Chapter 4: The Dead Man in the Photograph
For three seconds, nobody spoke.
Nathan stood beside the sofa, staring at the photograph as if the dead had reached through the screen to touch him.
His father, Richard Whitmore, had been buried three years earlier after a sudden heart attack. Nathan had been the one to identify his body. He had delivered the eulogy, scattered his father's ashes, and spent months waking from nightmares in which he heard Richard calling his name.
Now his father's face—or what appeared to be his face—was standing inside my bridal suite on the morning of our wedding.
"That can't be him," Nathan whispered.
Sarah lowered her camera.
"I know what you're thinking. But I took this photograph myself. The timestamp is accurate.""
Nathan snatched the camera and enlarged the image.
The man wore a charcoal suit, a silver watch, and a dark tie. His face was partially reflected in the mirror, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
"Where did you take this?"" Nathan demanded.
"In the hallway outside the bridal suite. I was photographing the preparations when I saw movement in the mirror.""
"You said someone entered the room.""
"Someone did.""
Nathan looked at Lauren.
"Did you know about this?""
My sister shook her head frantically.
"I swear I didn't. Isabella gave me a phone to use that morning. She said it was for coordinating with the florist.""
"Show me the phone," Nathan said.
Lauren reached into her small handbag and pulled out a black smartphone.
"I still have it.""
Nathan took it from her, then turned it over.
A gold sticker was attached to the back.
His father's initials were engraved on it.
R.W.
Nathan's fingers began to tremble.
"My father had a phone just like this," he said.
"He used it for business. Mom kept his belongings after he died.""
I stepped closer.
"Could someone have used an old photograph of your father to make it look as though he was there?""
"Maybe."" Nathan stared at the screen.
"But why would they do that?""
Sarah pointed toward the gold sticker.
"Look at the corner. It's peeling.""
Nathan carefully lifted it with his fingernail.
Beneath it was another label.
A small white inventory sticker from Whitmore Hospitality.
He turned the phone over again and examined the camera lens.
"This isn't my father's phone," he said.
"His had a cracked screen. I remember because I dropped it the week before he died.""
Lauren swallowed.
"Isabella told me it belonged to someone who worked for the company.""
"Who?""
"She didn't tell me.""
Nathan walked to the window, pressing a hand against his forehead.
I watched him struggle to put the pieces together.
"Sarah, can you check the original files?"" he asked.
"Not the edited photographs. I want every image from that morning, including the ones you didn't select.""
"Of course.""
"And I want the metadata preserved.""
Sarah nodded.
Nathan turned toward Lauren.
"You said my mother promised to pay your debt if you helped her. Did she give you anything else?""
Lauren hesitated.
"She gave me an envelope.""
"What was in it?""
"Cash. Five thousand dollars.""
My mouth fell open.
"You accepted five thousand dollars to help Isabella sabotage my wedding?""
"I didn't know she was going to destroy the dress!""
"You knew she intended to humiliate me.""
Lauren began crying again.
"Emily, I was desperate. I thought it would be a stupid argument, nothing more.""
I stared at her.
"You watched her do it. You stood in that ballroom and let everyone believe I was overreacting.""
"I was afraid she'd expose my debt.""
Nathan let out a bitter laugh.
"So you chose to expose my wife instead.""
Lauren covered her face.
Then Nathan's phone rang.
The screen displayed his mother's name.
He answered and put it on speaker.
"Where are you?"" Isabella demanded.
"Upstairs.""
"Good. Bring Emily down immediately. People are asking questions, and I won't have my reception ruined by a childish disagreement.""
Nathan's voice was cold.
"Did you send Lauren messages about ruining the wedding?""
Silence.
Then Isabella laughed softly.
"Good heavens, Nathan. Your bride is clearly upset. Don't let her turn an unfortunate accident into a family scandal.""
"I have photographs.""
"Photographs of what? A woman standing near a dress? You cannot possibly believe that proves anything.""
"I have photographs of you raising your heel over the train.""
Her breathing changed.
Just slightly.
But we all heard it.
"Those pictures are out of context," she snapped.
"You know how photographers manipulate things.""
"Did you tell Lauren to help you?""
"I told your sister-in-law to stop encouraging Emily's hysterics.""
I looked at Lauren.
Even now, Isabella was lying without hesitation.
Nathan continued, "And what about the photograph taken inside the bridal suite this morning?""
Another silence.
This one lasted longer.
Finally, Isabella said, "What photograph?""
Nathan closed his eyes.
"That's what I thought.""
"Don't you dare interrogate me like a criminal! I'm your mother!""
"And Emily is my wife.""
"Your wife has been trying to separate you from this family since the day you met her.""
Nathan's expression hardened.
"Then perhaps you should explain why someone used a phone bearing my father's initials to photograph her without permission.""
Isabella's voice dropped.
"Bring that phone downstairs. We will discuss this privately.""
"No," Nathan replied.
"We'll discuss it where everyone can hear.""
He ended the call.
I stared at him.
"What are you going to do?""
Nathan looked at the photograph one more time.
"First, I'm going to find out who was in that room.""
He turned to Sarah.
"Can you identify the person from the original image?""
"I can try.""
She zoomed in on the reflection and adjusted the brightness.
The man's face became clearer.
Nathan leaned forward.
Then Sarah pointed to a small detail near his left ear.
A thin scar.
Nathan's lips parted.
"I know that scar.""
"Who is he?"" I whispered.
Nathan slowly raised his eyes.
"It's Daniel Cross. My father's former business partner.""
Lauren went white.
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Because Daniel Cross had supposedly died in the same car accident that killed Nathan's father.
And the next message on the mysterious phone was dated three days after that accident.
