Chapter 6 - The Woman in the Recording
The next morning, Caroline woke before sunrise.
Her wedding ring sat on the nightstand.
She stared at it.
It looked beautiful.
She hated that.
Michael wasn't in the room.
His side of the bed was untouched.
Caroline checked her phone.
Three missed calls from Grace.
She called back.
“What happened?”
“I found the recording.”
Caroline sat upright.
“Where?”
“Not where we expected.”
“Tell me.”
“Someone sent it anonymously.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“What does it contain?”
Grace paused.
“Michael.”
Caroline closed her eyes.
“What does he say?”
“It's incomplete.”
“How incomplete?”
“The beginning is missing.”
“Then what's on it?”
Grace spoke carefully.
“He discusses your marriage.”
Caroline's hands tightened.
“What does he say about me?”
“He says you're trusting.”
Caroline laughed bitterly.
“That's it?”
“No.”
“What else?”
“He says you don't know what the family has planned.”
Silence.
“Anything about the apartment?”
“Yes.”
Caroline's heart pounded.
“What?”
“He says your ownership won't matter after the wedding.”
She looked down at her ring.
“Anything else?”
Grace became quiet.
“There's a second voice.”
“Whose?”
“We don't know.”
“Male?”
“No.”
“A woman?”
“Yes.”
Caroline froze.
“Margaret?”
“I can't confirm it.”
“Who else?”
“I don't know.”
Caroline stood.
“Send me the recording.”
“I will.”
The file arrived seconds later.
Caroline pressed PLAY.
Michael's voice.
Low.
Calm.
Confident.
Then the woman's voice.
Caroline stopped the recording.
She recognized it.
Not Margaret.
Not anyone from the wedding.
Someone else.
Someone Caroline had met before.
Someone she hadn't seen in years.
Someone who had every reason to hate Michael.
Caroline called Grace.
“I know who she is.”
“Who?”
Caroline looked toward the window.
“Evelyn Harper.”
Grace went silent.
“Michael's older sister?”
“Yes.”
“But Evelyn has been out of the country for years.”
“I know.”
May you like
Caroline stared at the phone.
“Which means she wasn't supposed to be here.”
