Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Wore Claire's Face
“Bring me my sons.”
Claire’s voice came from inside the black car.
Adrian forgot how to breathe.
Detective Warren raised one hand.
“Do not go near her.”
The woman stepped out.
Adrian’s world stopped.
She wore a charcoal-gray coat over a black dress. Her brown hair fell just below her shoulders. She was thinner than Claire had been, and there was something exhausted about the way she held herself.
But the face was unmistakable.
Claire.
The woman Adrian had kissed before leaving for Chicago.
The woman whose wedding ring he still kept inside his desk.
The woman whose body he had identified fourteen months ago.
Evelyn whispered behind him.
“Oh my God.”
Adrian stepped forward.
Warren grabbed his arm.
“Adrian.”
He tore free.
“Claire?”
The woman looked at him.
Pain crossed her face.
Then she shook her head.
“No.”
One word destroyed the impossible hope that had risen inside him.
Adrian stopped.
The woman continued.
“My name is Caroline.”
Warren swore quietly.
Adrian looked between them.
“You know her.”
Warren didn't answer.
Caroline did.
“He knows exactly who I am.”
The old phone was still ringing in Adrian’s hand.
CLAIRE COLE.
He looked at the screen.
Then at Caroline.
“You called me.”
“Yes.”
“Using my wife's name.”
“It was the only way to make sure you answered.”
“You put my children in a car.”
“I didn't take your children.”
“You sent me their photograph.”
“Yes.”
“You told me to bring the blue box.”
“Yes.”
“Then where are Jordan and Justin?”
Caroline looked toward the road.
“Not here.”
Adrian crossed the distance between them so quickly Warren moved to intercept him.
“Where are my sons?”
Caroline didn't retreat.
“They were already gone when I got to St. Catherine's.”
The words hit Adrian like a physical blow.
“What?”
“I followed the vehicle that took them.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“I expect you to decide whether you want answers badly enough to stop wasting time.”
Adrian stared at her.
She looked like Claire.
Not approximately.
Not enough to fool a stranger.
Enough to fool the man who had slept beside Claire for six years.
He noticed differences now.
Caroline's eyebrows were slightly thinner.
Her hairline was different.
And when she became nervous, she pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek.
Claire had bitten her lower lip.
Tiny differences.
But real ones.
“Who are you?”
“I told you.”
“Who are you to Claire?”
Caroline looked at Warren.
“Ask him.”
Adrian turned.
Warren lowered his hand.
“Claire had a sister.”
Silence.
Adrian laughed once.
It came out broken.
“My wife was an only child.”
“No,” Warren said.
“She told me she was.”
“She believed she had to.”
Adrian stepped toward him.
“You investigated her death.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she had a sister.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to me.”
Warren didn't deny it.
Adrian's fist tightened.
Evelyn moved beside him.
“Not now.”
He looked at her.
“My sons are missing because everyone around me spent years lying.”
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
Her expression hardened.
“My dead sister's phone just rang from a box hidden by your dead wife. I know more than I'd like to.”
That stopped him.
Caroline looked at Evelyn carefully.
“You really are Evelyn.”
Evelyn stared back.
“Did you know Rachel?”
Caroline's expression changed.
“Yes.”
Evelyn crossed the driveway.
Adrian caught her shoulder.
She pulled away.
“How?”
Caroline looked suddenly older.
“Rachel saved my life.”
Evelyn's face went blank.
“My sister died in a car accident.”
“No.”
The word was quiet.
Certain.
Caroline stepped closer.
“Rachel died because of us.”
Evelyn slapped her.
The sound cracked across the driveway.
Nobody moved.
Caroline slowly turned her face back.
A red mark formed across her cheek.
She didn't retaliate.
“You don't get to say her name like that,” Evelyn whispered.
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
“I was there.”
Evelyn froze.
Adrian looked at Warren.
The detective's face confirmed it.
“You knew.”
Warren nodded.
“Rachel Hart's death wasn't an accident.”
Evelyn staggered backward.
“No.”
“Your mother was told that because we believed it would keep you alive.”
“My mother spent six years believing her daughter died because she fell asleep behind the wheel.”
Warren lowered his eyes.
“I know.”
“She blamed herself.”
“I know.”
“She stopped driving because she thought she should have noticed Rachel was exhausted.”
“I know.”
Evelyn's voice broke.
“You let her believe that?”
“I was trying to protect both of you.”
“From who?”
Warren looked at Caroline.
Caroline answered.
“St. Catherine's.”
Adrian had heard enough fragments.
He needed facts.
“Everyone gets inside.”
Warren shook his head.
“The house may not be safe.”
“My security system is active.”
“Your children disappeared from inside it.”
Adrian stared at him.
Warren had a point.
Caroline looked toward the street.
“We should leave.”
“Where?”
“St. Catherine's.”
Claire's letter flashed through Adrian's mind.
Whatever happens, do not let anyone take the boys to St. Catherine's.
“They already have my sons.”
Caroline shook her head.
“No.”
“You said you followed them.”
“I said I followed the vehicle.”
“Then explain.”
“The vehicle went to St. Catherine's. It stayed four minutes. Then it left.”
“With my children?”
“I couldn't see.”
“Where did it go?”
“I lost it.”
Adrian stepped toward her.
“How?”
“Another car blocked me.”
“Convenient.”
“Adrian,” Warren said.
“Stop saying my name like we're friends.”
“We don't have time for this.”
“Then start telling the truth.”
Warren looked at the black car.
“Get in.”
“No.”
“Your sons' lives may depend on what I'm about to show you.”
Adrian hesitated.
Then the front door opened behind them.
Mrs. Bell appeared.
“Mr. Cole?”
She was holding something.
Another envelope.
Adrian turned.
“Where did you get that?”
“It was under the front door.”
Warren drew his weapon.
“Everybody inside.”
This time nobody argued.
They entered the foyer.
Adrian locked the door.
Warren checked the windows.
Caroline remained near the staircase.
Mrs. Bell stared at her.
The envelope fell from her hand.
“Claire?”
Caroline closed her eyes.
“No, Margaret.”
Mrs. Bell covered her mouth.
“You.”
Caroline nodded.
Adrian looked at the housekeeper.
“You know her too?”
Mrs. Bell started crying.
“Claire showed me a photograph once.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“Another thing you forgot to mention.”
“She told me Caroline was dead.”
Caroline looked at her.
“For a while, that was safer.”
Adrian picked up the envelope.
No stamp.
No address.
Only his name.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Jordan and Justin again.
This time they were standing.
Behind them was a green metal door.
Jordan held Justin's hand.
A digital clock was visible above them.
7:42 PM.
Adrian checked his watch.
7:48.
Six minutes ago.
Alive.
Recent.
He turned the photograph over.
ONE KEY OPENS THE PAST.
THE OTHER OPENS THE FUTURE.
BRING BOTH.
Caroline looked at the message.
“You found the first key?”
Adrian pulled the brass key from his pocket.
Her face changed.
“Where was it?”
“Inside the blue box.”
Caroline stared at it.
“Rachel had that key.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“What did it open?”
“A records room.”
“At St. Catherine's?”
“Yes.”
Adrian remembered Claire's letter.
The second key belongs to someone you trusted more than me.
“Who has the second key?”
Caroline looked at Warren.
Warren's expression hardened.
“Not me.”
Adrian studied him.
“Claire said it belongs to someone I trusted.”
“That could be half the people in your life.”
“Not according to the wording.”
Caroline suddenly looked toward Adrian.
“Who handled the twins' birth records?”
He frowned.
“The hospital.”
“Personally.”
“My attorney handled paperwork afterward.”
“Name?”
“Thomas Reed.”
Warren looked sharply at Adrian.
“What?”
“Thomas Reed was on the St. Catherine's board.”
Adrian stared.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“He's been my attorney for twelve years.”
“I know.”
“He was best man at my wedding.”
“I know.”
“He's the twins' godfather.”
Caroline whispered, “Then Claire's wording makes sense.”
Adrian's stomach turned.
He had sent Thomas every document less than twenty minutes earlier.
Including Claire's letter.
Including Rachel's photograph.
Including the note mentioning the keys.
“Thomas sent everything to Warren.”
Warren looked at him.
“I received nothing.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
“I haven't spoken to Thomas tonight.”
Adrian pulled out his phone.
He opened the conversation.
The messages were there.
But something about the number looked wrong.
One digit.
The last digit.
Thomas's real number ended in 8.
This one ended in 3.
Someone had created a contact that displayed Thomas's name.
Someone with access to Adrian's phone.
Or his cloud account.
The message he had received earlier repeated in his mind.
Already sent everything to Warren. He's heading to you now.
A lie.
Designed to make Adrian trust Warren's arrival.
He looked at the detective.
“How did you know to come here?”
Warren reached into his jacket slowly.
Adrian tensed.
Warren produced his phone.
“A message.”
He showed it.
Adrian read:
ADRIAN COLE HAS OPENED THE BOX.
GET TO THE HOUSE BEFORE THEY DO.
Sent from Claire's old number.
Caroline whispered, “They're moving us.”
“What?”
“Whoever is doing this is putting all of us in the same place.”
“Why?”
She looked at the blue box.
“To see who knows what.”
A loud knock hit the front door.
Everyone froze.
Three knocks.
Pause.
Two knocks.
Mrs. Bell whispered, “Who is it?”
Adrian moved toward the security monitor.
The front camera showed a man standing outside.
Thomas Reed.
His attorney.
His closest friend.
Thomas wore jeans and a navy sweater.
His silver hair was disheveled.
He looked terrified.
Adrian pressed the intercom.
“Thomas.”
“Open the door.”
“Why?”
“Because Jordan called me.”
Adrian's heart stopped.
“What?”
“Ten minutes ago.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
“What did he say?”
Thomas looked directly at the camera.
“He said, ‘Uncle Tommy, Mommy wants her key back.’”
Caroline grabbed the edge of the table.
Warren whispered, “Don't open that door.”
Thomas heard him through the speaker.
“Is Warren there?”
Adrian looked at the detective.
“Yes.”
Thomas stepped backward.
His face filled with fear.
“Adrian, listen carefully.”
“What?”
“Warren was never assigned to Claire's accident.”
Adrian turned.
Warren's gun was already raised.
“Move away from the door.”
Evelyn screamed.
Caroline ducked.
Adrian grabbed Mrs. Bell and pulled her behind the staircase.
Thomas shouted through the intercom.
“Check his badge number!”
Warren backed toward the hallway.
“Thomas is lying.”
“Then give me your badge.”
“Not now.”
“Give it to me.”
The lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the house.
Mrs. Bell screamed.
A window shattered somewhere in the back.
Warren shouted, “Stay down!”
Adrian heard footsteps.
Fast.
Inside the house.
Evelyn grabbed his hand in the darkness.
“Adrian.”
“I'm here.”
“Someone's upstairs.”
He heard it too.
A floorboard.
Then another.
Directly above them.
The emergency lights flickered on.
The staircase glowed red.
A small figure stood at the top.
Pale-blue pajamas.
Adrian's heart nearly stopped.
“Jordan?”
The child didn't move.
“Daddy?”
Adrian ran toward the stairs.
Jordan held something in his hand.
A silver key.
“Where's Justin?”
Jordan's face crumpled.
A bedroom door slowly opened behind him.
Jordan turned toward it.
Then a woman's voice whispered from the darkness.
“Adrian, don't come upstairs.”
He knew that voice.
This time there was no photograph.
No phone.
May you like
No recording.
Claire was inside his house.
