Chapter 4: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
For several seconds, Richard couldn't understand the sentence he was reading.
If Richard ever learns what happened to Daniel, he must never discover that I was the one who survived the crash.
He read it again.
Then a third time.
The paper trembled between his fingers.
Elizabeth had been buried three years ago. He had stood beside her coffin beneath a gray October sky, listened to the priest speak about eternal peace, and watched the children throw white roses onto the polished wood.
He remembered the weight of Sophia's small hand in his.
He remembered Ethan refusing to cry until they returned home.
He remembered lowering himself onto the cold kitchen floor that night because he couldn't bear to enter their bedroom.
His wife was dead.
He had seen her body.
He had identified her at the hospital.
So why had she written those words?
"Ethan," Richard said, his voice barely audible.
"Where did you find this?""
"In Mom's old music box.""
"When?""
"Three months ago.""
Richard looked at his son.
"Three months? You've had this for three months?""
Ethan's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't know what it meant! I thought she was talking about some kind of accident before I was born. Then Vanessa found me looking at the letter, and she said she'd tell you I was hiding something terrible unless I gave her the other papers.""
Richard closed his eyes briefly.
"And you believed her?""
"I was scared, Dad.""
The words struck Richard harder than any accusation Vanessa had made.
Ethan was sixteen. He should have been worrying about school, friends, and whether he could persuade his father to let him drive. Instead, he had been carrying the weight of a secret that might destroy everything he understood about his family.
Richard reached for him.
"I'm sorry.""
Ethan stiffened.
"For what?""
"For making this house a place where you thought you had to face something like this alone.""
His son's expression crumpled.
Richard pulled him into an embrace. Ethan resisted for half a second before burying his face against his father's shoulder.
"I didn't want to lose you," Ethan whispered.
"You haven't lost me.""
"But what if I'm not—"
Richard pulled back and held his son's face between his hands.
"Listen to me. I don't care whose blood runs through your veins. I raised you. I held you when you were born.
I taught you to ride a bicycle. I stayed awake beside your bed when you had pneumonia. Nothing on a piece of paper can change that.""
Ethan began to cry harder.
Richard held him until the boy's breathing steadied.
Then he looked at the letter again.
"There's something we need to find out.""
Sophia appeared in the doorway, her face pale.
"Is Mom alive?""
Neither Richard nor Ethan answered immediately.
Sophia stepped into the room.
"That's what the letter means, isn't it? Mom survived something, and everyone told us she died.""
Richard looked at his daughter.
"I don't know yet, sweetheart.""
"But you said you saw her.""
"I did.""
"Then how could she be alive?""
Richard had no answer.
He had watched the funeral director close the coffin. He had signed the medical identification forms. He had received a death certificate bearing Elizabeth's name.
He had never questioned any of it.
Until now.
He called James Porter again.
This time, the attorney answered immediately.
"Richard? I'm on my way. I've found something in the estate archive that you need to see.""
"Forget the estate archive. I need you to investigate Elizabeth's death.""
A pause.
"What?""
"Her death certificate, the hospital records, the identification, everything. I want the original documents, not copies. And I need you to tell me whether anyone could have substituted a body.""
James went silent.
Richard's voice hardened.
"James?""
"I'm here.""
"Do you know something?""
"No," James replied too quickly.
"I mean, I don't know enough to answer that.""
Richard stood.
"Then get here and help me find out.""
He ended the call.
Maria, who had remained near the library doors, approached slowly.
"Mr. Whitmore, there's something I should tell you.""
Richard turned toward her.
"What is it?""
"Your wife called me the night before she went to the hospital.""
Richard's heart began to pound.
"Elizabeth called you?""
Maria nodded.
"She asked me to come to her room. She was frightened. I'd never seen her like that before.""
"What did she say?""
Maria stared at the floor, gathering her thoughts.
"She asked whether I would take care of the children if she wasn't there anymore. I told her, of course. Then she asked me to promise that if anyone ever came looking for Ethan, I would tell you immediately.""
Richard frowned.
"Looking for Ethan? Why would anyone be looking for him?""
"I don't know. I asked her the same question.""
Maria's eyes glistened.
"She told me that Daniel had discovered something about the family, something that could put the children in danger. She said Vanessa was already involved, even though she hadn't met you yet.""
Richard felt a chill spread through him.
"Vanessa knew Elizabeth before she met me?""
Maria nodded.
"I saw them together once. It was at the hospital, two days before your wife's operation. Vanessa came through the side entrance wearing a nurse's uniform.""
Richard stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?""
"Because when I asked your wife about it, she begged me to stay silent. She said she was trying to protect you.""
Maria hesitated.
"And then, after the funeral, Vanessa came to me and told me never to mention that visit again.""
Richard gripped the back of a chair.
The woman he had invited into his home had known his dead wife before he ever met her.
She had known about Daniel.
She had known about Ethan.
And she had known something about the circumstances of Elizabeth's death that she had spent three years hiding.
"Maria," he said slowly, "did you ever see Elizabeth after the funeral?""
Maria shook her head.
"No, sir.""
Then she stopped.
Richard noticed.
"What is it?""
Maria looked toward the windows, where the morning sunlight fell across the garden.
"There was one night, about six months after the funeral. I was taking out the rubbish when I saw a woman standing near the east gate.""
"What did she look like?""
"She was wearing a scarf and dark glasses. But when she turned toward the light, I recognized her walk.""
Richard felt his chest tighten.
"Elizabeth?""
"I thought it was her. I called out, but she ran.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Maria lowered her head.
"Because the next morning, Vanessa showed me a photograph of a woman who had been arrested for impersonating your wife. She said someone was trying to exploit your grief. She threatened to have me dismissed if I encouraged the story.""
Richard stared at her in disbelief.
"She showed you a photograph?""
"Yes.""
"Do you remember what the woman looked like?""
Maria closed her eyes.
Then she whispered, "It was Elizabeth.""
A sudden knock interrupted them.
James Porter entered the foyer carrying a leather briefcase. His normally composed face looked strained.
"Richard, we need to speak privately.""
Richard led him into the study and shut the door.
James placed several documents on the desk.
"I accessed the hospital's archived records this morning. There is a discrepancy in Elizabeth's medical file.""
"What discrepancy?""
"The hospital recorded her as deceased at 11:42 p.m. on October seventeenth. But the physician who signed the death certificate wasn't on duty that night.""
Richard stared at him.
"Who signed it?""
James slid the certificate across the desk.
Richard recognized the signature.
Dr. Alan Mercer.
The same physician who had treated Elizabeth before her operation.
"Where is he now?"" Richard asked.
"Retired. He moved to a property outside Asheville about two years ago.""
"Call him.""
"I already tried. His number is disconnected.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"Find another way.""
James opened his briefcase and removed another document.
"There is more. The body was identified through dental records, but those records were later amended. The original file is missing.""
Richard felt dizzy.
"Are you telling me I buried someone without knowing who it was?""
"I'm telling you that the records don't establish what you believed they established.""
James paused.
"And there's a witness statement from the night of the accident that was removed from the official file.""
Richard looked at him sharply.
"Daniel's accident?""
James nodded.
"One witness reported seeing a woman leave the scene before emergency services arrived. She was injured, but she was alive.""
"Who was she?""
"The statement doesn't give a name. It only describes her as a woman wearing a silver locket.""
Richard looked toward Maria.
The locket.
Elizabeth's locket.
He turned back to James.
"Where is the witness now?""
"I don't know. The address in the report is a vacant property.""
Richard walked to the window.
His wife might be alive.
His brother-in-law might have been murdered.
His son might be the heir to a trust someone had tried to steal.
And every road led back to Vanessa.
"James, freeze every transfer associated with the Cole trust. Notify the bank that the documents are under investigation. And contact the police.""
James hesitated.
"Richard, if we report this, the press could get involved. Whitmore Holdings has contracts with several major investors. A scandal involving your wife's death could affect the entire company.""
Richard turned from the window.
"My wife is either dead, alive, or the victim of a crime. My son is being threatened. My housekeeper was framed. I don't care what the newspapers print.""
James nodded slowly.
"I'll make the calls.""
He gathered his documents, then stopped at the door.
"There's one more thing. The second will names a beneficiary who was never disclosed in the probate proceedings.""
"Who?""
James looked directly at him.
"Elizabeth Whitmore.""
Richard frowned.
"My wife?""
"Yes. The will directs that her shares in the company remain in a private trust until she personally appears to claim them. If she cannot appear, the trust passes to Ethan at age eighteen.""
Richard stared at him.
"Then why would Vanessa want the appendix?""
"Because the appendix identifies the trustee.""
James opened a folder and revealed a photocopy of the missing page.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Vanessa Cole.
Richard felt the room grow cold.
Vanessa had not simply been searching for money.
She had been appointed to control the trust.
And if Elizabeth was alive, Vanessa's authority could be revoked.
But if Elizabeth remained legally dead, Vanessa could continue managing the assets until Ethan turned eighteen.
Richard looked at the signature.
"How did Vanessa become trustee?""
James shook his head.
"I don't know. The appointment was witnessed by Dr. Mercer.""
Richard stared at the page.
The same doctor who had signed Elizabeth's death certificate.
The same man who had disappeared.
Suddenly, Richard's phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
He answered.
"Richard Whitmore.""
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a woman's voice whispered, "Richard, don't trust James.""
Richard went completely still.
"Who is this?""
"You have to get Ethan out of the house.""
"Who are you?""
The woman began to cry.
"I'm sorry. I should have told you years ago.""
Richard gripped the phone.
"Elizabeth?""
A sharp breath came through the speaker.
Then the voice whispered five words.
"Look inside the nursery wall.""
The call disconnected.
Richard stared at the screen.
James had gone pale.
"What was that?"" the attorney asked.
Richard slowly lowered the phone.
"That was my wife.""
And before James could respond, Richard heard a sound from the corridor.
A door opening.
Then Vanessa's voice.
"He's found the letter. We need to move now.""
Richard turned toward the study door.
Because Vanessa wasn't trying to escape anymore.
May you like
She was back inside the mansion.
And she wasn't alone.
