Chapter 9 - the woman in the photograph
The following morning, Hannah received a package.
No return address.
Inside was a photograph.
Her mother stood in front of a hospital.
Alive.
Older.
Holding a newspaper.
The headline was about Richard's death.
On the back was one sentence.
You were never supposed to know where I was.
Hannah turned the photograph over.
A second note fell out.
Come alone.
The address led to a small town two hours away.
Hannah drove there.
She expected danger.
Instead, she found an elderly woman waiting inside a quiet cafe.
The woman looked at Hannah.
Tears filled her eyes.
“You look like him.”
Hannah stopped.
“Mom?”
The woman nodded.
Hannah could not move.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then her mother said:
“I am sorry.”
Hannah sat down.
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“I thought I was protecting you.”
“From Vivian?”
Her mother looked away.
“From everyone.”
“Why?”
“Because your father discovered something.”
“What?”
Her mother reached into her purse.
She removed a sealed envelope.
“Your father was investigating Vivian before he died.”
Hannah opened it.
Inside was a list of names.
Bankers.
Lawyers.
Doctors.
And one name Hannah recognized.
Samuel Price.
She looked up.
“Why is Samuel on this list?”
Her mother whispered:
“Because he was the person Richard trusted most.”
May you like
Hannah stared at the page.
“And the person he trusted least.”
