Chapter 9: The Woman in the Photograph
David couldn't breathe.
The photograph shook between his fingers.
His wife.
Alive.
Holding a newborn.
He looked at the detective.
“When was this taken?””
The detective checked the evidence label.
“Three years ago.””
David stared.
“That was before she died.””
“Yes.””
“Where was it taken?””
“A private clinic.””
“Which one?””
The detective gave him the name.
David recognized it.
It was the same clinic where his wife had gone for medical tests shortly before her supposed death.
His mind raced.
“What baby is that?””
The detective didn't answer.
“We don't know yet.””
David looked toward Ethan.
The boy was watching him.
“Dad?””
David crouched.
“I need to ask you something.””
Ethan nodded.
“Did Mom ever tell you she had another baby?””
Ethan shook his head.
“No.””
“Did she ever talk about a hospital?””
“No.””
David stood.
Vanessa was being escorted past him.
“Wait.””
The officers stopped.
David approached her.
“You knew.””
Vanessa looked at the photograph.
For the first time, she didn't smile.
“Yes.””
“Whose baby is that?””
She looked at Ethan.
Then at Daniel.
Then back at David.
“Your wife's.””
David's heart pounded.
“My wife had another child?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Not another child.””
She looked directly at him.
“Your child.””
David went still.
The detective stepped forward.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa said nothing.
David grabbed the edge of a nearby table.
“You said my wife is alive.””
“I said she's been alive.””
“Where is she?””
Vanessa smiled faintly.
“You're finally asking the right question.””
David's voice broke.
“Where?””
“Under your nose.””
The detective frowned.
“Enough games.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You should ask David about the day he identified his wife's body.””
David's face went pale.
“What?””
Vanessa continued.
“He never saw her face.””
David remembered.
The hospital morgue.
The sheet.
The doctor.
The paperwork.
He had been told the body was badly damaged.
He had been too devastated to question anything.
The detective looked at him.
“Is that true?””
David nodded slowly.
“I couldn't see her.””
Vanessa smiled.
“Because it wasn't her.””
David stared.
“Whose body was it?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
The detective's radio crackled.
A voice came through.
“Detective, we've got something.””
“What?””
“We found another vehicle registered to Claire Whitmore.””
David's eyes widened.
“Where?””
“Behind the warehouse.””
The detective looked at Vanessa.
“What's inside?””
A pause.
“Human remains.””
David's stomach turned.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
For the first time, she looked defeated.
The detective grabbed her arm.
“Whose?””
The radio crackled again.
“Female.””
David's heart hammered.
“Age?””
“Approximately forty.””
Vanessa whispered, “No.””
David heard her.
He turned.
“You're afraid.””
Vanessa stared at him.
The detective demanded, “Whose body is it?””
Vanessa finally spoke.
“Mine.””
Everyone went silent.
David frowned.
“What?””
She laughed bitterly.
“You wanted to know who died that night?””
Her eyes met his.
“It wasn't your wife.””
“It was you?””
“No.””
She looked toward the evidence photograph.
“It was someone who looked like me.””
The detective's face hardened.
“Explain.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Not here.””
David stepped forward.
“You're not leaving until I know where my wife is.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You won't find her.””
“Why?””
“Because she doesn't want you to.””
David recoiled.
“She left me?””
“She believed staying near you would get you killed.””
David's voice cracked.
“Why didn't she contact me?””
“She did.””
“What?””
Vanessa smiled.
“Hundreds of times.””
David stared.
“What are you talking about?””
“Every time you looked at the security footage.””
David's expression changed.
“What?””
Vanessa leaned closer.
“Your wife was the one who taught me how to use those cameras.””
The words hit him.
The security system.
The hidden cameras.
The green lights.
The feeds.
David suddenly remembered something.
There had always been one camera he couldn't access.
A hallway camera outside the old guest room.
He had assumed it was broken.
He looked at the detective.
“I need a computer.””
Minutes later, they returned to David's house.
Rosa opened the door.
Her face was wet with tears.
“Ethan!””
She hugged him.
David barely noticed.
He rushed upstairs.
The surveillance monitor was still running.
He opened the system settings.
Camera 14.
Guest hallway.
*OFFLINE.*
David clicked it.
A password prompt appeared.
He tried his wife's birthday.
Denied.
Ethan's birthday.
Denied.
Their anniversary.
Denied.
Rosa approached.
“Try the name she called you.””
David looked at her.
“What?””
“She had a nickname for you.””
David remembered.
A tiny smile crossed his face.
He typed it.
The camera came alive.
The screen showed the guest hallway.
Empty.
Then the feed changed.
A bedroom.
A woman sat in a chair.
Her hair was longer.
Her face thinner.
But David knew her instantly.
He stopped breathing.
“Mom?””
Ethan stood behind him.
David couldn't speak.
The woman slowly looked toward the camera.
She raised her hand.
On her wrist was the bracelet David had given her on their wedding anniversary.
She whispered something.
The microphone picked it up.
“David?””
His knees weakened.
He reached toward the screen.
“I'm here.””
The woman smiled through tears.
Then her expression changed.
She looked behind her.
Someone was entering the room.
David leaned closer.
The camera caught a man's reflection in the glass.
He stepped into view.
David recognized him immediately.
Michael Grant.
The attorney.
But Michael wasn't alone.
Beside him stood another man.
David stared at the screen.
The second man's face was familiar.
It was the man from the photograph.
Daniel's father.
Alive.
And standing beside David's supposedly dead wife.
Then Michael looked directly into the camera.
As if he knew David was watching.
May you like
He raised one finger to his lips.
And the screen went black.
