Chapter 10: The Woman Who Walked Out
I read Naomi's message until the words stopped looking like words.
*I was there.*
*I saw who walked out of the repair shop after him.*
*It was your mother.*
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything around me.
My mother had been dead for twenty years.
My father had died three years ago.
And Naomi was telling me that my mother had been at the repair shop on the night he died.
"Marcus?"" Helen's voice came through the phone.
"What's happened?""
I looked at the screen.
"Naomi says she saw my mother leave the repair shop the night my father died.""
Silence.
Then Helen spoke carefully.
"That's impossible.""
"I know.""
"Where is Naomi now?""
"I don't know.""
I called her.
She answered on the first ring.
"Marcus?""
"Explain.""
She started crying.
"I knew you would find out eventually.""
"Find out what? Naomi, my mother died twenty years ago.""
"I know what her death certificate says.""
I gripped the phone.
"What does that mean?""
"I don't think she died when everyone said she did.""
My knees weakened.
"Are you telling me my mother was alive three years ago?""
"No. I'm telling you I saw someone who looked exactly like her.""
"Where?""
"At the repair shop.""
"When?""
"Three years ago. The night your father died.""
I closed my eyes.
"How old were you?""
"Twenty-seven.""
"Why were you there?""
Naomi hesitated.
Then she answered.
"My mother asked me to deliver an envelope to your father. She said it was urgent.""
I remembered the photograph Victor had shown me.
Naomi standing behind my father and Margaret.
She had been there long before graduation.
"What was in the envelope?""
"I don't know. My mother told me not to open it.""
"Did you see my father?""
"Yes. He was arguing with someone in the office.""
"Who?""
"I couldn't see clearly. But I heard him say, 'You have no right to be here.''"
I looked at Robert.
He was standing beside the desk, listening.
"Then what happened?""
Naomi's voice trembled.
"I left the envelope on his desk. I was walking toward the back entrance when I saw a woman coming out of the office.""
"What woman?""
"She had gray hair. She wore a dark coat. And she was carrying a small handbag.""
"You're describing someone. Not my mother.""
"I know.""
"Then why did you say it was her?""
"Because she turned toward me.""
Naomi began crying harder.
"And she said my name.""
I felt a chill move down my spine.
"What did she say?""
"She said, 'Naomi, don't tell Marcus I'm alive.''"
I couldn't speak.
Helen motioned for me to put the call on speaker.
I did.
"Naomi," she said, "are you certain about what you saw?""
"Yes.""
"Did you recognize her face?""
"Absolutely.""
"Did you know Marcus's mother personally?""
Naomi hesitated.
"Not well. But I had seen photographs. And my mother had shown me a picture of her several times.""
Helen glanced at me.
"Why?""
Naomi whispered, "Because my mother said she owed her everything.""
I felt as though the floor had shifted beneath me.
"Where is my mother now?""
"I don't know.""
"Naomi, don't lie to me.""
"I'm not.""
"Then why didn't you tell me three years ago?""
Her answer came quietly.
"Because Ethan was standing outside the shop.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He was waiting in his car. He told me to leave immediately. He said your father had suffered a medical emergency.""
I looked at Helen.
She was writing something.
Naomi continued.
"Later that night, my mother told me never to mention what I had seen. She said your father was dead, and there was nothing anyone could do.""
"And Ethan?""
"He told me the same thing.""
I closed my eyes.
The man who had kissed Naomi at graduation.
The man who had offered her a career.
The man who wanted my signature.
He had been there the night my father died.
"Naomi, where is Ethan now?""
"I don't know. He hasn't answered my calls since yesterday.""
"Then tell me where you are.""
She gave me an address.
An old apartment building near the university.
Helen immediately shook her head.
"We're not going without arranging protection.""
But I was already moving toward the door.
"Marcus," Helen warned, "we need to do this properly.""
I stopped.
Then I looked at her.
"That's my mother.""
She held my gaze.
"I know. And if she's alive, we need to make sure nobody gets to her before we do.""
We contacted the authorities and arranged to meet Naomi at a public location.
She arrived carrying a photograph.
Her hands were shaking.
It showed my mother standing outside a small seaside house.
She looked older than I remembered.
But it was her.
The same dark eyes.
The same small scar near her chin.
I touched the photograph.
"Where did you get this?""
"From my mother's safe.""
"When was it taken?""
"Six months ago.""
I looked at Naomi.
"You knew she was alive six months ago?""
"No. I found the photograph yesterday.""
Helen examined it.
"Is there anything written on the back?""
Naomi turned it over.
A handwritten address.
And beneath it:
*For Marcus, when he is ready to know the truth.*
My throat tightened.
The address was in a small coastal town nearly three hours away.
I stared at it.
Then Naomi reached into her handbag and removed a second envelope.
"This was with the photograph.""
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
My mother's.
My dear Marcus,
If you are reading this, it means Arthur has finally told you what happened.
I am sorry I wasn't there when you needed me.
I am sorry you grew up believing I had abandoned you.
I did not leave because I stopped loving you.
I left because someone threatened to take you away from me.
I stopped reading.
My eyes blurred.
Helen gently placed a hand on my shoulder.
I continued.
Your father promised to keep you safe. But he could not protect me and you at the same time.
I have spent years waiting for the right moment to come home.
That moment may finally have arrived.
But before you come looking for me, remember something.
The person who caused all this is not the person you think.
And the person who helped your father may be the same person who destroyed him.
There was no signature.
Only one final sentence.
*Ask Naomi what she took from the office that night.*
I slowly lowered the letter.
Naomi looked terrified.
"What did you take?"" I asked.
She shook her head.
"Nothing.""
"Naomi.""
"I swear.""
I placed the letter on the table.
"Then why would my mother write that?""
Naomi covered her mouth.
For a moment, I thought she was going to confess something.
Instead, she reached into her handbag and removed a small silver pendant.
I recognized it immediately.
My mother had worn it every day when I was a child.
Inside was a tiny photograph of me at six years old.
Naomi placed it in my palm.
"I took this from the office," she whispered.
"When?""
"That night.""
"Why?""
"Because I saw your mother leave it behind.""
I stared at the pendant.
"Did she give it to you?""
Naomi shook her head.
"No. I found it beside your father's desk.""
Helen leaned forward.
"Was there anything inside besides the photograph?""
Naomi looked at me.
Then she whispered:
"Yes.""
She opened the pendant.
Behind the photograph was a tiny folded piece of paper.
A name was written on it.
*Richard Bennett.*
The attorney who had brought me the thirty-eight-million-dollar contract.
May you like
And beneath his name were three words.
*He knows everything.*
