Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
The officers wanted to trace Amanda’s message.
Marcus warned them that she was likely using a disposable phone.
I showed them the file marked WIDOWS.
This time, I held nothing back.
Detective Laura Reyes arrived thirty minutes later.
She read Claire’s letter twice.
Then she examined the list of widows.
“We’ve been investigating similar cases for four years,” she said.
“Elderly women losing homes, savings, and insurance policies.”
“Why haven’t there been arrests?”
“Because each case looked legal.”
“Signed transfers.”
“Changed wills.”
“Medical declarations claiming the women were mentally unfit.”
Marcus placed the pawn tickets on the table.
“Amanda was selling their belongings.”
Reyes nodded.
“And someone was making the paperwork look legitimate.”
I thought of Sheila.
Amanda’s mother had worked as a legal secretary for decades.
Brooke had been a home-care nurse.
Together, they had access to everything they needed.
Trust.
Medical records.
Legal documents.
And vulnerable victims.
Detective Reyes turned toward Ethan.
“I need you to tell me about Margaret Hale.”
Ethan sat beside me.
“Amanda said Mrs. Hale had dementia.”
“But she didn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“She remembered everything.”
“She knew my name wasn’t Daniel.”
“Daniel?”
Ethan nodded.
“That was her grandson’s name.”
“Amanda told me to pretend I was him.”
“Why?”
“So Mrs. Hale would sign papers.”
My hands curled into fists.
“Did she sign?”
“No.”
“She looked at me and said I had my mother’s eyes.”
I stared at him.
“What did she mean?”
“I don’t know.”
Ethan continued.
“Then she whispered that Amanda killed Claire.”
The room fell silent.
My chair scraped against the floor as I stood.
“What did you just say?”
“She said Amanda killed Mom.”
Ethan’s voice cracked.
“I thought she was confused.”
Detective Reyes slowly closed the folder.
“How did Claire die?”
“Cancer.”
“Were you present at the end?”
“No.”
“I was working out of state.”
“Amanda was her private nurse during the final month.”
The truth hit me like a collapsing wall.
That was how I had met Amanda.
She had cared for Claire.
She had comforted Ethan.
She had stayed after the funeral.
And two years later, I married her.
Marcus opened Claire’s journals.
One of the final entries had been written with an unsteady hand.
Amanda keeps changing my medication.
She says the doctor ordered it.
The doctor says he did not.
I could no longer feel my fingers.
Detective Reyes looked at me.
“Jack, this is now a possible homicide investigation.”
My phone rang again.
This time it was a video call.
Amanda appeared on the screen.
She stood on a hotel balcony overlooking the ocean.
She smiled as if nothing had happened.
“Hello, husband.”
“Where is Margaret?”
“Safe for now.”
Behind Amanda, a woman cried softly.
Amanda lowered her voice.
“Bring the brass key.”
“Come alone.”
“And Jack?”
Her smile widened.
May you like
“Ask Claire’s little journal why she really married you.”
Then the screen went black.
