Chapter 7: The Woman in the Photograph
The photograph trembled in Naomi's hands.
A young woman stood beside a hospital window, holding a newborn baby wrapped in a pale yellow blanket. Her dark hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and her eyes were fixed on the child with an expression Naomi had never seen before.
Unconditional love.
Naomi looked at the photograph again.
The woman had her eyes.
The same dark brown eyes. The same slight crease near the left eyebrow. Even the small dimple beneath her lower lip looked familiar.
On the back, four words had been written in faded blue ink.
Naomi. Her real mother.
“Edward,” Naomi whispered.
“Who is she?””
Edward didn't answer immediately.
The patriarch was standing beside the damaged sedan, his face pale. James was speaking urgently into his radio, requesting additional security and emergency medical assistance.
The SUV had disappeared.
So had Marcus.
“Edward, I asked you a question.””
He looked down at the photograph.
“Her name is Evelyn Carter.””
Naomi's fingers tightened.
“Carter?””
“Your mother.””
Naomi shook her head.
“My mother was buried when I was a baby.””
Edward looked away.
“That was what Daniel told everyone.””
“Why?””
He drew a long breath.
“Because Evelyn disappeared shortly after you were born. Daniel believed she had been killed in a hospital fire. There was a body identified as hers, and the authorities closed the investigation.””
Naomi looked at the photograph.
“Then how could she be alive?””
“I don't know.””
“Did my father know?””
Edward nodded.
“He discovered something several years after the fire. He received a letter from someone claiming to have seen Evelyn in another state.””
Naomi stared at him.
“And you never told me?””
“I didn't know whether the information was genuine. Daniel asked me to keep it confidential until he could verify it.””
Naomi's eyes filled.
“Everyone keeps deciding what I deserve to know.””
Edward lowered his head.
She turned away.
For seven years, she had believed she had lost both parents. Now one had returned, and the other might have been alive all along.
She wanted to scream.
Instead, she carefully placed the photograph in her handbag.
“Take me back inside.””
James approached.
“Miss Carter, the police are on their way. We should wait here.””
“I said take me inside.””
James looked toward Edward.
The patriarch nodded.
“Do as she asks.””
As James pushed her wheelchair toward the ballroom, Naomi looked back once.
The black SUV had left a deep dent in the sedan.
A single piece of broken glass reflected the security light.
Someone had tried to silence Marcus.
And they had nearly succeeded.
Twenty minutes later, the ballroom had been cleared.
Only Edward, Naomi, Daniel Reed, Margaret Ellis, and a small security team remained.
Brianna sat alone on a sofa.
Her gold dress was wrinkled, and her makeup had begun to run. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were constantly moving toward the entrance.
Daniel Reed stood near the fireplace.
He had removed his bow tie and loosened his collar.
“Where is Victoria?”” he asked.
Nobody answered.
He turned toward Margaret.
“Did you know about Evelyn?””
Margaret hesitated.
“I heard rumors.””
“What rumors?””
“That she had been involved in the original trust agreement. That she had discovered something about the family before she disappeared.””
Naomi looked at her.
“What did she discover?””
Margaret opened her briefcase.
“Your mother was a forensic accountant.””
Naomi frowned.
“My mother?””
“Yes. She worked independently, investigating financial fraud. Daniel met her when she was auditing one of his first property investments.””
Edward nodded.
“They were partners before they became husband and wife.””
Margaret placed an old newspaper clipping on the table.
It showed a photograph of Evelyn Carter standing outside a courthouse.
The headline read:
*LOCAL ACCOUNTANT EXPOSES MILLION-DOLLAR INVESTMENT FRAUD.*
Naomi stared.
“My mother did that?””
“She uncovered a network of fraudulent property transfers,” Margaret explained.
“Some of the companies involved were connected to the Whitmore family.””
Daniel Reed leaned closer.
“Was Victoria involved?””
Margaret nodded.
“According to the original investigation, yes.””
Naomi looked at the photograph again.
“Then why would my father believe she was dead?””
Margaret lowered her voice.
“Because Evelyn had been preparing to testify against several people. Shortly before her disappearance, she told Daniel that someone had threatened her.””
Edward looked disturbed.
“Why didn't he tell me?””
“Because he suspected someone inside the company was passing information to the people she was investigating.””
Naomi looked toward Brianna.
The young woman suddenly stood.
“I need to go.””
Daniel Reed turned.
“You're not going anywhere until you answer some questions.””
Brianna looked exhausted.
“I've already told you everything.””
“No, you haven't.””
He picked up the photograph of Evelyn.
“Do you know this woman?””
Brianna stared at it.
Her expression changed.
“Yes.””
Naomi leaned forward.
“How?””
Brianna looked toward Victoria's empty chair.
Then she whispered:
“Because my mother used to call her the woman who wouldn't stay buried.””
Naomi felt her stomach tighten.
“What does that mean?””
Brianna sat down again.
“When I was little, Victoria kept a photograph of Evelyn in her bedroom. She used to burn copies of it in the fireplace.””
Edward's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
Brianna shook her head.
“I don't know. But one time, I asked her who the woman was. She told me Evelyn Carter had ruined her life.””
Naomi looked at the photograph.
“Did she ever say she was alive?””
Brianna hesitated.
Then she nodded.
“She said Evelyn had taken something from her.””
“What?””
Brianna looked directly at Naomi.
“You.””
The room became silent.
Naomi felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath her.
Edward stood abruptly.
“That makes no sense.””
Brianna continued.
“Victoria told me that Evelyn had given birth to a child who was supposed to inherit something. She said the child was taken away before she could secure the inheritance herself.””
Naomi stared at her.
“Are you saying Victoria wanted me?””
“I don't know what she wanted.””
Daniel Reed shook his head.
“This is getting worse.””
Margaret turned another page in her file.
“There's something else. I found a payment made eighteen months ago to a private medical facility in Pennsylvania.””
Edward looked up.
“Who made it?””
Margaret examined the statement.
“The payment was routed through a company registered under Evelyn Carter's name.””
Naomi's heart began pounding.
“Eighteen months ago?””
“Yes.””
“Was there a patient name?””
Margaret checked the attachment.
Her expression changed.
“Evelyn Carter.””
Naomi gripped the armrests.
“Was she receiving treatment?””
Margaret nodded.
“It appears so.””
Edward immediately reached for his phone.
“James, get me the facility's contact information. I want to know whether she is still there.””
James hurried away.
Naomi looked at Brianna.
“Why didn't you tell me this before?””
Brianna lowered her eyes.
“Because Victoria told me that if I ever mentioned Evelyn, I'd end up like you.””
Naomi stared.
“Like me?””
Brianna's voice became barely audible.
“In a wheelchair.””
Daniel Reed looked away.
Naomi closed her eyes.
She had spent seven years wondering why her life had changed so violently.
Now she was beginning to understand that her accident might have been one piece of a much larger plan.
A plan involving her parents, her inheritance, and a woman who had apparently been watching her from a distance.
James returned.
“Mr. Whitmore, I have the facility.””
Edward looked relieved.
“Good. Call them.””
James shook his head.
“I already did.””
“And?””
“The patient was discharged three days ago.””
Naomi's heart skipped.
“Where did she go?””
James hesitated.
“The hospital administrator refused to provide the destination.””
Edward's voice hardened.
“Tell them who I am.””
“I did, sir.””
“And?””
James looked toward Naomi.
“They said the patient left with a woman who identified herself as Victoria Whitmore.””
Naomi felt the photograph slip slightly in her hands.
Victoria had found her mother.
And she had taken her somewhere.
Before anyone could react, Naomi's phone vibrated.
An unknown number appeared.
She answered.
“Hello?””
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a woman's trembling voice whispered:
“Naomi?””
Naomi went completely still.
“Who is this?””
“My baby…”
The woman began crying.
“Please don't trust Victoria.””
Naomi covered her mouth.
“Mom?””
A sob came through the speaker.
“Naomi, listen to me. Your father doesn't know everything.””
Naomi looked at Edward.
“What do you mean?””
The woman whispered:
“Your father wasn't the one who put you in that car.””
Naomi's blood ran cold.
“Who was?””
A door slammed somewhere on the other end.
The woman gasped.
Then the call disconnected.
Naomi stared at her phone.
A second later, a message arrived.
It contained an address.
May you like
And underneath it, one final sentence:
*Come alone if you want to know why Daniel really survived.*
