Chapter 4: The Woman in the Photograph
The knocking came again.
Three slow knocks.
Leah instinctively pulled Ava behind her.
Daniel didn't move.
He stared at the apartment door as if he already knew who was standing on the other side.
Ava whispered, “That's her.””
Leah turned.
“Who?””
Ava's eyes were fixed on the door.
“The woman from the picture.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“Stay here.””
He stepped toward the entrance.
Leah caught his arm.
“Absolutely not.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Leah.””
“You just found out you may have two children you've never known about, and someone connected to their disappearance is standing outside the door. You're not opening it alone.””
Another knock.
Three times.
Daniel slowly removed his hand from the doorknob.
“Then we open it together.””
Leah nodded.
Ava clutched the back of Leah's hoodie.
Daniel unlocked the door.
A woman stood in the hallway.
Black.
Late fifties.
Gray braids tucked beneath a wool cap despite the warm afternoon.
She wore a dark coat and held an old leather handbag against her stomach.
Her eyes went straight to Daniel.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then the woman whispered his name.
“Daniel.””
He stepped backward.
“Mrs. Brooks?””
The woman's face tightened.
“You remember me.””
Leah looked between them.
“You know her?””
Daniel didn't answer.
Mrs. Brooks slowly looked past him.
Her eyes landed on Ava.
The color drained from her face.
“Oh, God.””
Ava stared back.
“You know me.””
Mrs. Brooks covered her mouth.
“I thought…”
Her voice broke.
“I thought you were gone.””
Leah stepped forward.
“Who are you?””
The woman looked at her.
“My name is Evelyn Brooks.””
Daniel's voice was low.
“You shouldn't be here.””
Evelyn's eyes flashed.
“You shouldn't have found her.””
Leah stiffened.
“Found who?””
Evelyn looked at Ava.
“The girl.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Stop.””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“I tried to stop this.””
Leah held up the photograph.
“Did you take Ava's brother?””
Evelyn froze.
Her gaze dropped to the photograph in Leah's hand.
“No.””
“Then why is your name on it?””
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“Because I was there.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“When?””
“The night they were born.””
Leah felt her stomach turn.
“You were at the hospital?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Monica called me.””
“Why?””
“She was terrified.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Terrified of what?””
Evelyn looked directly at him.
“Your father.””
Daniel went completely still.
“My father was dead before I met Monica.””
“I know.””
“Then what are you talking about?””
Evelyn opened her handbag.
Her hands shook as she pulled out a small cassette recorder.
She placed it on Renee's kitchen table.
Leah frowned.
“What is that?””
“A recording.””
“Of what?””
“Monica.””
Daniel stared at the recorder.
Evelyn pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then a woman's frightened voice came through.
“Evelyn, if you're hearing this, something has happened.””
Daniel's face changed.
He recognized the voice immediately.
“Monica…”
The recording continued.
“I don't know who I can trust anymore. Daniel thinks the baby died. That's what they told him.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
Leah looked at him.
The voice on the tape trembled.
“But there were two babies.””
Ava stepped closer.
“My brother.””
Evelyn nodded.
“Yes.””
The recording crackled.
“One of them was taken.””
Leah's heart pounded.
“Who took him?”” she whispered, though Monica couldn't hear her.
The tape answered anyway.
“I saw Evelyn talking to him.””
Evelyn's face collapsed.
Daniel turned toward her.
“You.””
Evelyn shook her head violently.
“No. Listen.””
Monica's voice continued.
“She says she's protecting us. But I don't believe her anymore.””
The tape clicked.
Then Monica whispered:
“If anything happens to me, find Renee.””
Daniel opened his eyes.
Leah stared at Evelyn.
“Why would Monica tell Daniel the baby died?””
Evelyn's lips trembled.
“Because someone wanted him to believe it.””
“Who?””
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“Your mother.””
Daniel recoiled.
“My mother died ten years ago.””
“She didn't die believing the baby was dead.””
Evelyn reached into her handbag again.
This time she pulled out a folded hospital document.
Daniel snatched it.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then he stopped.
Leah stepped closer.
“What does it say?””
Daniel couldn't speak.
Evelyn answered for him.
“The girl was discharged with Renee.””
Leah looked at Ava.
“And the boy?””
Evelyn swallowed.
“The boy was discharged to another family.””
Daniel's hands began shaking.
“Which family?””
Evelyn looked toward Ava.
“I don't know.””
Leah's eyes narrowed.
“You said you were there.””
“I was.””
“Then how don't you know?””
“Because I was ordered out of the room.””
“By who?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“Your mother.””
Daniel looked up sharply.
“What did she look like?””
Evelyn's expression became distant.
“She was holding the boy.””
Daniel stopped breathing.
“My mother?””
Evelyn nodded.
“She told me she was taking him somewhere safe.””
“Where?””
“I followed her.””
Leah's voice dropped.
“And?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“She gave him to someone.””
“Who?””
Evelyn opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Slow.
Heavy.
Someone was climbing the stairs.
Evelyn's face suddenly changed.
Fear replaced everything else.
She grabbed Daniel's wrist.
“You have to hide her.””
Daniel pulled away.
“Who is coming?””
Evelyn looked at Ava.
“Someone who has been looking for her for eight years.””
The footsteps stopped outside the apartment.
Leah grabbed Ava.
Daniel moved toward the door.
Evelyn whispered one final sentence.
May you like
“And if they find her, they'll know the boy survived.””
The doorknob began to turn.
