Chapter 8: The Woman at the Door
When I arrived home, Maya met me in the garage.
She looked exhausted.
“Where’s Claire?””
“Upstairs with Brooke.””
“Did Brooke hear anything?””
“I don’t think so.””
Maya handed me the box.
Inside were bank statements, photocopied medical records, Rebecca’s letter, and photographs spanning more than twenty years.
Evan stood behind me.
He picked up the photograph of Natalie.
“That’s definitely her.””
“You’ve met her?””
“Once.””
“When?””
“Rebecca brought her to my apartment years ago. Natalie was maybe seven.””
I calculated quickly.
“That would make her twenty-five or twenty-six.””
“About that.””
“Why would Rebecca write that Natalie must never find Brooke?””
“I don’t know.””
Maya pulled out another photograph.
Two little girls.
One was clearly Natalie.
The other was younger.
On the back:
NATALIE & SOPHIE, 2008.
“Who’s Sophie?”” Maya asked.
Evan stared at the picture.
“I have no idea.””
My frustration boiled over.
“Apparently nobody knows anything about this family.””
Footsteps sounded behind us.
Claire entered.
Her eyes were swollen.
Then she saw Evan holding Natalie’s photograph.
Her face changed.
“Where did you get that?””
“You know Natalie?””
Claire slowly nodded.
“Rebecca’s first daughter.””
“You told me Rebecca had one baby.””
“I told you what mattered.””
I laughed without humor.
“You’re still doing it.””
“Doing what?””
“Deciding which truths matter.””
Claire looked down.
Maya spoke.
“Mom, the thirty-nine thousand went into a trust connected to Natalie.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
Claire grabbed the statement.
“I transferred it to the account the blackmailer provided.””
“That account belongs to a trust.””
Claire scanned the page.
“I didn’t know.””
I pointed at Natalie’s photograph.
“Could she be blackmailing you?””
Claire’s expression tightened.
“I haven’t seen Natalie since she was a child.””
“But she may know about Brooke.””
“She couldn’t.””
“Rebecca literally wrote that Natalie must never find Brooke.””
Claire sank into a chair.
Evan asked, “Why?””
Claire hesitated.
Then answered.
“Because Natalie hated Rebecca.””
“For what?””
“Rebecca abandoned her.””
That made sense.
But not enough.
“Where did Natalie grow up?””
“With her father’s family.””
“Who was her father?””
Claire shook her head.
“I never knew.””
The doorbell rang.
Every person in the garage froze.
Maya whispered, “That might be her.””
“Who?””
“The woman from earlier.””
I moved through the house.
Claire followed.
“Daniel, wait.””
I opened the door.
A young woman stood on the porch.
Mid-twenties.
Dark brown hair.
Gray coat.
She looked exactly like the woman in Rebecca’s photograph.
Natalie.
Her eyes moved from me to Claire.
“You.””
Claire grabbed the doorframe.
“Natalie?””
Natalie laughed bitterly.
“So you do remember me.””
I stepped between them.
“You brought the box?””
“Yes.””
“Were you blackmailing Claire?””
Her expression hardened.
“No.””
“Did you receive thirty-nine thousand dollars?””
“No.””
“Your name is connected to the trust.””
“That trust was created by my grandmother.””
Claire whispered, “Rebecca’s mother?””
Natalie nodded.
“The account has been used by several family members.””
“Who has access now?””
“My uncle.””
“What uncle?””
Natalie looked confused.
“Rebecca’s brother.””
Claire went completely still.
“My brother is dead.””
Natalie stared at her.
“No, he isn’t.””
I turned toward Claire.
“You had a brother too?””
Claire whispered, “Thomas died when I was nineteen.””
Natalie slowly shook her head.
“Thomas Bennett is alive.””
Evan stepped closer.
“Where?””
“I don’t know exactly. But he contacted me two months ago.””
My pulse accelerated.
“What did he want?””
“He asked about Brooke.””
Claire’s hand flew to her mouth.
Natalie continued.
“He said Rebecca left evidence proving what happened at the hospital.””
“Why would he blackmail Claire?””
“He hated her.””
“Why?””
Natalie looked directly at Claire.
“Because he blamed you for Rebecca’s death.””
Claire recoiled.
“I hadn’t spoken to Rebecca in years.””
“That’s not what Thomas believes.””
I asked, “Where is the money?””
Natalie reached into her coat.
She removed a folded bank document.
“Still in the trust.””
Claire stared at it.
“You mean he didn’t spend it?””
“No.””
“Then why demand it?””
Natalie’s eyes moved toward the staircase.
“Because Thomas wasn’t trying to get rich.””
My skin prickled.
“What was he trying to do?””
“He wanted Claire desperate enough to expose every secret herself.””
A bedroom door opened upstairs.
Brooke appeared.
“Dad?””
Natalie looked up.
Her entire expression changed.
Brooke stared back.
“Who are you?””
Natalie whispered one word.
“Brooke.””
May you like
Then tears filled her eyes.
“I’ve been looking for you for six years.””
