Chapter 9: The Woman Who Survived
No one spoke after Nathan read the message.
Rain hammered the motel window.
I held out my hand.
“Give me the phone.””
Nathan handed it over.
The message was still open.
*Stop looking for Clara. She's already dead.*
I looked at him.
“How long have you known?””
“I didn't.””
“Your mother just told you she's dead.””
“I swear I didn't know.””
Evan took out his own phone.
“I checked the state death records this afternoon.””
“And?””
“There's no Clara Bennett matching the nurse's records.””
Margaret exhaled.
“So she's alive.””
“Or someone wants us to believe she's dead,” Evan said.
I looked at the message again.
Diane hadn't said she died.
She had said she's already dead.
As if she were warning Nathan.
Or threatening him.
“Where do we find her?”” I asked.
Evan hesitated.
“I have an address.””
“Then we're going.””
Nathan shook his head.
“No.””
I turned.
“Why?””
“Because if Diane knows we're looking for her, she'll get there first.””
“Then we'll move faster.””
Nathan grabbed his coat.
“I know where she works.””
Everyone looked at him.
“You said you didn't know her.””
“I don't know her personally.””
“Then how do you know where she works?””
He hesitated.
“Because my mother made me watch her.””
My stomach dropped.
“Watch her?””
“When the investigation started.””
“What investigation?””
“After your father's death.””
I stepped closer.
“You followed Clara?””
Nathan nodded.
“My mother wanted to know if she talked to anyone.””
“And did she?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
“She met with a reporter.””
“What did she tell him?””
“I don't know.””
“You were there.””
“I stayed in the car.””
Evan frowned.
“When was this?””
“About six months after your father died.””
I stared at Nathan.
“And you never told me?””
“I was ashamed.””
“You should be.””
He flinched.
Margaret gathered the documents.
“We need to leave.””
We drove to an apartment complex across town.
The address belonged to Clara Bennett.
The building was old and poorly lit.
We climbed two flights of stairs.
Apartment 3B.
The door was slightly open.
Nathan stopped.
“That's wrong.””
“What?””
“She always locked it.””
I pushed the door.
“Clara?””
No answer.
The apartment was empty.
A mug sat on the kitchen counter.
Still warm.
A coat hung beside the door.
Someone had left recently.
I opened a drawer.
Inside was a stack of photographs.
My father.
Diane.
Nathan.
And another man.
I picked up the photograph.
“Who is he?””
Nathan stared at it.
His face drained.
“Victor.””
Evan stepped closer.
“Victor Hale?””
Nathan nodded.
“My mother's partner.””
Margaret looked horrified.
“Partner in what?””
Nathan didn't answer.
I turned over the photograph.
There was writing on the back.
*The night Rachel's father died, Victor was there. Nathan was there. Diane was there.*
My hands trembled.
“Three people.””
Nathan looked at me.
“I didn't hurt your father.””
“But you were there.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“I told you.””
“Your mother called you.””
“She said your father was threatening her.””
“And when you arrived?””
“He was alive.””
I stared at him.
“What did he say?””
Nathan's eyes filled with tears.
“He told me to protect you.””
The room went silent.
“He knew you were being manipulated?””
“Yes.””
“What else?””
Nathan looked at the photograph.
“He told me your mother—”
“My mother?””
“Your mother knew about the money.””
I froze.
“My mother died when I was twelve.””
“I know.””
“So what did he mean?””
Nathan shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Margaret suddenly gasped.
She was staring at the bookshelf.
Behind several books was a small recorder.
She pulled it out.
“Clara left this.””
Evan pressed the power button.
Static filled the apartment.
Then my father's voice.
Weak.
Breathing heavily.
“Margaret… if you hear this, take Rachel away from them.””
I covered my mouth.
His voice continued.
“They'll make it look like an accident.””
A crash sounded in the background.
Then Diane's voice.
“You should have listened to me.””
Nathan's face turned white.
My father's voice came again.
“Rachel is not your daughter to control.””
Diane answered:
“She won't be your daughter for much longer.””
Then another man's voice.
Victor.
“It's time.””
The recording ended.
No one moved.
I looked at Nathan.
“You heard this before?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“Then why are you crying?””
He wiped his face.
“Because I remember that night.””
“What do you remember?””
Nathan stared at the floor.
“My mother told Victor to leave.””
“Why?””
“She said she didn't want me to hear what happened next.””
My pulse raced.
“What happened next?””
Before Nathan could answer, the apartment lights went out.
A car door slammed somewhere outside.
Then footsteps began climbing the stairs.
Slow.
Heavy.
Someone stopped outside Apartment 3B.
The handle turned.
Nathan grabbed my hand.
“Get behind me.””
The door opened.
A woman stood in the darkness.
Older.
Pale.
Her hair was pulled beneath a hood.
She looked directly at me.
Then she whispered:
“Rachel, your father was alive when I left that room.””
I couldn't breathe.
She stepped inside.
“I didn't kill him.””
May you like
Her eyes moved to Nathan.
“But he wasn't alive when I came back.””
