Chapter 2: The Woman in the Photograph
I stared at the photograph until my phone screen went dark.
Vanessa was unmistakable.
She stood beside a gray storage-unit door, wearing the cream coat I had bought her for Christmas. In her hands was the little wooden box Emily had left for Maya.
The photograph had been taken three days earlier.
I enlarged it.
Behind Vanessa stood a man in a baseball cap.
I recognized him.
Daniel.
My wife's older brother.
The same man who hadn't spoken to me in nearly five years.
“What is it?”” Maya asked.
I turned the screen toward her.
Her lips parted.
“That's Mom's box.””
“I know.””
“And that's Uncle Daniel.””
I nodded.
Maya looked confused.
“Why would he be with Vanessa?””
I didn't have an answer.
Daniel had been absent from our lives since Emily died. At first, he called regularly. He sent Maya birthday cards and promised to visit.
Then, one day, he stopped.
No explanation.
No goodbye.
When I called him, he told me he needed space.
I assumed grief had pushed him away.
Now I wasn't so sure.
“Dad, can we call him?””
I studied her face.
“Not yet.””
“Why?””
“Because I want to understand what's happening before anyone has a chance to hide something else.””
Maya sat on the edge of her bed.
“Do you think Mom knew this would happen?””
I crouched in front of her.
“No, sweetheart. Your mother trusted people. She believed family should protect each other.””
“Then why did Vanessa hate her?””
The question hit harder than I expected.
“Vanessa didn't know your mother.””
“She always gets angry when I talk about her.””
I looked toward the doorway.
“Has she said things about your mom?””
Maya nodded.
“She says I use Mom as an excuse to get attention.””
My jaw tightened.
“What else?””
“She said Dad married her because he needed someone to raise me. And that I should stop pretending Mom is still part of this family.””
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
“When did she say that?””
“Last month. When I asked if we could put Mom's picture back in the living room.””
I remembered that argument.
Vanessa had told me Maya was becoming obsessed with the past. She said the photograph made the house feel like a memorial.
I had listened.
I had taken the picture down.
Now I wished I could go back and put it right where it belonged.
“I'm sorry,” I whispered.
Maya looked away.
“You didn't know.””
“I should have asked.””
She rubbed her eyes.
“I just wanted to go on vacation with you.””
I pulled her into my arms.
“We're going somewhere much more important.””
A knock came from the hallway.
Vanessa stood outside the bedroom.
“Are you two finished?””
I straightened.
“What do you want?””
“We need to discuss the tickets.””
“There are no tickets to discuss.””
She glanced at Maya.
“Can you give us a minute?””
“No,” I said.
Vanessa sighed.
“Marcus, this is getting out of control. My children have been waiting for this vacation for months.””
“Then you should take them.””
“With what money? You paid for everything.””
I stared at her.
She had said it as though I had personally offended her.
“That's your biggest concern right now?””
“Of course not. But you can't cancel a family trip over a misunderstanding.””
“A misunderstanding?””
I held up the torn piece of blue envelope.
“Do you recognize this?””
Her eyes flickered.
“No.””
“It's from Emily's letter.””
“I told you, I haven't touched it.””
“Then why were you standing outside a storage facility holding Maya's wooden box three days ago?””
The silence was immediate.
Vanessa's mouth opened.
Then closed.
She looked at the phone in my hand.
“Who sent you that?””
“Answer the question.””
She stepped into the room and lowered her voice.
“Marcus, I can explain.””
“Go ahead.””
“Daniel asked me to help him with something.””
“What something?””
“Something personal.””
“Something involving my daughter's belongings?””
Her expression hardened.
“Your daughter doesn't own every object Emily ever touched.””
Maya stood up.
“That's not true!””
Vanessa pointed at her.
“Stay out of this.””
I moved between them.
“Do not speak to her like that again.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You've changed overnight.””
“No. I've finally started paying attention.””
She crossed her arms.
“You want the truth? Daniel contacted me because he thinks Emily left something behind. Something valuable. He asked if I had access to the house.””
I stared at her.
“You admitted to helping him steal from my daughter?””
“I didn't steal anything.””
“Where is the box?””
“I don't know.””
“Where is the letter?””
“I don't know!””
Her voice cracked.
For a moment, I thought she might cry.
Instead, she looked at Maya and said something that made my blood run cold.
“Maybe your mother should have told you the truth before she died.””
Maya went completely still.
I stepped forward.
“Get out.””
Vanessa blinked.
“What?””
“Leave this room.””
“Marcus—”
“Now.””
She stared at me for several seconds, then walked away.
I waited until her footsteps disappeared downstairs before turning to Maya.
“Don't listen to her.””
Maya's eyes were wet.
“What truth?””
“I don't know, sweetheart.””
“Did Mom keep something from me?””
I took her hands.
“Your mother loved you. Whatever that letter says, we will find it together.””
Maya nodded, but I could see the fear in her face.
Twenty minutes later, we were in my car.
I had called my mother, who insisted we come to her house immediately. She lived twenty minutes away, in the same neighborhood where Emily had grown up.
Before leaving, I checked the house security system.
The camera footage showed Vanessa entering Maya's bedroom at 9:14 the previous morning.
She stayed for eleven minutes.
When she came out, she was carrying a small handbag.
I saved the footage.
Then I checked the front-door camera.
At 9:31, a black sedan pulled into the driveway.
Daniel stepped out.
He didn't knock.
He used his own key.
I watched him walk directly upstairs.
My stomach turned.
Daniel still had a key to my house.
A key I had never known he kept.
I paused the footage.
There was something in his hand.
A folded piece of paper.
I zoomed in.
It looked like an old photograph.
My phone rang.
Daniel's name appeared.
I almost rejected the call.
Then I answered.
“Where is my daughter's box?””
He sighed.
“Marcus, I was hoping we could talk before you started making accusations.””
“Then start talking.””
“Not over the phone.””
“Tell me where you are.””
“Come alone.””
I glanced at Maya.
“I'm not leaving my daughter.””
“Then bring her.””
“Why?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Because the letter is about her.””
I gripped the steering wheel.
“What did Emily write?””
His voice dropped.
“Something she was afraid you'd find out.””
The call ended.
Maya turned toward me.
“What did Uncle Daniel say?””
I started the engine.
“He wants to see us.””
“Does he have Mom's letter?””
“I think so.””
We drove toward my mother's house.
But halfway there, I noticed a black sedan following us.
The same sedan from the security footage.
I turned onto a side street.
It followed.
I made another turn.
It followed again.
Then my phone rang.
It was my mother.
“Marcus,” she said breathlessly, “don't come here.””
I slowed the car.
“Mom, what's wrong?””
“Someone has been inside my house.””
“Who?””
“I don't know. But they left something on the kitchen table.””
“What?””
My mother began crying.
“A photograph of Emily.””
I looked at Maya.
“Mom, call the police.””
“I already did.””
“What else was there?””
My mother took a shaky breath.
“An envelope.””
“What was written on it?””
May you like
She whispered six words.
“Marcus, it has your name on it.””
