Chapter 6 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Claire spent the rest of the morning trying to convince herself she had misunderstood.
Her father-in-law had died six years ago.
She remembered the funeral.
The coffin.
The flowers.
The relatives.
She remembered Richard crying.
She remembered Evelyn collapsing beside the grave.
But Pamela had said he was alive.
Claire drove to the cemetery.
She found the grave.
The stone was real.
The records were real.
The death certificate was real.
Everything looked correct.
Except for one detail.
The date.
Claire stared.
Her father-in-law's death certificate had been issued two days after the funeral.
That was impossible.
She photographed the document.
Then she noticed someone standing across the cemetery.
A man in a gray coat.
He turned away.
Claire followed.
He disappeared behind a mausoleum.
When she reached the corner, nobody was there.
Only an envelope lay on the ground.
Her name was written on it.
Claire opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Richard.
Evelyn.
Pamela.
And an older man.
The photograph had been taken three years after Claire's father-in-law supposedly died.
On the back was one sentence.
You were never meant to find this.
Claire returned home.
Mateo was waiting with Maria.
He looked frightened.
“Mom.”
“What happened?”
“Grandma came.”
Claire froze.
“Where?”
“She wanted me to go with her.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“What did she say?”
Mateo looked down.
“She said Dad was going to blame everything on me.”
Claire hugged him.
Then the front door opened.
Evelyn entered alone.
She looked exhausted.
No makeup.
No jewelry.
For the first time, she looked old.
“Claire.”
Claire stood between her and Mateo.
“Stay away from my son.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“I didn't want this.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“You drove the car.”
Evelyn looked at Mateo.
He stared back.
“You remember.”
Mateo nodded.
Evelyn began crying.
“I thought it would protect him.”
“Protect him from what?”
Evelyn looked toward the windows.
“My husband.”
Claire went still.
“Your husband?”
Evelyn nodded.
“He never died.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Where is he?”
Evelyn whispered.
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I am not.”
Evelyn reached into her purse.
She pulled out an old photograph.
A hospital room.
A young Claire.
A sleeping Mateo.
And a man standing in the doorway.
Claire recognized him immediately.
Her father-in-law.
But the date on the photograph was six months after his supposed death.
Claire's hands began shaking.
“Why?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“Because your husband has been following his father's orders.”
Claire felt the room tilt.
“Richard isn't in control?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
“Then who is?”
Evelyn whispered:
“The man who taught him everything.”
A car door slammed outside.
Evelyn looked toward the window.
May you like
Her face changed.
“He found us.”
