Chapter 3 - The Woman in the PhotographEthan spent the night searching through Claire’s belongings.
He emptied drawers.
Opened old boxes.
Read every notebook.
Nothing.
No explanation.
No clue.
Only fragments.
A receipt from five years earlier.
A torn photograph.
A hotel key card.
And a name written repeatedly in Claire’s handwriting.
Daniel Vale.
Natalie’s father.
Ethan sat back.
The Vale family was one of the wealthiest private banking families in the country.
They owned hotels, vineyards, property companies, and a financial group that controlled billions.
Daniel Vale had died six years earlier.
A heart attack, according to the newspapers.
But Claire had circled his name in red.
Why?
Ethan called an old friend.
Marcus Reed.
Marcus had been Ethan's business attorney for fifteen years.
“You need to tell me everything you know about Daniel Vale.”
There was a long silence.
Then Marcus asked:
“Why?”
“Because Claire was investigating him.”
Another silence.
“That name hasn't been mentioned in years.”
“Answer me.”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Ethan, where are you?”
“My house.”
“Leave.”
“Why?”
“Because if Claire found what I think she found, you're already being watched.”
Ethan looked toward the dark windows.
“By whom?”
Marcus didn't answer.
The call ended.
At 2:13 a.m., the security system alarmed.
Ethan grabbed a weapon and ran downstairs.
Nothing.
No broken windows.
No footprints.
Then he noticed the study door.
Open.
He had locked it.
His heart raced.
He entered.
Every photograph had been removed from the wall.
Except one.
A wedding photograph of Ethan and Claire.
But someone had scratched Claire's face out.
Below it, written in black ink:
SHE SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE PAST BURIED.
Ethan stepped backward.
A noise came from upstairs.
He ran.
Sophie’s bedroom door was open.
She was gone.
“SOphie!”
Panic exploded through him.
He searched the hallway.
Bathroom.
Closet.
Guest room.
Nothing.
Then he heard a faint melody.
The music box.
Coming from the attic.
Ethan raced upstairs.
The attic door stood open.
Sophie sat on the floor beside an old trunk.
The blue music box was playing.
But Ethan had removed the music mechanism after finding the hidden letter.
He approached slowly.
“Sophie?”
She looked up.
“Mommy told me not to let them take this.”
“Who?”
Sophie pointed behind him.
Ethan turned.
A woman stood near the attic window.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Wearing a dark coat.
She raised both hands.
“I came to help.”
Ethan did not lower his guard.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Evelyn Vale.”
Ethan's blood ran cold.
“The woman in this photograph,” she said, holding out an old picture.
Ethan looked.
A younger Daniel Vale stood beside a young woman.
Claire.
And a baby.
Sophie.
Ethan stared.
“That’s Claire.”
Evelyn nodded.
“She came to me six months before she died.”
“Why?”
“Because she discovered who really killed Daniel.”
Ethan's jaw tightened.
“You're saying he was murdered?”
Evelyn looked toward the attic window.
“I’m saying Claire found the evidence.”
“Who killed him?”
Evelyn looked at Sophie.
“Someone inside my family.”
Then the music box stopped.
Evelyn whispered:
“They know you found it.”
A car engine roared outside.
Headlights flashed across the attic wall.
Evelyn's face changed.
“They've found us.”
Ethan grabbed Sophie.
“Who?”
Evelyn looked toward the stairs.
May you like
Then she whispered the name:
“Natalie.”
