Chapter 11 - Two Sets of Handwriting
When Daniel returned home, Clara had spread documents across the coffee table.
Birthday cards.
Christmas notes.
A grocery list written by Evelyn.
Clara's notebook.
And six typed notes she had saved over the previous year.
One read:
Daniel deserves better than a woman who can't carry a child.
Another:
A good wife doesn't make her husband choose between family and marriage.
Another:
You will never control what belongs to the Carters.
Daniel had always assumed Evelyn wrote them.
Clara had assumed the same.
Now they compared handwriting.
The birthday card contained looping cursive.
The notebook message was block lettering.
But one thing matched.
The unusual way the writer formed the number seven.
Daniel stared.
"Where else have you seen that?"
Clara pulled out a photocopied bank statement.
Account routing notes in the margin.
A handwritten seven.
Same shape.
Daniel looked at Rebecca.
"Who wrote this?"
"We don't know."
"Can the bank identify it?"
"Possibly."
Daniel's phone rang.
Evelyn.
He almost ignored it.
Clara stopped him.
"Answer."
He put it on speaker.
"Daniel."
His mother's voice sounded tired.
Not angry.
"Where are you?"
"Home."
A pause.
"Is Clara there?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Clara's eyes narrowed.
Daniel said, "Where's my property?"
"I don't have it."
"You stole the safe."
"No."
"We have photographs."
"Of me carrying boxes."
"And the safe."
"That wasn't your safe."
Daniel looked at Clara.
"What?"
Evelyn continued.
"Marjorie bought an identical one."
"Why?"
"You need to listen to me."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"That's rich."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Evelyn's voice cracked.
For the first time, she sounded frightened.
"Daniel, someone has been inside your house."
"We know."
Silence.
"You know?"
"Someone wrote in Clara's notebook."
Evelyn breathed out.
"What did they write?"
Daniel didn't answer.
"Mom."
"What?"
"Did you leave notes for Clara?"
"Of course not."
Clara leaned toward the phone.
"You called me useless."
Evelyn's tone changed instantly.
"I'm not denying we've had disagreements."
"You called me weak after my miscarriage."
"I shouldn't have."
Daniel looked at Clara.
That was almost an apology.
Almost.
"But I never left anonymous notes," Evelyn continued.
Daniel asked, "Why did you take Clara's phone?"
Silence.
"Mom."
"Because she recorded me."
"That's not an answer."
"I panicked."
"You forced her to cook."
"I was angry."
"She collapsed."
"I didn't know she was that sick."
"You refused to give her Noah."
Silence.
Clara's eyes filled.
Daniel waited.
Finally Evelyn said, "That was wrong."
Clara looked stunned.
Daniel did too.
Evelyn whispered, "I thought she was manipulating you."
"Why?"
"Because someone told me she was."
Daniel frowned.
"Who?"
"Marjorie."
There it was.
"Aunt Marjorie told you Clara was manipulating me?"
"She showed me messages."
"What messages?"
"Supposedly from Clara."
Clara shook her head.
"I never messaged Marjorie."
Evelyn continued.
"Messages saying once Noah was born, she could force me out permanently. That she would convince you to take control of Thomas's assets."
Daniel stared at Rebecca.
"Mom, where are you?"
"I don't want to say."
"Why?"
"Because I don't trust Marjorie anymore."
Silence.
Then Evelyn said something Daniel never expected.
"Daniel, your aunt lied to me."
Clara whispered, "About what?"
"Everything."
Evelyn began crying.
Not the theatrical tears Daniel knew.
These sounded frightened.
"She told me Anna was dead."
Daniel stood.
"You know Anna?"
"Of course I know Anna."
"Who is she?"
Evelyn's breathing grew uneven.
"My sister's daughter."
Daniel's entire body went cold.
"Marjorie's daughter?"
"Yes."
"What happened to her?"
"She disappeared."
"When?"
"Thirty years ago."
"Why was she listed as your child?"
Silence.
"Mom."
Evelyn whispered:
"Because Marjorie asked me to hide her."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"From who?"
Before Evelyn could answer, a loud noise sounded on her end.
A door opening.
Evelyn gasped.
Then Marjorie's voice spoke in the background.
May you like
"Who are you talking to?"
The call ended.
