Chapter 5 - Anna
Nobody moved.
The woman downstairs looked directly into the security camera as though she knew we were watching.
Then the feed went black.
Daniel ran first.
"Wait!" Evelyn shouted.
He ignored her.
I followed.
Charles tried to pass me, but Rachel blocked him.
"Not you."
"Move."
"You've done enough."
Daniel reached the foyer.
The woman was gone.
Front doors closed.
No broken locks.
No sound.
Only a small white envelope on the marble floor.
Daniel picked it up.
His name was written across the front.
DANIEL.
His hands shook.
Inside was a single Polaroid.
It showed Daniel as a little boy sitting beside Anna on a hospital bed.
On the back:
YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO SAID GOODBYE.
Daniel sat down on the staircase.
"I remember this."
Evelyn reached him.
"You were nine."
"I remember her."
"You were told she died."
"I remember Dad saying she went away."
Charles appeared.
"I was protecting you."
Daniel looked up.
"From what? Grieving?"
Charles said nothing.
I examined the Polaroid.
The date was handwritten.
October 14, 2002.
One day after Anna supposedly died.
"Who took this?"
Rachel answered.
"I did."
Everyone turned.
She looked at Daniel.
"Anna didn't die that night."
Charles moved toward her.
"You're lying."
"No."
"I signed the death certificate."
"You signed paperwork."
His face changed.
Rachel continued.
"Anna went into cardiac arrest."
Charles whispered, "For eleven minutes."
The phrase hit me.
Eleven minutes.
Again.
Rachel nodded.
"She was revived."
Evelyn collapsed into a chair.
Charles stared.
"Why didn't I know?"
"Because Keller convinced the staff she had died."
"Why?"
"Because Anna had begun telling people what happened."
Daniel stood.
"Where did she go?"
Rachel hesitated.
"I helped move her."
Charles lunged forward.
Daniel blocked him.
"You stole my daughter!"
Rachel shouted, "I saved her from you!"
The room erupted.
Charles yelling.
Evelyn crying.
Marcus trying to calm everyone.
I focused on the only thing that mattered.
"Where is Anna now?"
Rachel looked at me.
"I don't know."
"You have a recent picture."
"Someone mailed it to me."
"Who?"
"No return address."
"When?"
"Two weeks ago."
"Before the files reached me."
"Yes."
The pattern tightened.
Someone had deliberately sent hospital documents to me.
Someone had photographed Anna.
Someone had messaged us.
Someone had footage inside this house.
"Anna is the one doing this."
Rachel shook her head.
"I don't think so."
"Why?"
"Because Anna never wanted revenge."
Charles laughed bitterly.
"You knew her for a week after she woke up."
Rachel stared at him.
"I knew her better than you did."
Daniel looked at the Polaroid again.
"Where did you take her?"
"Canada first. Then Oregon."
"Why didn't she contact us?"
Rachel glanced toward Charles.
"She believed your father would find her."
Charles whispered, "I would have."
"Exactly."
Evelyn stared at Rachel.
"Did Anna think I abandoned her?"
Rachel's expression softened.
"She thought you chose Charles."
Evelyn closed her eyes.
That answer broke her.
I stepped away from the family and called my audit director, Nicole Harris.
No answer.
I called again.
Voicemail.
My stomach tightened.
The anonymous message had said the original files would be released at midnight unless Charles confessed.
It was 10:47 p.m.
"Daniel."
He looked up.
"I need to contact Nicole."
"Your audit director?"
"She has the hospital file."
Marcus pulled out his phone.
"I can find her address."
"No."
I stared at him.
"You've accessed enough private information."
His face reddened.
"Right."
Daniel stood.
"I'll drive you."
"No."
"Claire."
"I am not getting into a car with you."
He absorbed that quietly.
"Fair."
Something about the word hurt.
Not enough to forgive him.
Enough to remind me that the person who betrayed me was still someone I had loved.
I called Nicole's assistant.
She answered.
"Claire? It's late."
"I know. Have you spoken to Nicole?"
"She left work around six."
"Did she say where she was going?"
"No. Why?"
"Please call me if you hear from her."
"Is something wrong?"
"I don't know yet."
I hung up.
Daniel approached cautiously.
"Claire, the flash drive I planted in your purse contained more than Dad's financial records."
"What else?"
"Copies of my Philadelphia documents."
"Your confession?"
"Essentially."
"And Anna?"
"I didn't know she was alive."
I believed that.
Unfortunately, I believed him more now that I knew how badly he had failed me.
He continued.
"There was also a list of everyone who received payments."
"Keller?"
"Yes."
"Who else?"
Daniel looked toward Marcus.
Marcus noticed.
"What?"
Daniel said, "Your father."
Marcus went still.
"My dad?"
"Uncle Stephen was one of the lawyers who arranged settlements."
Marcus stared.
"My father died eight years ago."
"I know."
"He told me he never worked with the foundation."
"He lied."
Marcus turned toward Charles.
"You knew?"
Charles said nothing.
Marcus walked up to him.
"My father spent his last years drinking himself to death."
"Marcus—"
"He used to wake up screaming."
"That wasn't my fault."
"You told me he was weak."
"He was."
Marcus hit him.
One punch.
Charles fell against the wall.
Evelyn screamed.
Daniel grabbed Marcus.
"Enough!"
Marcus struggled.
"He destroyed him!"
Charles wiped blood from his lip.
"Your father made his choices."
"And you made him hide yours!"
Rachel shouted, "Stop!"
The house fell quiet.
She held up her phone.
"Listen."
Audio.
A woman's voice.
Distorted.
"You have sixty-three minutes."
Then another voice entered.
Nicole.
My audit director.
"Claire, don't give them anything."
I froze.
"Nicole?"
The recording continued.
A man said:
"Tell Charles Whitmore to confess."
Nicole replied, "Go to hell."
The audio ended.
My blood turned cold.
"They have Nicole."
Daniel looked at me.
"Who sent that?"
Rachel showed the screen.
Unknown number.
Charles said, "This isn't Anna."
"How do you know?" I asked.
"Because if Anna wanted to destroy me, she could have done it years ago."
Rachel nodded.
"He's right."
Daniel stared at them.
"Then who is it?"
Marcus slowly turned toward the old photograph of Anna and Dr. Keller.
"Keller."
I looked at him.
"Why would Keller expose himself?"
"He wouldn't."
Marcus stepped closer.
"But what if the files don't expose him?"
Daniel understood.
"What if they make Dad look solely responsible?"
Charles went pale.
I suddenly saw it.
The anonymous release.
The missing flash drive.
Nicole's kidnapping.
Someone wasn't trying to reveal the truth.
They were controlling which version of the truth survived.
"Where's Keller now?" I asked.
Rachel answered.
"Supposedly retired in Arizona."
Daniel said, "Supposedly?"
Rachel looked toward the front door.
"Martin Keller died six months ago."
Silence.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
No greeting.
Just Nicole's breathing.
Then a man's voice.
"Midnight, Claire."
I forced myself to speak.
"What do you want?"
"Charles Whitmore's confession."
"You already said that."
"And the drive."
"We don't have it."
A soft laugh.
"Yes, you do."
"Where?"
"In the place Daniel hid it."
Daniel stared at me.
I asked, "Where is Nicole?"
"Alive."
"Let me speak to her."
A pause.
Then Nicole.
"Claire..."
"I'm here."
"Don't—"
The line cut.
The man returned.
"Eleven minutes."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
"You keep asking about the missing eleven minutes."
Daniel's face changed.
The caller continued.
"Ask Daniel what else he placed in your purse."
Daniel whispered, "No."
I stared at him.
"What else?"
He shook his head.
The caller laughed.
Then said:
"Look inside the lining."
The call ended.
My purse was still on the sitting-room table.
We ran.
I ripped open the inner seam.
Something small fell into my palm.
Not the flash drive.
A key.
Tiny.
Silver.
Stamped with two characters:
A17.
Daniel stared at it.
"I didn't put that there."
May you like
Behind us, Rachel whispered:
"I know what it opens."
