Chapter 5 - The Photograph Behind the Nursery Wall
Emma called a lawyer the next morning.
Not a family friend.
Not anyone connected to the Millers.
Her name was Claire Benson.
They had met two years earlier when Emma’s healthcare consulting firm renegotiated employee coverage for Claire’s practice.
Emma explained enough to make Claire stop interrupting.
When she finished, Claire said one thing.
“Do not leave the children alone with Daniel.”
Emma looked toward the living room.
Daniel was helping Sophie color.
“Do you think he’s dangerous?”
“I think he has admitted destroying evidence connected to a suspicious death and missing person.”
Emma closed her eyes.
“That sounds worse when someone else says it.”
“It should.”
Claire instructed Emma to preserve every recording, photograph every document, and avoid confronting Martha further.
Emma did almost all of that.
The exception came at 11:17 a.m.
Because Ethan found something.
He had been searching for an old toy behind the cabinet in what had once been his nursery.
“Mama?”
Emma entered.
Ethan was holding a loose piece of baseboard.
“There’s stuff in the wall.”
Emma froze.
“What?”
He pointed.
Behind the baseboard was a narrow hollow space.
Inside sat a plastic bag.
Daniel appeared at the doorway.
His face changed instantly.
Emma noticed.
“You knew?”
“No.”
But he recognized something.
Emma pulled the bag free.
Inside was an old flip phone.
A silver key.
And a photograph.
The photograph showed Laura.
The same woman from Martha’s folder.
Beside her stood Rebecca.
Both women were smiling.
Laura held baby Ethan.
Rebecca held a newspaper.
The date was visible.
September 18.
The day before Rebecca died.
Emma turned the photograph over.
There was handwriting.
If Daniel chooses Martha again, give this to Emma someday.
Emma felt the floor tilt.
Daniel took one step backward.
Emma stared at him.
“Rebecca knew my name?”
Daniel shook his head.
“That’s impossible.”
Emma looked at the photograph again.
She and Daniel had not met until four months after Rebecca’s death.
At least that was what Daniel had always told her.
“How did she know my name?”
Daniel genuinely appeared confused.
Emma pulled the flip phone from the plastic.
The battery was dead.
The silver key had a number engraved on it.
2147.
Claire arrived forty minutes later.
She wore a navy suit and the expression of a person who had already decided everyone was lying.
She examined the photograph.
“When did you meet Daniel?”
“January.”
“What year?”
Emma told her.
Claire looked at Daniel.
“And Rebecca died the previous September.”
“Yes.”
Claire held up the photograph.
“Then somebody wrote this after she died.”
Emma’s stomach tightened.
“Or Rebecca didn’t die when they said she did.”
Daniel whispered, “No.”
Claire looked at him.
“Did you identify the body?”
“My mother did.”
“Did you see it?”
“Closed casket.”
“Hospital?”
“No.”
“Morgue?”
“No.”
“Autopsy report?”
Daniel hesitated.
Claire’s eyes hardened.
“You’ve never seen one, have you?”
Daniel shook his head.
Emma stared at him.
For eight years, Daniel had mourned a sister whose death he had never independently confirmed.
Claire examined the silver key.
“Safe deposit box maybe.”
Emma looked at the number.
“2147.”
Daniel said, “Dad used numbered storage lockers at the old company.”
Emma looked at him.
“Where?”
“The Miller Biomedical warehouse.”
“I thought it was demolished.”
“Most of it.”
“Most?”
Daniel walked toward the window.
“There’s an annex.”
“Who owns it?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Andrew.”
Emma almost laughed.
Claire did not.
She took out her phone.
“We’re not going there alone.”
Daniel turned.
“We shouldn’t go there at all.”
Emma looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because if Rebecca hid this here…”
He pointed toward the photograph.
“…then someone came into this apartment before we ever lived here.”
Emma went still.
May you like
Daniel looked around the room.
“This apartment belonged to my father.”
