Chapter 2 - The Photograph)
Claire arrived at 7:12 the next morning.
Margaret arrived at 7:58.
The confrontation exploded exactly as Laura expected.
What she had not expected was Daniel recognizing the stranger.
His name was Raymond Cole.
Daniel had known him as a teenager.
Raymond had worked for Thomas Hayes.
Not officially.
Thomas had owned several construction companies around Chicago, but Raymond had been the man called when problems needed to disappear.
Daniel stared at the photograph.
“I haven’t seen Cole since Dad died.”
Claire corrected him.
“Since Dad supposedly died.”
Margaret laughed bitterly.
“You’re both insane.”
Claire looked at her.
“Then explain the picture.”
“Fake.”
“You think I manufactured a photograph fifteen years ago?”
“I think you’ve hated me for years.”
Daniel stepped between them.
“Stop.”
He pointed at Claire.
“You said Dad gave this to you after his funeral.”
Claire nodded.
“Three months afterward.”
“Where?”
“A train station in Milwaukee.”
Daniel stared at her.
“You saw him?”
“No.”
“Then how did he give it to you?”
“A locker.”
Claire reached inside her jacket.
She removed an envelope.
“I received a letter with a key.”
Margaret whispered, “You stupid little bitch.”
Daniel turned.
That reaction was enough.
“You knew.”
Margaret said nothing.
Daniel stepped closer.
“You knew Claire got something.”
Margaret grabbed her handbag.
“I’m leaving.”
Laura blocked the doorway.
“No.”
Margaret stared at her.
“Move.”
“Not until you explain why you paid Raymond Cole to break into my house.”
Margaret smiled.
“Your house?”
Laura did not move.
Margaret leaned closer.
“Be careful what you call yours.”
Daniel stared at his mother.
“What does that mean?”
Margaret's smile vanished.
“Nothing.”
A sound came from the hallway.
Emily.
“Mom?”
Laura turned.
That was when Margaret shoved her.
Laura hit the island.
Daniel caught his mother’s arm.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
Margaret fought against him.
“You don’t understand what she’s doing!”
“I heard your voice!”
“You heard fifteen seconds!”
“You ordered somebody to rob my family!”
“I was protecting you!”
Daniel froze.
“From what?”
Margaret realized her mistake.
Claire whispered, “There it is.”
Daniel released his mother.
“Protecting me from what?”
Margaret refused to answer.
Then the doorbell rang.
Everyone turned.
Nobody moved.
It rang again.
Laura checked the security camera.
A man wearing a dark jacket stood outside.
Raymond Cole.
Emily whispered, “That’s him.”
Daniel looked at the clock.
8:03.
Margaret had told Raymond eight o’clock.
Except Raymond was supposed to believe the family was gone.
Daniel turned toward his mother.
“You sent him here.”
Margaret’s face became unreadable.
Laura looked again at the monitor.
Raymond raised his face toward the camera.
Then held something up.
Not a weapon.
An envelope.
He stared directly into the lens.
May you like
And spoke slowly enough for Laura to read his lips.
Margaret lied to you.
