Chapter 9 The Woman in the Photograph
Audrey stared at the photograph on her phone.
Rachel was asleep on the sofa.
The room around her was dark except for the faint light from a lamp beside the chair.
Someone had taken the picture from inside the house.
That was the part Audrey could not accept.
She looked at Victoria.
“That's my sister.”
Victoria's expression tightened.
“Yes.”
“She was alone.”
“No.”
Audrey looked at her sharply.
“What do you mean?”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Look at the reflection in the window.”
Audrey enlarged the photograph.
At first, she saw nothing.
Then she noticed a shape behind the curtains.
A person.
Standing several feet from Rachel.
Audrey's stomach dropped.
“Someone is in the room.”
Ethan took the phone from her.
His eyes narrowed.
“Can you identify the person?”
“No.”
Victoria shook her head.
“Neither can I.”
Audrey reached for her phone.
“I need to call Rachel.”
Victoria caught her wrist.
“Wait.”
Audrey pulled free.
“She could be in danger.”
“If someone sent you this photograph, they want you to react.”
“I don't care.”
“You should.”
Audrey stared at her.
“My sister is in that house.”
“And whoever sent this knows exactly how to use that fact.”
Ethan stepped between them.
“Enough.”
He looked at Audrey.
“We're going back.”
Victoria shook her head.
“They'll be waiting.”
“Then we won't go through the front door.”
Audrey looked at Ethan.
“You have another idea?”
“I have several.”
He took out his phone.
“No signal,” he muttered.
Victoria looked toward the elevator.
“There is a service exit on the lower level.”
Ethan nodded.
“Show me.”
They moved quickly.
Audrey stayed beside Ethan.
She could still feel the warmth of his hand from earlier.
For months, she had avoided being touched by him.
Not because she had stopped caring.
Because caring had made the distance between them hurt more.
Tonight was different.
They were no longer fighting about a forgotten anniversary or an argument over dinner.
They were walking into something neither of them understood.
And she needed to know whether she could trust him.
Not as her husband.
Not yet.
As the person beside her when the world became dangerous.
They reached the underground garage.
Ethan unlocked a dark sedan.
“Get in.”
Audrey climbed into the passenger seat.
Victoria entered the back.
Ethan started the engine.
The garage door opened.
They drove into the night.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Audrey watched the city lights pass.
Then Ethan broke the silence.
“I'm sorry.”
She looked at him.
“For what?”
“For bringing you into this.”
“You didn't.”
“My family did.”
“My family is involved too.”
He glanced at her.
“You shouldn't have had to discover all of this this way.”
“No.”
Audrey looked down.
“But there is something you can do.”
“What?”
“Stop protecting me from the truth.”
Ethan's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“I will.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
She studied his face.
He looked exhausted.
Not like the powerful businessman everyone knew.
Just like a man who had finally realized how much damage silence could cause.
Audrey looked away.
“Then start with Martin.”
Ethan nodded.
“I'll tell you everything I know.”
“Tonight.”
“Tonight.”
Victoria leaned forward from the back seat.
“Don't ask him about Martin yet.”
Audrey turned.
“Why?”
“Because Martin isn't the person you should be worried about.”
“Then who is?”
Victoria looked out the window.
“I don't know.”
Audrey frowned.
“You seem to know a lot for someone who doesn't know anything.”
Victoria gave a tired smile.
“That's because knowing too much can be more dangerous than knowing nothing.”
The car became quiet again.
Then Ethan's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
No one spoke.
Then a man's voice came through.
“You shouldn't be going back.”
Ethan's expression changed.
“Who is this?”
“Turn the car around.”
“No.”
A pause.
“You're making the same mistake your father made.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
“Tell me who you are.”
The caller laughed softly.
“Ask Audrey what happened to the last man who tried to protect her.”
The call ended.
Audrey looked at Ethan.
“What did he say?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Nothing useful.”
She stared at him.
“You promised.”
He exhaled.
“He said someone was going to hurt you.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“That's not what he said.”
Ethan looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because I heard him.”
Audrey's eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me.”
Victoria looked toward the road.
“He said you're making the same mistake your father made.”
Ethan's expression hardened.
“My father?”
Victoria nodded.
“That means they know we're together.”
Audrey's pulse quickened.
“And they know we're coming.”
Rachel woke to silence.
She opened her eyes.
The living room was still dark.
She reached for her phone.
It was gone.
“Hello?”
No answer.
Rachel sat up slowly.
Her heart began to race.
She remembered falling asleep.
She remembered hearing something outside.
Then nothing.
She stood.
The floor creaked beneath her feet.
“I'm not afraid of you.”
A voice came from the hallway.
“You should be.”
Rachel froze.
A man stepped into the doorway.
She could not see his face.
“Where is Audrey?”
Rachel backed away.
“I don't know.”
“You do.”
“She left hours ago.”
“With Ethan.”
Rachel said nothing.
The man took another step.
“Where did they go?”
“I don't know.”
He sighed.
“You're lying.”
Rachel grabbed the lamp beside the sofa.
“Stay away from me.”
The man stopped.
“Rachel, I don't want to hurt you.”
“You know my name.”
“Yes.”
“Who are you?”
He did not answer.
Rachel tightened her grip.
“Why are you looking for Audrey?”
“Because she found something that belongs to me.”
“What?”
“The truth.”
Rachel stared at him.
Then she noticed something.
His shoes were wet.
Mud covered the edges.
He had come from the garden.
Rachel glanced toward the broken window.
“You were outside.”
“Yes.”
“You took the photograph.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To make sure Audrey came back.”
Rachel's eyes narrowed.
“You could have simply called her.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because she wouldn't have believed me.”
Rachel slowly lowered the lamp.
“Who sent you?”
The man smiled.
“That is the question you should ask Audrey.”
Rachel's stomach tightened.
Then the man turned toward the hallway.
“Someone is coming.”
Rachel listened.
Nothing.
Then she heard it.
A car approaching the house.
Headlights swept across the walls.
The man moved toward the back door.
Rachel raised the lamp again.
“Don't move.”
He looked at her.
“You won't stop this.”
Then he disappeared into the darkness.
Rachel ran to the window.
Ethan's car stopped outside.
Audrey jumped out.
Rachel opened the front door.
“Audrey!”
Audrey ran toward her.
“What happened?”
Rachel grabbed her arms.
“Someone was here.”
Audrey's face tightened.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you see him?”
“Yes.”
“What did he want?”
“You.”
Ethan entered behind Audrey.
“Where did he go?”
Rachel pointed toward the garden.
“Back door.”
Ethan ran.
Audrey followed.
Victoria remained at the doorway.
She was staring at Rachel.
“What?”
Rachel looked at her.
“You.”
Victoria went still.
“You know me?”
Rachel's expression changed.
“I've seen you before.”
Victoria swallowed.
“Where?”
Rachel shook her head.
“I don't remember.”
Then Audrey returned.
“Ethan couldn't find him.”
Victoria looked relieved.
But Rachel was still staring at her.
“Who are you?”
Victoria said nothing.
Rachel stepped closer.
“I know that face.”
Audrey looked between them.
“What do you mean?”
Rachel touched her forehead.
“I don't know.”
She closed her eyes.
Then suddenly whispered,
“Vivian.”
Victoria's face went white.
Audrey stared.
“Rachel?”
Rachel opened her eyes.
She looked confused.
“I don't know why I said that.”
Victoria stepped backward.
Audrey noticed.
“You do know her.”
“No.”
“You reacted when Rachel said her name.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I haven't heard that name in years.”
Audrey moved closer.
“Then why are you afraid?”
Victoria looked at her.
“Because Vivian was never supposed to survive.”
Silence filled the room.
Rachel frowned.
“Who is Vivian?”
Victoria looked toward the window.
“The woman you think I am.”
Audrey stared.
“I don't understand.”
“You will.”
Victoria turned toward the door.
Audrey caught her arm.
“Not this time.”
Victoria stopped.
“Let go.”
“No.”
“Audrey.”
“You've lied to me enough.”
Victoria looked into her eyes.
“I never lied about wanting to protect you.”
“That isn't an answer.”
“No.”
Victoria's voice softened.
“But it is the truth.”
Ethan returned from the garden.
“What happened?”
Audrey looked at him.
“Rachel remembers her.”
“Who?”
“Vivian.”
Ethan looked at Victoria.
Victoria's expression told him everything.
“Who is Vivian?”
Victoria didn't answer.
Then a sound came from upstairs.
A single heavy step.
Everyone looked toward the ceiling.
Rachel whispered,
“There is someone upstairs.”
Ethan moved toward the staircase.
Audrey followed.
Victoria stayed behind.
The lights flickered.
Then went out.
Audrey felt Ethan's hand find hers in the darkness.
“Stay close.”
They climbed.
The hallway was empty.
Rachel followed behind them.
Victoria remained at the bottom of the stairs.
Audrey reached her grandmother's old bedroom.
The door was open.
Inside, a drawer had been pulled from the desk.
Papers covered the floor.
Ethan entered.
“Someone searched this room.”
Audrey crouched.
She picked up a photograph.
It showed her grandmother standing beside another woman.
The woman looked exactly like Victoria.
Except younger.
Much younger.
Audrey turned the photograph over.
A handwritten note appeared.
Vivian Hart — October 18, 2006.
Audrey looked at Victoria.
“You said you hadn't heard that name in years.”
Victoria stared at the photograph.
“I haven't.”
“Then explain this.”
Victoria didn't move.
Rachel suddenly gasped.
Audrey turned.
Rachel was staring at another photograph.
Her face had gone pale.
“What?”
Rachel held it out.
Audrey took it.
The photograph showed four people standing outside the Ashford Hotel.
Her grandfather.
Her grandmother.
Richard Calloway.
And Vivian.
But there was something else.
A little girl stood in the background.
Audrey.
She was no older than six.
Her hand was held by a woman whose face had been scratched away.
Rachel whispered,
“Why were you there?”
Audrey stared at the photograph.
She had no memory of that day.
None.
Then she noticed the date.
October 18, 2006.
The same night her grandfather disappeared.
Ethan looked at the photograph.
“You were there.”
Audrey shook her head.
“I don't remember.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Neither did your mother.”
Audrey looked at her.
“What happened that night?”
Victoria's eyes filled with fear.
“You were taken to the Ashford.”
“By whom?”
Victoria looked toward the window.
“Your grandmother.”
Audrey's blood ran cold.
“Why?”
Victoria's voice broke.
“Because she was trying to save you.”
Before Audrey could ask another question, a loud crash came from downstairs.
Everyone froze.
Then came the sound of the front door opening.
Someone had entered the house.
Ethan stepped in front of Audrey.
Rachel grabbed her sister's arm.
Victoria looked toward the staircase.
And from downstairs came a man's calm voice.
“Evelyn?”
Nobody answered.
The man spoke again.
“It's time to finish what we started.”
Audrey looked at Ethan.
“Who is that?”
Ethan shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Then the voice called out one name.
Not Audrey.
Not Ethan.
Not Rachel.
“Vivian.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
And Audrey finally understood.
The man downstairs had not come for her.
He had come for the woman Victoria had spent years pretending not to be.