Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH

By morning, the house felt like a crime scene.

Yellow evidence markers covered the garage.

Police vehicles lined the driveway.

Noah stayed in his room with Ray posted outside.

Arthur hadn’t slept.

Maria sat at the kitchen island, both hands wrapped around untouched coffee.

“I swear I didn’t hurt Robert.”

“I believe you.”

She looked up.

“You do?”

Arthur nodded.

“That bracelet was in your jewelry box yesterday.”

Her eyes widened.

“How do you know?”

“Noah showed it to me. He wanted to buy you a matching one for your birthday.”

Maria’s eyes filled.

Arthur looked away.

He couldn’t afford emotion right now.

Detective Brooks entered.

“We found Robert.”

Arthur stood.

“Alive?”

“Yes.”

Relief hit him.

“Where?”

“County hospital.”

“What happened?”

“He was assaulted in a parking garage.”

Arthur frowned.

“Then how did his phone end up here?”

“That’s what we’d like to know.”

“Can I see him?”

“Soon.”

Arthur’s own phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

A photograph appeared.

He opened it.

His stomach turned.

Maria was sitting in a restaurant.

Across from her was Robert.

The timestamp showed three weeks earlier.

Arthur looked at Maria.

“Have you met Robert outside this house?”

She went still.

“Why?”

He placed the phone down.

Her face drained.

“I can explain.”

“That’s not the answer.”

“Yes.”

Arthur stepped back.

“You told me you barely knew him.”

“I said I didn’t work with him.”

“You met him privately.”

“He contacted me.”

“Why?”

Maria looked toward the hallway.

“Because of Noah.”

Arthur’s anger rose.

“What does that mean?”

“He said someone was moving money.”

“You should’ve told me.”

“He begged me not to.”

“Robert Chase asked my son’s nanny to investigate financial fraud?”

“No. He asked me to watch Elena.”

Arthur laughed bitterly.

“You understand how insane that sounds?”

“Yes.”

“Why you?”

Maria’s voice cracked.

“Because Robert knew my sister.”

Arthur stopped.

“What sister?”

“Isabel.”

The name meant nothing to him.

Maria took a breath.

“She worked for Vance Meridian five years ago.”

“What did she do?”

“Accounting.”

Arthur searched his memory.

Then suddenly he remembered.

A young accountant.

Quiet.

Brilliant.

Dead at twenty-nine.

“She died in a car crash.”

Maria’s eyes hardened.

“That’s what everyone was told.”

Arthur felt cold.

“What are you saying?”

“My sister found missing money.”

“How much?”

“Back then? Almost two million.”

“Did she report it?”

“She tried.”

“To whom?”

Maria stared directly at him.

“To Elena.”

The kitchen became completely silent.

Maria continued.

“Three days later, Isabel’s car went off a bridge.”

Arthur shook his head.

“You think Elena killed your sister?”

“I didn’t.”

“Didn’t?”

“Not until Robert called me.”

Arthur’s phone buzzed again.

Another message from the unknown number.

This time it contained one sentence.

ASK MARIA WHY SHE REALLY TOOK THE JOB.

Arthur slowly lifted his eyes.

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Maria had seen the message too.

And the look on her face told him there was still more she hadn’t said.