Chapter 8: The Woman in the Photograph
“Who?””
Dad didn’t answer me right away.
I could hear voices behind him.
Marcus.
Rachel.
Lily.
Then Dad said, “Her name is Evelyn Carter.””
I frowned.
“Carter?””
Dad’s last name was Carter.
So was mine.
“Who is she?””
Dad sounded strange.
“My mother.””
I sat upright.
“Grandma?””
I barely remembered Grandma Evelyn.
She lived in Oregon and almost never visited.
Dad said she had health problems and hated flying.
I remembered one Christmas when she mailed me a wooden train and a card with ten dollars inside.
“But why would Grandma investigate Amanda?””
“That’s what I’m going to find out.””
Dad came back for me an hour later.
Lily was with him.
The moment she entered Denise’s house, she ran into my arms.
“You came back!””
“You’re okay!””
She nodded against my shoulder.
Rachel came in behind her.
Her face looked exhausted.
Dad spoke with Denise privately.
Then he gathered Lily and me.
“We’re staying here tonight.””
Lily looked up.
“Where’s Mom?””
Dad hesitated.
“We don’t know.””
“Is she in trouble?””
“That depends on what happened.””
Rachel sat down.
“She made bad choices, Lily.””
“That doesn’t mean she’s bad.””
Rachel’s eyes filled.
“No, sweetheart. It doesn’t.””
Dad’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice said, “Daniel.””
Dad froze.
“Mom?””
Grandma Evelyn.
Dad walked into the kitchen.
Marcus followed.
I shouldn’t have listened.
But Lily and I crept to the doorway.
“Why did you hire an investigator?”” Dad asked.
Grandma sighed.
“Because you wouldn’t listen to me.””
“You never told me anything!””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Two years ago, when I asked why Amanda was asking questions about Rebecca’s insurance.””
Dad went silent.
My heart started pounding.
Rebecca.
My mother.
“What questions?””
“She wanted to know whether the money was protected by a trust.””
Dad leaned against the counter.
“You never told me that.””
“I did.””
“No, you said you didn’t trust her.””
“Because I didn’t!””
“That isn’t the same thing.””
Grandma’s voice softened.
“You were happy. Ethan loved Lily. Every time I raised a concern, you defended Amanda.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“So you investigated her behind my back.””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
“Why then?””
“Because she called me.””
Dad opened his eyes.
“Amanda called you?””
“She asked whether I still had copies of Rebecca’s estate documents.””
Dad’s face changed.
“What did you say?””
“That they were none of her business.””
“What did she say?””
Grandma paused.
“She told me you wanted them.””
“I never asked.””
“I know.””
Marcus wrote something on a notepad.
Dad paced.
“So you hired this investigator.””
“Yes.””
“And what did he find?””
Grandma was silent.
“Mom?””
“I was going to tell you in person.””
“Tell me now.””
“He found Michael.””
Dad looked at Marcus.
“We know about Michael.””
“You don’t know everything.””
Dad’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Then stop protecting me.””
Grandma exhaled.
“Michael has serious debt.””
“How serious?””
“More than two hundred thousand dollars between failed businesses, private loans and judgments.””
Rachel covered her mouth.
Grandma continued.
“Three months ago, he began contacting Amanda regularly.””
“Did they meet?””
“Yes.””
“How often?””
“More than a dozen times.””
Dad stared at the floor.
Grandma’s voice softened.
“I’m sorry.””
Dad swallowed.
“Were they having an affair?””
“I don’t know.””
“But the photographs—”
“Daniel, photographs show meetings. They don’t tell us everything.””
Marcus nodded at that.
Dad rubbed his forehead.
“Why didn’t the investigator come to me?””
“I told him not to.””
“Why?””
“Because I wanted proof before I damaged your marriage.””
Dad laughed bitterly.
“Well, that worked out.””
Grandma didn’t respond.
Then Marcus leaned toward the phone.
“Mrs. Carter, did your investigator place the documents in Daniel’s toolbox?””
“No.””
Dad looked at him.
“Then who did?””
“I don’t know.””
Marcus opened the brown envelope.
“There’s information here about Amanda’s previous marriage.””
Grandma went quiet.
“What information?””
“Marriage records involving Michael Harris.””
“Oh.””
Dad stared at the phone.
“You knew?””
“I knew they had been married.””
“And you didn’t tell me?””
“I believed they were divorced.””
“So did Rachel.””
Rachel nodded.
Grandma continued.
“But my investigator couldn’t locate a finalized divorce decree.””
Dad sat heavily.
“Then my marriage might not even be legal.””
“We don’t know that yet.””
Marcus spoke.
“I’ll verify it tomorrow.””
Lily suddenly stepped into the kitchen.
“Can I ask something?””
Everyone turned.
Dad quickly lowered the phone.
“Of course.””
“Is Michael my daddy?””
Rachel shut her eyes.
Dad crouched.
“We don’t know.””
Lily looked frightened.
“Mom said my real daddy went away.””
Dad gently held her shoulders.
“Whatever we learn, none of this changes who you are.””
“But if Mom goes away too…”
Her voice broke.
Dad pulled her into his arms.
“You’re not alone.””
I walked over and hugged her from the other side.
For a moment, we were all quiet.
Then Grandma spoke through the phone.
“Daniel?””
Dad picked it up.
“Yes?””
“There’s one more thing.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“Of course there is.””
“The investigator photographed Amanda meeting Michael yesterday.””
“Yesterday?””
“Yes.””
“Where?””
“At a storage facility.””
Marcus looked up.
“What storage facility?””
Grandma gave him the address.
Marcus typed it into his phone.
Then his expression changed.
“What?””
Dad moved beside him.
Marcus turned the screen.
The storage facility was only ten minutes from our house.
Grandma continued.
“My investigator watched Amanda and Michael carry several boxes into Unit 214.””
Dad frowned.
“What was in them?””
“He couldn’t see.””
“Then why does it matter?””
“Because one of the boxes had a name written on the side.””
Dad stopped.
“What name?””
Grandma answered quietly.
May you like
“Rebecca.””
My mother’s name.
