Chapter 8: The Woman in the Woods
"Mom?""
The word left Julian before he could stop it.
The silver-haired woman disappeared behind the trees.
Hayes shouted into her radio.
"Suspect moving east through the gardens! Silver hair, dark coat!""
Officers ran outside.
Julian followed.
Hayes grabbed him.
"Stay here.""
"That was my mother.""
"That was someone who just fired through a window.""
"She died twelve years ago.""
"Apparently your family has a complicated relationship with death.""
Another officer rushed over.
"No visual.""
"Seal the property," Hayes ordered.
Corinne crouched behind the stone bench.
"She's going to kill me.""
Julian turned.
"You knew she was alive.""
Corinne was shaking violently.
"I suspected.""
"Where is Wren?""
"I told you, Adrian has her.""
"And my mother?""
"I don't know.""
Julian seized the photograph from the floor.
"Then explain.""
Corinne looked at the image.
"Her name isn't Eleanor Ashcroft anymore.""
Julian's mother.
Eleanor.
Elegant, controlled, impossible to please.
Julian remembered her funeral.
A closed coffin.
Cancer, they had said.
A private burial.
He had never questioned it.
"What name does she use?""
Corinne whispered, "Lydia Crane.""
Julian stared at her.
"No.""
"The woman you've been looking for.""
"No.""
"Lydia is Eleanor.""
Julian remembered the recovered camera footage.
The woman entering Wren's bedroom corridor.
The angle hadn't shown her clearly enough.
Nineteen years could change a face.
Hair.
Weight.
Posture.
But not everything.
Julian looked at the photograph again.
Young Lydia standing beside Adrian.
"Why would my mother use another identity before her supposed death?""
"Because Lydia Crane existed before Eleanor Ashcroft disappeared.""
Hayes stepped closer.
"Explain that.""
Corinne swallowed.
"Eleanor used Lydia whenever she handled things the Ashcroft family couldn't be publicly connected to.""
"What things?""
"Children.""
Julian felt sick.
"Blackwood.""
Corinne nodded.
"Your family funded it.""
Julian shook his head.
"I've never seen Blackwood in any charitable records.""
"You weren't supposed to.""
A detective approached Hayes.
"No weapon recovered. We found footprints leading to the north wall.""
"Camera footage?""
"Reviewing it.""
Julian looked at Corinne.
"Why would my mother shoot at you?""
"Because I betrayed Adrian.""
"You were helping him.""
"Until this morning.""
Corinne's eyes filled.
"When you called your attorney, I sent Adrian a message.""
"What did you say?""
"I told him I was done.""
Julian almost laughed.
"After forging my signature, drugging me, abusing Wren and preparing to send her away, you suddenly discovered a conscience?""
"I got scared.""
"That's not conscience.""
Corinne flinched.
He didn't care.
Hayes' phone buzzed.
"The hospital bloodwork.""
Julian immediately turned.
"Wren?""
"Your daughter's preliminary toxicology shows traces consistent with repeated sedative exposure.""
Julian closed his eyes.
Hayes continued.
"Low concentration. Doctors don't expect permanent harm.""
Relief came first.
Then rage.
Corinne whispered, "I never wanted to hurt her.""
Julian looked at her.
"You made her afraid to tell me she was hungry.""
Corinne couldn't answer.
"You made my daughter ask permission to be tired.""
"Julian—"
"Don't say my name.""
His phone vibrated.
A message.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
One photograph.
Wren sat in an unfamiliar room.
She wasn't tied.
She looked frightened but unharmed.
Behind her was an old fireplace.
Julian zoomed in.
Above the fireplace hung a painting.
He recognized it.
Ashcroft Lake House.
The family's abandoned summer property.
He showed Hayes.
"I know where she is.""
Twenty minutes later, police vehicles stopped half a mile from the lake house.
Julian wore a protective vest.
Hayes glared at him.
"You stay behind us.""
"I'm not waiting in a car.""
"Then follow instructions.""
They approached through the woods.
The house appeared between bare trees.
No lights.
No movement.
The front door stood open.
Hayes raised her weapon.
Police entered.
"Clear!""
"Kitchen clear!""
"Second floor!""
Julian heard something.
A child crying.
"Wren!""
He ran.
"Julian!""
Hayes chased him.
The sound came from the old library.
Julian threw open the door.
Wren sat on the floor.
"Daddy!""
He dropped beside her.
She launched herself into his arms.
"I knew you'd come.""
"Are you hurt?""
"No.""
"Where is Adrian?""
Wren pointed toward a second door.
"He said he had to meet someone.""
Hayes entered.
"Wren, who?""
"The silver-haired lady.""
Julian looked at Hayes.
His mother.
"Wren, did you hear what they said?""
"They were arguing.""
"About what?""
"Me.""
Julian's chest tightened.
"What about you?""
"The lady said Uncle Adrian ruined everything by taking me.""
"And Adrian?""
"He said she lied about Caleb.""
Hayes crouched.
"What did she lie about?""
Wren wiped her face.
"She said Caleb died.""
Julian froze.
"But Uncle Adrian said he found him.""
"Where?""
Wren pointed toward the desk.
"He left that.""
A photograph rested there.
Julian picked it up.
A young man stood outside a modest brick house.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
He looked painfully familiar.
Adrian's mouth.
Julian's father's jaw.
On the back:
CALEB — THREE DAYS AGO.
An address was written beneath it.
Hayes photographed the card.
"We'll check it.""
Wren suddenly grabbed Julian's sleeve.
"Daddy, there's something else.""
"What?""
"The silver-haired lady called Corinne.""
"When?""
"Here.""
Julian frowned.
"Corinne was at the mansion.""
Wren shook her head.
"Not your Corinne.""
Julian stared at her.
"What do you mean?""
"The lady called herself Corinne.""
Hayes and Julian exchanged a look.
Wren pointed at the photograph of Eleanor.
"Uncle Adrian called her Mom.""
Julian's blood went cold.
May you like
Then Wren whispered:
"And she told him you're not really his brother.""
