Chapter 8: What Evelyn Promised
Emergency lights flickered on.
The ballroom was washed in dim red illumination.
Guests crouched behind tables.
Security guards moved along the walls.
Diane was speaking into a radio, but the signal kept cutting out.
“Can you hear me?”” she demanded.
Static.
She tried again.
Nothing.
Marcus stood beside Evelyn.
“Mom, whatever he asked you to do, tell me.””
Evelyn stared at the floor.
Then she looked at me.
“Your father wanted me to hide you.””
My heart stopped.
“Hide me?””
She nodded.
“He told me someone was looking for you.””
“Who?””
“I didn't know.””
“You just said he wanted you to hide me.””
“He brought you to my house.””
Marcus frowned.
“When?””
“The night you were born.””
I shook my head.
“That isn't possible.””
“It happened.””
“My birth certificate says—”
“Your father forged it.””
Silence.
Diane looked over.
“What?””
Evelyn's hands trembled.
“James told me the people searching for Vanessa would never look for her if they believed she belonged to another family.””
Marcus stared at his mother.
“You raised her?””
“No.””
Evelyn looked at me.
“I protected her.””
Daniel stepped from behind the pillar.
“That's not what you told Camille.””
Evelyn turned.
“I didn't know Camille was alive.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“She was.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Not for long.””
I felt tears burning my eyes.
“You knew my mother?””
“No.””
“You knew she was alive?””
“Not until years later.””
“Then what happened?””
Evelyn took a shaky breath.
“James brought you to my house wrapped in a pink blanket.””
She looked toward the dark stage.
“You were tiny. You were crying. He said your mother had died.””
I whispered, “But she didn't.””
“No.””
“Where was she?””
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“He says she was alive.””
Daniel nodded.
“She survived for six months.””
My chest tightened.
“Six months?””
“James told everyone she left the country.””
Daniel's voice was bitter.
“She was found dead in an abandoned apartment.””
I covered my mouth.
Marcus stepped toward me.
“Vanessa…”
I pulled away.
“No.””
He stopped.
I couldn't look at him.
My mother had been alive.
She had been searching for me.
And someone had made me believe she had abandoned me before I was old enough to remember her.
Evelyn approached.
“I wanted to tell you.””
“When?””
“When you were old enough.””
“You never did.””
“I was afraid.””
“You were afraid?””
“Yes.””
“Of James?””
“Of everyone.””
I laughed through my tears.
“You raised a child who wasn't yours and never told her who she was.””
“I loved you.””
“That doesn't make it right.””
“I know.””
Evelyn reached toward me.
I stepped back.
She stopped.
“I loved you enough to keep you alive.””
I stared at her.
“What did James make you promise?””
Evelyn's eyes filled.
“To never tell you about Camille.””
“Why?””
“Because he said if I did, you'd disappear too.””
Daniel walked toward us.
“He lied.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
Daniel stopped.
“He didn't?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“Not about everything.””
Everyone went silent.
“What do you mean?”” Marcus asked.
Evelyn looked at me.
“James wasn't the person who threatened you.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“Evelyn.””
She continued.
“The person who threatened Vanessa was Camille.””
I couldn't breathe.
“What?””
“She wanted you back.””
Daniel stared at Evelyn.
“Don't do this.””
“It's the truth.””
“You don't know what you're talking about.””
“I was there.””
Daniel shook his head.
“You were never there.””
“I was.””
Evelyn's voice became stronger.
“Camille came to my house.””
I stared at her.
“When?””
“Six months after James brought you.””
“She came for me?””
“Yes.””
“What happened?””
Evelyn looked down.
“She stood on my porch.””
“Did you let her in?””
“Yes.””
“Did she see me?””
Evelyn hesitated.
“Yes.””
My knees weakened.
“She saw me?””
“She held you.””
A sob escaped my throat.
“And then?””
“She begged me to give you back.””
“Why didn't you?””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Because James had given me a choice.””
“What choice?””
“He told me if Camille came back, I had to choose between protecting you and protecting Marcus.””
Marcus went rigid.
“What does that mean?””
“He threatened to take you.””
“Take me where?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel whispered, “You should have told Camille.””
“I was twenty-five years old and terrified.””
“You let her leave without her daughter.””
“I thought I was saving Vanessa.””
Daniel's voice cracked.
“You destroyed my sister.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Daniel.
“You said my mother was trying to protect me.””
“She was.””
“From what?””
He looked at me.
“From your father.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
Daniel turned.
“What?””
“She wasn't protecting Vanessa from James.””
“Then who?””
Evelyn's voice dropped.
“She was protecting Vanessa from you.””
Daniel went completely still.
Marcus stepped between them.
“Why?””
Evelyn stared at Daniel.
“Because Camille discovered what her brother had done.””
Daniel's face changed.
“What are you saying?””
“She found out you were stealing money too.””
Daniel took one step backward.
“No.””
“She had proof.””
“No.””
“She was going to turn both of you in.””
Daniel's voice became sharp.
“You're lying.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“Camille told me herself.””
Daniel's eyes flashed with anger.
“You've been lying for twenty-nine years.””
“I have been protecting a child for twenty-nine years.””
I stepped between them.
“Stop.””
Everyone looked at me.
I held up the old photograph.
“I want the truth.””
Daniel stared at me.
“So do I.””
“Then tell me why my mother was afraid of you.””
He didn't answer.
“Daniel.””
Nothing.
“Tell me.””
His jaw tightened.
Finally, he said, “Because she discovered I had been meeting James.””
“For what?””
Daniel looked at Marcus.
“To sell him information.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“What information?””
“About Camille.””
I felt sick.
“You betrayed her.””
Daniel lowered his head.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Money.””
The word was almost inaudible.
Evelyn looked at him.
“And when Camille found out, she threatened to expose you.””
Daniel nodded.
“She did.””
“What did you do?””
“I left.””
“And James?””
Daniel didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“What did James do?””
Daniel looked at me.
“I don't know.””
Then a voice came from the back of the ballroom.
“I do.””
Everyone turned.
A woman stood beside the service entrance.
She wore a black coat.
Her hair was cropped short.
And in her hand was a folder.
Diane immediately reached for her radio.
“Ma'am, step away from the door.””
The woman smiled.
“Diane.””
Diane froze.
“You know me?””
“I know everyone who works in this building.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Who are you?””
The woman looked at him.
“My name is Camille Reed.””
The room stopped breathing.
I stared at her.
The woman smiled sadly.
“Vanessa.””
My legs nearly gave out.
“Mom?””
She nodded.
“I've been looking for you for twenty-nine years.””
Evelyn began crying.
Daniel whispered, “Camille…”
Camille looked at him.
“You betrayed me.””
Daniel's face collapsed.
Then she turned toward Marcus.
“And your father didn't steal my daughter.””
She looked at me.
“I gave her to him.””
Marcus stared.
“Why?””
Camille opened the folder.
“Because I knew someone was coming for her.””
She pulled out a photograph.
“This is the person I was running from.””
She turned the photograph around.
I looked at the face.
May you like
Then my blood ran cold.
Because the person in the photograph was standing in the ballroom.