Chapter 12 - The Woman Who Called from St. Catherine's
Police found Dr. Evelyn Shaw's apartment empty.
No sign of forced entry.
No sign of violence.
Her car was gone.
Her phone lay smashed behind the building.
Ethan insisted they contact detectives.
Audrey agreed.
By six thirty, two officers had taken statements in the library.
By seven, Ethan's attorney had arrived.
By seven thirty, Robert's attorney was calling.
By eight, Marianne had sent a message.
I didn't touch Dr. Shaw.
Audrey stared at it.
How did Marianne know Dr. Shaw was missing?
She showed Ethan.
His expression hardened.
"Don't answer."
Audrey did anyway.
How do you know about her?
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Returned.
Because she called me too.
Audrey immediately dialed.
Marianne answered.
"Where are you?"
"At the hotel."
"What did Evelyn say?"
Silence.
"Mom."
Ethan had taken the phone.
Marianne's voice changed.
"She apologized."
"For what?"
"For helping Thomas."
"Helping him do what?"
"Hide the truth."
Audrey leaned closer.
"What truth?"
Marianne said, "Come to the hotel."
"No," Ethan replied.
"I am not discussing this over the phone."
"Then don't discuss it."
He ended the call.
Audrey stared at him.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because she wants control."
"She might know who my mother is."
"She'll tell us."
"How?"
"On our terms."
Audrey walked away.
Ethan followed.
"Audrey."
"I've spent one day learning my father may not be my father, then discovering my biological father was the husband of a woman who hates me, then learning my mother may not be my mother."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
Ethan stopped.
Audrey immediately regretted the words.
He had lost Rebecca.
He understood identity being shattered by loss.
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize."
"I do."
He came closer.
"Tell me what you need."
"The truth."
"I can't give you that yet."
"Then help me get it."
He nodded.
They drove to Marianne's hotel.
Vivian stayed with Nora.
Celeste came with them.
Marianne opened the suite door wearing a robe.
She looked older than she had that morning.
The arrogance was gone.
For now.
Audrey entered first.
"What did Evelyn tell you?"
Marianne poured water.
"She said people were asking questions."
"Which people?"
"Celeste."
Celeste shook her head.
"I haven't spoken to Evelyn in twenty years."
Marianne looked at her.
"That doesn't mean people weren't asking for you."
Audrey stood between them.
"Who was my biological mother?"
Marianne looked at her.
"I don't know."
Audrey laughed.
"Nobody knows."
"I knew Lisa didn't give birth to you."
"How?"
"Thomas told me."
"When?"
"After he found out."
"Found out what?"
Marianne sat.
"Lisa worked at St. Catherine's."
Audrey stared.
"My mother was a receptionist."
"Before that."
Celeste looked surprised.
"I didn't know this."
Marianne nodded.
"Lisa worked nights at the children's home for six months."
Audrey sat opposite her.
"Why did she take me?"
"She didn't."
"Then how did I end up with her?"
"Thomas brought you."
Audrey's pulse quickened.
"From where?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"Thomas stole a baby?"
"No."
"Then explain."
Marianne pressed her lips together.
"He came home one night covered in blood."
Ethan stiffened.
"What?"
Marianne continued.
"It wasn't his."
Audrey felt cold.
"He told me there had been an accident."
"What accident?"
"He wouldn't say."
"Was this the night I was born?"
Marianne nodded.
"He had a baby."
Audrey could hear her own heartbeat.
"You."
The room became silent.
"Thomas said the child's mother couldn't keep her. He asked Lisa for help because she knew St. Catherine's procedures."
Audrey whispered.
"And Lisa kept me."
"Eventually."
"Why?"
"Because Thomas became obsessed with protecting you."
"From who?"
Marianne's eyes moved toward Celeste.
"Ask her."
Celeste shook her head.
"I don't know."
Marianne gave a bitter laugh.
"You know more than you admit."
Audrey's voice rose.
"Stop doing this. Both of you."
They fell silent.
Audrey looked at Marianne.
"What happened the night Thomas brought me home?"
Marianne's hands tightened around the water glass.
"He received a call around midnight."
"From who?"
"I don't know."
"He left?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"He didn't tell me."
"When did he return?"
"After four."
"With me."
"Yes."
"Covered in someone else's blood."
"Yes."
Audrey felt nauseated.
"Did he say anything else?"
Marianne looked down.
"One sentence."
"What?"
"He said, 'If they know she survived, they'll come for her.'"
Ethan's face changed.
"Who is they?"
Marianne shook her head.
"I never learned."
Audrey whispered, "Did Lisa know?"
"Yes."
"Did Eleanor?"
"Eventually."
"Did Robert?"
Marianne looked toward the window.
"Thomas trusted Robert."
Audrey understood.
"So yes."
Marianne nodded.
Before anyone could speak, Ethan's phone rang.
Vivian.
He answered.
Her voice was frantic.
"Ethan, someone was in the house."
He stood.
"What?"
"I heard glass downstairs. I took Nora and locked us in the nursery."
"Call police."
"I did."
"Do not come out."
"There's more."
"What?"
"I checked the security app."
Vivian began crying.
"The person wasn't trying to get upstairs."
"Then what were they doing?"
"They went into the library."
Ethan looked at Celeste.
"What did they take?"
Vivian whispered.
"A box from Grandma's desk."
Celeste went white.
"The red box?"
Vivian said yes.
Celeste grabbed the back of a chair.
Audrey looked at her.
"What was in it?"
May you like
Celeste answered.
"The only thing Eleanor kept from the night you were born."
