Chapter 8: The Woman in the Family## Chapter 8: The Woman in the Family Photograph
The woman who stepped into Photograph
The woman who stepped into our living room looked nothing like a ghost.
She wore a charcoal our living room looked nothing like a ghost.
She wore a charcoal coat over a cream blouse, dark trousers, and polished black shoes. Her silver-streaked hair was pinned coat over a cream blouse, dark trousers, and polished black shoes. Her silver-streaked hair was pinned neatly at the back of her head.
She carried no handbag, no suitcase, nothing that suggested she'd come neatly at the back of her head. She carried no handbag, no suitcase, nothing that suggested she'd come from far away.
She looked like someone who had walked out to buy groceries and returned to from far away.
She looked like someone who had walked out to buy groceries and returned to find the house exactly as she'd left it.
Except nobody in our family had seen her in years.
Mom stood so abruptly find the house exactly as she'd left it.
Except nobody in our family had seen her in years.
Mom stood so abruptly that the chair scraped backward.
“Evelyn.””
The woman closed the door behind her.
“Hello, Letreya.””
Charles stared at her that the chair scraped backward.
“Evelyn.””
The woman closed the door behind her.
“Hello, Letreya.””
Charles stared at her.
“Who are you?””
Evelyn's gaze settled on him.
“You know who I am, Charles.””
He shook his head.
“No. The Evelyn.
“Who are you?””
Evelyn's gaze settled on him.
“You know who I am, Charles.””
He shook his head.
“No. The Evelyn I knew died years ago.””
“That's what you were told.””
Marcus moved toward her, his face drained of color.
“Where I knew died years ago.””
“That's what you were told.””
Marcus moved toward her, his face drained of color.
“Where have you been?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“Trying to keep your father from destroying everything he touched.””
Marcus reco have you been?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“Trying to keep your father from destroying everything he touched.””
Marcus recoiled.
“Don't talk about my father like that.””
“Then perhaps you should ask what he did.””
Sheiled.
“Don't talk about my father like that.””
“Then perhaps you should ask what he did.””
She removed her coat and draped it over the back of a chair without asking permission.
Her eyes moved to Danielle.
For a moment, something removed her coat and draped it over the back of a chair without asking permission.
Her eyes moved to Danielle.
For a moment, something softened in her expression.
“You look like him.””
Danielle held Isaiah closer.
“Like Robert?””
Evelyn nodded.
“The softened in her expression.
“You look like him.””
Danielle held Isaiah closer.
“Like Robert?””
Evelyn nodded.
“The eyes. The way you hold your mouth when you're angry. He had that same expression when eyes.
The way you hold your mouth when you're angry. He had that same expression when he thought someone was lying to him.””
Danielle's voice trembled.
“Were you there when I was born?””
“Yes.””
“Did you he thought someone was lying to him.””
Danielle's voice trembled.
“Were you there when I was born?””
“Yes.””
“Did you know my mother was going to give me away?””
Evelyn looked toward Letreya.
“I knew she was frightened. I knew Robert had promised to help know my mother was going to give me away?””
Evelyn looked toward Letreya.
“I knew she was frightened. I knew Robert had promised to help. And I knew neither of them had any idea how much damage they were about to cause.””
Mom's voice. And I knew neither of them had any idea how much damage they were about to cause.””
Mom's voice sharpened.
“You promised you would never come back.””
“I promised I wouldn't expose the children to David sharpened.
“You promised you would never come back.””
“I promised I wouldn't expose the children to David.””
“And now you're here!””
“Because David has found Jamiya.””
Charles stepped between them.
“Enough. I want answers.””
Evel.””
“And now you're here!””
“Because David has found Jamiya.””
Charles stepped between them.
“Enough. I want answers.””
Evelyn regarded him carefully.
“Then sit down, Charles. This is going to takeyn regarded him carefully.
“Then sit down, Charles. This is going to take a while.””
“I'll stand.””
“Suit yourself.””
She walked to the coffee table and picked up the faded hospital bracelet.
Her expression changed when a while.””
“I'll stand.””
“Suit yourself.””
She walked to the coffee table and picked up the faded hospital bracelet.
Her expression changed when she saw the words written on the back.
“Where did you get this?””
“From the photograph Marcus received,” I said she saw the words written on the back.
“Where did you get this?””
“From the photograph Marcus received,” I said.
“We found it in Robert's records.””
Evelyn turned the bracelet over between her fingers.
“This belongs to the second.
“We found it in Robert's records.””
Evelyn turned the bracelet over between her fingers.
“This belongs to the second twin.””
Mom covered her mouth.
Charles's voice dropped.
“You knew about the twins?””
“Of twin.””
Mom covered her mouth.
Charles's voice dropped.
“You knew about the twins?””
“Of course I knew.””
“Then why did everyone tell me there was only one baby?””
Evelyn looked at Letreya.
“Because your course I knew.””
“Then why did everyone tell me there was only one baby?””
Evelyn looked at Letreya.
“Because your wife was afraid.””
Mom's eyes flashed.
“Don't you dare put this all on me!””
“I'm not putting anything on you that you didn't wife was afraid.””
Mom's eyes flashed.
“Don't you dare put this all on me!””
“I'm not putting anything on you that you didn't already choose.””
Evelyn set the bracelet down.
“Robert discovered Letreya was carrying twins late in the pregnancy. He was terrified David would find out. He already choose.””
Evelyn set the bracelet down.
“Robert discovered Letreya was carrying twins late in the pregnancy. He was terrified David would find out. He believed David would use the children to gain access to the trust.””
Marcus frowned.
“Why would two babies believed David would use the children to gain access to the trust.””
Marcus frowned.
“Why would two babies give David access to anything?””
“Because Robert had changed his will. He'd give David access to anything?””
“Because Robert had changed his will. He'd made provisions for all his biological children, including children he hadn't publicly acknowledged. If the twins were recognized, David would lose his position as the only son anyone knew about.””
Marcus made provisions for all his biological children, including children he hadn't publicly acknowledged. If the twins were recognized, David would lose his position as the only son anyone knew about.””
Marcus shook his head.
“My father never told me that.””
“Your father told different people different things. That was how he kept control shook his head.
“My father never told me that.””
“Your father told different people different things. That was how he kept control.””
Evelyn turned toward Charles.
“On the night the twins were born, Robert took one child. He arranged.””
Evelyn turned toward Charles.
“On the night the twins were born, Robert took one child. He arranged for her to be raised by a woman he trusted.””
Mom's face crumpled.
“Me.””
Evelyn nodded.
“You agreed for her to be raised by a woman he trusted.””
Mom's face crumpled.
“Me.””
Evelyn nodded.
“You agreed to take the baby because you thought it would help you hide the truth about Danielle.””
Charles stared at his wife.
“You raised another to take the baby because you thought it would help you hide the truth about Danielle.””
Charles stared at his wife.
“You raised another child in our home without telling me she was Robert's daughter?””
Mom's shoulders shook.
“I didn't know she was his daughter when child in our home without telling me she was Robert's daughter?””
Mom's shoulders shook.
“I didn't know she was his daughter when I first took her in.””
Evelyn's expression hardened.
“But you knew eventually.””
Mom looked down.
“Yes.””
I first took her in.””
Evelyn's expression hardened.
“But you knew eventually.””
Mom looked down.
“Yes.””
I felt dizzy.
“Who was she?””
Evelyn looked at me, then at Jaylen.
“She was a littleI felt dizzy.
“Who was she?””
Evelyn looked at me, then at Jaylen.
“She was a little girl with dark curls, a small scar beneath her left eyebrow, and a habit of sucking her thumb whenever she girl with dark curls, a small scar beneath her left eyebrow, and a habit of sucking her thumb whenever she was frightened.””
Danielle gasped.
The room went silent.
Evelyn continued.
“She grew up believing her parents was frightened.””
Danielle gasped.
The room went silent.
Evelyn continued.
“She grew up believing her parents had died in an accident. She was told that Letreya had taken her in out of kindness.””
Mom began sobbing.
Charles's voice became a whisper had died in an accident. She was told that Letreya had taken her in out of kindness.””
Mom began sobbing.
Charles's voice became a whisper.
“Who?””
Evelyn looked directly at Danielle.
“Your sister.””
Danielle stared at her.
“But I was the daughter who was adopted.””
“You were one.
“Who?””
Evelyn looked directly at Danielle.
“Your sister.””
Danielle stared at her.
“But I was the daughter who was adopted.””
“You were one of the twins,” Evelyn replied.
“Your sister was the other.””
Danielle's knees seemed of the twins,” Evelyn replied.
“Your sister was the other.””
Danielle's knees seemed to weaken.
I rushed forward, but she caught the back of the chair and stead to weaken.
I rushed forward, but she caught the back of the chair and steadied herself.
“Where is she?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“She's been here all along.””
She turned toward the staircase.
Aied herself.
“Where is she?””
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“She's been here all along.””
She turned toward the staircase.
A framed photograph hung above it, the same one Mom had turned facedown earlier.
Evelyn reached up and lifted framed photograph hung above it, the same one Mom had turned facedown earlier.
Evelyn reached up and lifted it from the wall.
She turned it around.
The photograph showed our family at a summer barbecue nearly twenty years earlier. Charles stood behind Mom, one it from the wall.
She turned it around.
The photograph showed our family at a summer barbecue nearly twenty years earlier. Charles stood behind Mom, one hand on her shoulder. Jaylen was a toddler in his father's arms. Jamiya stood beside me, grinning at the camera.
And hand on her shoulder. Jaylen was a toddler in his father's arms. Jamiya stood beside me, grinning at the camera.
And at the far end of the photograph was another young girl.
She had dark curls.
A small scar beneath at the far end of the photograph was another young girl.
She had dark curls.
A small scar beneath her left eyebrow.
And one hand pressed against her mouth.
I recognized her instantly.
My breath caught.
“No.””
Jaylen moved closer.
“Who is that?””
I couldn't speak.
Because the girl in her left eyebrow.
And one hand pressed against her mouth.
I recognized her instantly.
My breath caught.
“No.””
Jaylen moved closer.
“Who is that?””
I couldn't speak.
Because the girl in the photograph was someone we had known.
Someone who had spent years eating at our table the photograph was someone we had known.
Someone who had spent years eating at our table, sleeping in our guest room, and calling my mother by her first name.
Someone who had disappeared from our lives after a family argument and, sleeping in our guest room, and calling my mother by her first name.
Someone who had disappeared from our lives after a family argument and whom we'd been told had moved to another state.
Someone whose name was—
“R whom we'd been told had moved to another state.
Someone whose name was—
“Renee,” I whispered.
Mom closed her eyes.
Evelyn nodded.
“Renee Bennett.””
Charlesenee,” I whispered.
Mom closed her eyes.
Evelyn nodded.
“Renee Bennett.””
Charles stared at the photograph.
“Renee was Robert's daughter?””
“Yes.””
“And Letreya raised her?””
“Yes.””
Dad turned toward Mom.
“Where stared at the photograph.
“Renee was Robert's daughter?””
“Yes.””
“And Letreya raised her?””
“Yes.””
Dad turned toward Mom.
“Where is she now?””
Mom shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Evelyn's expression became cold.
“You know exactly is she now?””
Mom shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Evelyn's expression became cold.
“You know exactly where she is.””
“She's gone!””
“She called you last week.””
Mom froze.
Marcus stepped forward.
“What?””
where she is.””
“She's gone!””
“She called you last week.””
Mom froze.
Marcus stepped forward.
“What?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“Renee has been trying to contact Letreya for months. She found out aboutEvelyn looked at him.
“Renee has been trying to contact Letreya for months. She found out about the twins and wanted to know whether Danielle was alive.””
Dan the twins and wanted to know whether Danielle was alive.””
Danielle's eyes filled with tears.
“Renee knows about me?””
“She knows enough to be afraid.””
“Afraidielle's eyes filled with tears.
“Renee knows about me?””
“She knows enough to be afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
Evelyn looked toward the window.
“David.””
My father's expression hardened.
“Why is everyone afraid of this man of what?””
Evelyn looked toward the window.
“David.””
My father's expression hardened.
“Why is everyone afraid of this man?””
“Because he believes Robert's will belongs to him. Because he believes the twins are the key to unlocking?””
“Because he believes Robert's will belongs to him. Because he believes the twins are the key to unlocking the trust. And because he has spent years convincing people that anyone who challenges him will lose everything.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Then the trust. And because he has spent years convincing people that anyone who challenges him will lose everything.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Then why hasn't he been arrested?””
“Because he knows how to hide behind respectable people. He doesn't threaten everyone himself. He makes calls. why hasn't he been arrested?””
“Because he knows how to hide behind respectable people. He doesn't threaten everyone himself. He makes calls.
He moves money. He gets other people to do his dirty work.””
Mom whispered, “He threatened to expose He moves money. He gets other people to do his dirty work.””
Mom whispered, “He threatened to expose me.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“And you let him use that fear to control you.””
Mom covered her face me.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“And you let him use that fear to control you.””
Mom covered her face.
Charles took a step away from his wife.
“I need to understand something. If Renee was the second twin, why did Robert give her to Letre.
Charles took a step away from his wife.
“I need to understand something. If Renee was the second twin, why did Robert give her to Letreya?””
Evelyn hesitated.
Then she answered.
“Because he believed Letreya could protect her.””
Charles laughed bitterya?””
Evelyn hesitated.
Then she answered.
“Because he believed Letreya could protect her.””
Charles laughed bitterly.
“And you all thought that was a good idea?””
“No,” Evelyn said.
“We thought it was the least terriblely.
“And you all thought that was a good idea?””
“No,” Evelyn said.
“We thought it was the least terrible option we had.””
She picked up the hospital bracelet again.
“Robert intended to reunite the twins when they were old enough. He kept records option we had.””
She picked up the hospital bracelet again.
“Robert intended to reunite the twins when they were old enough. He kept records, letters, and photographs. But David discovered the arrangement.
He threatened to expose Renee's identity and use her, letters, and photographs. But David discovered the arrangement. He threatened to expose Renee's identity and use her to force Robert to surrender the trust.””
Marcus looked sick.
“My father let David blackmail him?””
“He let David believe to force Robert to surrender the trust.””
Marcus looked sick.
“My father let David blackmail him?””
“He let David believe he had won.””
Evelyn's voice softened.
“Robert planned to correct everything after he secured the children's futures. But he had won.””
Evelyn's voice softened.
“Robert planned to correct everything after he secured the children's futures. But he died before he could finish.””
Charles looked at her.
“And the second baby?””
Evelyn's gaze dropped to the bracelet.
“Renee was the second baby. Danielle was the first. Robert took Renee to he died before he could finish.””
Charles looked at her.
“And the second baby?””
Evelyn's gaze dropped to the bracelet.
“Renee was the second baby. Danielle was the first. Robert took Renee to Letreya because he believed she would be safer there.””
Danielle pressed a hand against her mouth.
“Then why did Renee disappear?””
Mom answered through her tears.
“Because she found the journal.””
Marcus went Letreya because he believed she would be safer there.””
Danielle pressed a hand against her mouth.
“Then why did Renee disappear?””
Mom answered through her tears.
“Because she found the journal.””
Marcus went still.
“What did she discover?””
Mom looked at him.
“That Robert hadn't merely hidden the truth about the still.
“What did she discover?””
Mom looked at him.
“That Robert hadn't merely hidden the truth about the children. He'd hidden the truth about his death.””
Nobody spoke.
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“Renee children. He'd hidden the truth about his death.””
Nobody spoke.
Evelyn nodded slowly.
“Renee found a letter that proved Robert had been meeting David the night he died.””
Charles gripped found a letter that proved Robert had been meeting David the night he died.””
Charles gripped the back of the couch.
“Robert died in the hospital.””
“Yes.””
“And David wasn't there.””
“Not according to the the back of the couch.
“Robert died in the hospital.””
“Yes.””
“And David wasn't there.””
“Not according to the visitor log.””
Evelyn paused.
“But someone used Robert's name to gain access to his room.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Evelyn looked toward visitor log.””
Evelyn paused.
“But someone used Robert's name to gain access to his room.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Evelyn looked toward the door.
“That's what Renee was trying to prove when she disappeared.””
A phone vibrated on the coffee table.
Marcus the door.
“That's what Renee was trying to prove when she disappeared.””
A phone vibrated on the coffee table.
Marcus picked it up.
A new message had arrived from an unknown number.
Bring the twins to the warehouse. Bring the journal. Come alone.
Beneath it was a photograph of Renee standing in a dimly lit room.
Her hands were tied in front picked it up.
A new message had arrived from an unknown number.
Bring the twins to the warehouse. Bring the journal. Come alone.
Beneath it was a photograph of Renee standing in a dimly lit room.
Her hands were tied in front of her.
Her face was bruised.
And beside her stood David Bennett.
Marcus swore under his breath.
Charles reached for his keys.
“We're going.””
Evelyn of her.
Her face was bruised.
And beside her stood David Bennett.
Marcus swore under his breath.
Charles reached for his keys.
“We're going.””
Evelyn caught his arm.
“Not without the police.””
“She's a member of this family.””
“So caught his arm.
“Not without the police.””
“She's a member of this family.””
“So is Jamiya. And she's already in his hands.””
Charles turned toward her.
“Then tell me how to get them both out.””
Evelyn looked at the photograph.
is Jamiya. And she's already in his hands.””
Charles turned toward her.
“Then tell me how to get them both out.””
Evelyn looked at the photograph.
Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small brass key.
“Robert gave me this before he died. It opens the locked box at the warehouse.””
Marcus stared at it.
“WhyThen she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small brass key.
“Robert gave me this before he died. It opens the locked box at the warehouse.””
Marcus stared at it.
“Why didn't you give it to me?””
“Because the box contains more than the truth about the twins.””
She placed the key didn't you give it to me?””
“Because the box contains more than the truth about the twins.””
She placed the key in Charles's palm.
“It contains the evidence that can prove who was in Robert's hospital room the night he died.””
Charles closed his fingers around the in Charles's palm.
“It contains the evidence that can prove who was in Robert's hospital room the night he died.””
Charles closed his fingers around the key.
“Who?””
Evelyn looked at Letreya.
My mother began to shake her head.
“No. Please.””
Evelyn's key.
“Who?””
Evelyn looked at Letreya.
My mother began to shake her head.
“No. Please.””
Evelyn's voice broke.
“I'm sorry, Charles.””
She took a breath.
“The person who entered Robert's room was your wife.””
The room voice broke.
“I'm sorry, Charles.””
She took a breath.
“The person who entered Robert's room was your wife.””
The room went silent.
My father stared at Mom.
She couldn't meet his eyes.
Then she whispered, “I went went silent.
My father stared at Mom.
She couldn't meet his eyes.
Then she whispered, “I went there to save him.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“You went there to make sure he couldn't tell the truth.””
there to save him.””
May you like
Evelyn shook her head.
“You went there to make sure he couldn't tell the truth.””
