniel approached quietly.
"Rose.""
I turned away.
He didn't touch me.
He simply stood beside me, looking at the same photograph.
Then he whispered, "I used to wonder why I felt like something was missing.""
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The rain tapped against the narrow basement windows.
Eleanor reached into the cabinet and pulled out another envelope.
"This one came from Margaret two months before she died.""
Nathan.
He didn't touch me.
He simply stood beside me, looking at the same photograph.
Then he whispered, "I used to wonder why I felt like something was missing.""
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The rain tapped against the narrow basement windows.
Eleanor reached into the cabinet and pulled out another envelope.
"This one came from Margaret two months before she died.""
Nathaniel looked at her.
"Margaret is dead?""
"She died three years ago. A stroke.""
I glanced at the document.
"Then how can we find our sister?""
Eleanor shook her head.
"We may not have to.""
She unfolded the letter.
It was short, writteniel looked at her.
"Margaret is dead?""
"She died three years ago. A stroke.""
I glanced at the document.
"Then how can we find our sister?""
Eleanor shook her head.
"We may not have to.""
She unfolded the letter.
It was short, written on expensive cream paper.
Eleanor,
I have kept my promise for thirty years. The child knows nothing about the Callaways. She believes I am her aunt, not her guardian. But Victoria has started asking questions, and I fear Richard's arrangements may no longer be safe.
*If anything happens to me, look on expensive cream paper.
Eleanor,
I have kept my promise for thirty years. The child knows nothing about the Callaways. She believes I am her aunt, not her guardian. But Victoria has started asking questions, and I fear Richard's arrangements may no longer be safe.
If anything happens to me, look for the red ledger.
It contains the name of the family that raised her.
At the bottom was a handwritten address.
A private storage facility in Queens.
Nathaniel photographed the letter.
"We're going there.""
Eleanor stood.
"Not tonight. The police are still investigating for the red ledger.*
It contains the name of the family that raised her.
At the bottom was a handwritten address.
A private storage facility in Queens.
Nathaniel photographed the letter.
"We're going there.""
Eleanor stood.
"Not tonight. The police are still investigating Victoria. We don't know who else she has contacted.""
"She tried to kill you," Nathaniel said.
"Someone has already been contacting people.""
"Richard had friends in the police department. Some of them are still alive.""
I looked at the cassette player.
"There's more on the recording.""
The tape had not stopped.
Richard's voice was faint now, but Victoria. We don't know who else she has contacted.""
"She tried to kill you," Nathaniel said.
"Someone has already been contacting people.""
"Richard had friends in the police department. Some of them are still alive.""
I looked at the cassette player.
"There's more on the recording.""
The tape had not stopped.
Richard's voice was faint now, but still audible.
"Eleanor, if you have found this, remember what I told you about the third child. She must never learn that she was born a Callaway. If she discovers the truth, she will come looking for the others.""
A pause followed.
Then a second voice interrupted.
A woman.
Young. Breathing hard.
"Mr. Callaway, you still audible.
"Eleanor, if you have found this, remember what I told you about the third child. She must never learn that she was born a Callaway. If she discovers the truth, she will come looking for the others.""
A pause followed.
Then a second voice interrupted.
A woman.
Young. Breathing hard.
"Mr. Callaway, you promised my mother you would never hurt us.""
Nathaniel went rigid.
I leaned toward the recorder.
The woman continued.
"Please. Don't make me tell them what happened in that hospital.""
Richard's response was chilling.
"Then keep your mouth shut, Victoria.""
The recording clicked off.
I stared at Nathaniel.
"Victoria was there?""
Eleanor promised my mother you would never hurt us.""
Nathaniel went rigid.
I leaned toward the recorder.
The woman continued.
"Please. Don't make me tell them what happened in that hospital.""
Richard's response was chilling.
"Then keep your mouth shut, Victoria.""
The recording clicked off.
I stared at Nathaniel.
"Victoria was there?""
Eleanor nodded.
"She was a little girl when Richard began arranging everything. Margaret brought her to the hospital that night.""
"How old was she?""
"Seven, perhaps eight.""
Nathaniel looked down at the letter again.
"So Victoria knew about our sister.""
"She knew something," Eleanor said.
"Whether she knew the whole truth, I cannot tell you.""
I picked up nodded.
"She was a little girl when Richard began arranging everything. Margaret brought her to the hospital that night.""
"How old was she?""
"Seven, perhaps eight.""
Nathaniel looked down at the letter again.
"So Victoria knew about our sister.""
"She knew something," Eleanor said.
"Whether she knew the whole truth, I cannot tell you.""
I picked up the hospital record.
There was a second page tucked behind it.
Unlike the first, this page contained a recent handwritten addition.
A phone number.
And a name.
*Elizabeth Sterling.*
I searched my memory.
Sterling.
Margaret's surname.
Victoria's surname.
The name on the document was the same the hospital record.
There was a second page tucked behind it.
Unlike the first, this page contained a recent handwritten addition.
A phone number.
And a name.
*Elizabeth Sterling.*
I searched my memory.
Sterling.
Margaret's surname.
Victoria's surname.
The name on the document was the same.
I turned to Nathaniel.
"Could Elizabeth be our sister?""
He took the paper from me.
"Maybe.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"No. Elizabeth is not the name Margaret gave the child.""
"Then who.
I turned to Nathaniel.
"Could Elizabeth be our sister?""
He took the paper from me.
"Maybe.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"No. Elizabeth is not the name Margaret gave the child.""
"Then who is she?"" I asked.
Eleanor stared at the handwriting.
"I don't know.""
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
Rose Carter. Stop asking about Baby C. You have already lost one mother. Don't make the mistake of losing the other.
I showed it to Nathaniel.
He immediately called Detective Brooks.
But before he could speak is she?"" I asked.
Eleanor stared at the handwriting.
"I don't know.""
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
Rose Carter. Stop asking about Baby C. You have already lost one mother. Don't make the mistake of losing the other.
I showed it to Nathaniel.
He immediately called Detective Brooks.
But before he could speak, another message arrived.
This one contained a photograph.
It showed a woman standing outside the Queens storage facility.
She looked directly into the camera.
She had my eyes.
My mother's face.
And Nathaniel's unmistakable smile.
Beneath the photograph were six words.
Your sister wants to meet you tonight.
Then another message appeared.
*Come alone., another message arrived.
This one contained a photograph.
It showed a woman standing outside the Queens storage facility.
She looked directly into the camera.
She had my eyes.
My mother's face.
And Nathaniel's unmistakable smile.
Beneath the photograph were six words.
Your sister wants to meet you tonight.
Then another message appeared.
Come alone. Eleanor must not know.
Nathaniel read it over my shoulder.
"You're not going alone.""
I looked at the photograph again.
For thirty years, someone had kept our sister hidden.
Now she was reaching out.
And whoever had sent that message knew exactly where we were.
I turned toward Eleanor.
She was staring at the screen, Eleanor must not know.*
Nathaniel read it over my shoulder.
"You're not going alone.""
I looked at the photograph again.
For thirty years, someone had kept our sister hidden.
Now she was reaching out.
And whoever had sent that message knew exactly where we were.
I turned toward Eleanor.
She was staring at the screen, all the color gone from her face.
"What's wrong?"" I asked.
She whispered, "That's not your sister.""
Nathaniel frowned.
"How can you know?""
Eleanor raised trembling fingers and pointed at the woman's face.
"Because I saw her buried thirty years ago.""
And then she said the name that changed everything all the color gone from her face.
"What's wrong?"" I asked.
She whispered, "That's not your sister.""
Nathaniel frowned.
"How can you know?""
Eleanor raised trembling fingers and pointed at the woman's face.
"Because I saw her buried thirty years ago.""
And then she said the name that changed everything.
"That's Margaret Sterling.""
May you like
.
"That's Margaret Sterling.""
