Chapter 3: The Woman in the Picture
Leah's fingers stopped inches from the photograph.
The woman's face stared back at her.
Alive.
Smiling.
Standing behind Daniel as he held the baby.
Leah looked at the date.
Eight years ago.
Then she looked at the woman again.
Her stomach dropped.
“Daniel.””
He crossed the street slowly.
“What's wrong?””
Leah held up the photograph.
“You know her?””
Daniel saw it.
Everything inside his face changed.
He reached for the picture.
Leah pulled it back.
“Who is she?””
Daniel's lips parted.
Nothing came out.
“Daniel.””
He swallowed.
“My wife.””
Leah stared at him.
“That can't be your wife.””
“It is.””
“You told me she died.””
“She did.””
“Then why is she standing behind you?””
Daniel looked at the photograph again.
“I don't know.””
Ava had followed them across the street.
She stood near the mailbox, watching both adults.
“My mom isn't dead.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“Ava…”
“She told me not to say that until you saw this.””
Daniel took the photograph from Leah.
His hands shook.
He studied the woman's face.
Then the baby.
Then the background.
A brick building.
A red fire escape.
A street sign barely visible behind them.
Daniel's eyes widened.
“I know this place.””
Leah stepped closer.
“Where?””
He didn't answer.
“Daniel, where?””
“Baltimore.””
“When?””
“Three months before the baby supposedly died.””
Ava looked at him.
“So you remember.””
Daniel crouched.
For the first time, he brought himself to Ava's eye level.
“What did your mother tell you about me?””
Ava hesitated.
“She said you loved me.””
Daniel's eyes glistened.
“She said you looked for me.””
He nodded slowly.
“I did.””
“She said someone stopped you.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Who?””
“My grandmother.””
The word hung between them.
Leah looked at Daniel.
“Your mother?””
Daniel stood abruptly.
“My mother died six years ago.””
Ava shook her head.
“Not yours.””
Daniel stared.
“My mom's mom.””
Daniel's face changed.
He looked toward the grocery store as though the answer might be hidden behind its glass doors.
“Her name?””
Ava whispered it.
Daniel took one step backward.
“No.””
Leah watched him.
“You know that name.””
“I haven't heard it in years.””
“Who is she?””
Daniel looked at Leah.
“She was my wife's mother.””
Silence.
The pieces began falling into place.
Leah looked down at the photograph.
“Why would your mother-in-law hide your daughter from you?””
Daniel's voice was barely audible.
“I don't know.””
Ava corrected him.
“She said you would take her away.””
Daniel's head snapped toward her.
“Why would she think that?””
“She said you weren't safe.””
Daniel's face tightened.
“Did she tell you why?””
Ava shook her head.
“She said there was a man.””
“What man?””
“I don't know.””
“Did he hurt your mother?””
Ava's eyes dropped.
“She said he hurt Daddy.””
Daniel stopped breathing.
Leah felt a chill despite the warm afternoon.
“Daddy?”” she asked.
Ava nodded.
“The man in the picture.””
Daniel looked down.
The baby in his arms.
His wife behind him.
And something about the picture had been bothering him.
Now he saw it.
A small dark mark on the brick wall behind them.
A symbol.
Three lines inside a circle.
Daniel's fingers went cold.
Leah noticed.
“What is it?””
Daniel didn't answer.
“What?””
“I've seen that before.””
“Where?””
“In the hospital.””
Ava stepped closer.
“My mom drew it too.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Your mother drew that symbol?””
Ava nodded.
“She said it meant someone was watching.””
Leah's skin prickled.
Daniel flipped the photograph over.
There was handwriting on the back.
But this time, it wasn't the same handwriting as the first photograph.
It was Daniel's.
He stared at the words.
Leah leaned closer.
“What does it say?””
Daniel read silently.
Then his face drained of color.
“What?””
He handed the photograph to Leah.
Six words were written across the back.
*If you're reading this, I'm still alive.*
Leah's heart slammed against her ribs.
She looked at Ava.
“Ava…”
The little girl nodded.
“She told me you'd understand.””
Daniel suddenly turned toward the grocery store.
“Everybody inside.””
Leah frowned.
“What?””
“Now.””
“Why?””
Daniel's eyes were fixed on the store's front window.
Someone was standing inside.
A man in a dark jacket.
Watching them.
Leah turned.
The man immediately walked away.
Daniel grabbed the photograph.
“Get Ava inside.””
Leah took Ava's hand.
“Daniel, who was that?””
He didn't answer.
Instead, he ran toward the store.
The bell above the door rang violently as he disappeared inside.
Leah pulled Ava after him.
Then Ava stopped.
Her small hand slipped from Leah's.
She was staring at the sidewalk.
At the family drawing she had made earlier.
Someone had stepped on it.
The father's face was now covered by a muddy shoeprint.
May you like
And beneath the ruined drawing, written in fresh black ink, were four words:
*HE KNOWS YOU'RE HERE.*
