Chapter 4: The Woman at the Door
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Rene stood frozen beside the living-room window, staring at the woman in the red coat.
Buddy was sitting beside her.
His golden fur was unmistakable. His ears perked up whenever a car passed, and his tail moved slowly against the pavement.
But something was wrong.
His familiar yellow collar was gone.
“Buddy,” Lily whispered.
She pressed both hands against the glass.
“Daddy! It's Buddy!””
Before Rene could stop her, she ran toward the front door.
“Lily, wait!””
Arthur caught up with her and gently held her shoulders.
“Let your father handle this, sweetheart.””
“But he's outside!””
“I know.””
Rene opened the door.
Cold air swept into the hallway.
Claire Bennett stood on the doorstep, holding a small blue envelope. She was older than he remembered, perhaps in her late fifties, with silver strands running through her dark hair.
She looked at Rene.
“Hello.””
He didn't return the greeting.
“Why is my dog outside your car?””
Claire glanced down at Buddy.
“Because I brought him back.””
“You took him.””
“I didn't.””
“My wife arranged the transportation. Your name is on the delivery record.””
Claire sighed.
“Your wife arranged something she didn't understand.””
Vanessa appeared behind Rene.
“That's ridiculous. You told me Buddy had to be brought to you.””
“I told you I needed to speak with you. I never asked you to take him from a little girl.””
Vanessa's cheeks reddened.
“You sent me that document!””
“I sent you a photograph of a document. I never authorized you to make a transport booking.””
Rene stepped outside.
“Stop talking around the question. Why were you involved in this?””
Claire looked toward Arthur.
The old man's expression changed immediately.
“Arthur,” she said quietly.
He gripped the doorframe.
“Don't.””
Claire lowered her eyes.
“I know you don't want to see me.””
“You should have stayed away.””
“I tried.””
Arthur's voice trembled.
“You've had six years.””
“I know.””
“And now you come back with my wife's dog?””
Claire looked at Buddy.
“He isn't just your wife's dog.””
Rene frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Claire held up the blue envelope.
“Your mother left something for this family. I was supposed to deliver it when the time was right.””
Arthur shook his head.
“Not this way.””
Claire looked directly at him.
“You had six years to make it right, Arthur. You didn't.””
The words landed like a slap.
Rene turned toward his father.
“What is she talking about?””
Arthur didn't answer.
Lily slipped past him and rushed toward Buddy.
“Buddy!””
The dog immediately jumped up.
His tail began wagging furiously as Lily dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Where did you go? I missed you!””
Buddy licked her cheek.
Lily laughed through her tears.
“Daddy! He's okay!””
Rene smiled briefly.
Then he noticed something.
Buddy kept looking toward Claire.
Whenever she moved, his ears followed her.
He wasn't frightened.
He seemed to be waiting for something.
Rene crouched beside his daughter.
“Hey, sweetheart. Can you bring Buddy inside?””
Lily nodded.
She took hold of his collar.
But Buddy didn't move.
Instead, he looked at Claire and gave a low, uncertain whine.
Claire knelt.
“It's okay, boy.””
Buddy immediately approached her.
Rene watched carefully.
“How do you know him?””
Claire rubbed the dog's head.
“I knew him before you did.””
Rene stared.
“What?””
“Your mother asked me to help care for him when he was a puppy.””
Arthur looked away.
Claire continued.
“I visited your mother's house every afternoon. I fed Buddy, took him to the veterinarian, and helped your mother walk him when her health became worse.””
Rene remembered his mother talking about someone who helped her.
He had always assumed it was a neighbor.
“Why didn't I know that?””
“Because your father asked me not to come around anymore.””
Arthur raised his head.
“That's enough.””
“No, Arthur. It isn't.””
Claire stood.
She placed the blue envelope on the hallway table.
“Read it before you decide what happened.””
Rene picked it up.
His name was written across the front in his mother's handwriting.
*For Rene, when he is finally ready to know the truth.*
His throat tightened.
He turned the envelope over.
The seal was still intact.
“Why haven't you given this to me before?””
Claire looked at Arthur.
“Because your father told me your mother never wanted you to see it.””
Rene slowly turned.
“Dad?””
Arthur rubbed his forehead.
“Claire has always had a talent for making things sound worse than they are.””
“Then tell me what it is.””
“Not here.””
“Where?””
Arthur looked at Lily.
“Not in front of her.””
Rene gave a bitter laugh.
“Everybody keeps saying that. Meanwhile, my daughter is the one who's been crying because somebody took her dog.””
Lily hugged Buddy tightly.
“Please don't take him again.””
Claire immediately shook her head.
“I won't, sweetheart.””
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“That's easy to promise when you're the one causing all this trouble.””
Claire turned toward her.
“You're the person who signed the transport agreement.””
Vanessa's mouth tightened.
“I trusted you.””
“You trusted a story that suited you.””
“What does that mean?””
Claire didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at Rene.
“There's something else you need to know. The transport company called me this morning.””
Rene frowned.
“Why?””
“Because somebody contacted them after delivery and requested a second collection.””
His stomach tightened.
“Who?””
Claire looked toward Vanessa.
“Someone using your wife's account.””
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
“I didn't arrange another collection.””
Claire opened her handbag and pulled out a printed page.
“Then perhaps you should explain this.””
She handed it to Rene.
The document showed a new booking request.
<text color="default" weight="semibold">SECOND COLLECTION REQUEST</text>
- Animal: Buddy Morgan - Collection time: 11:30 A.M. - Recipient: Confidential - Authorization: Vanessa Morgan
Rene looked at his watch.
It was 11:18.
“Vanessa?””
She stepped backward.
“I didn't do that.””
“Your name is right here.””
“Someone must have used my account!””
Claire nodded.
“That's what I told the transport company.””
Rene looked at her.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“Why didn't you call me?””
“Because I wanted to know who was behind it.””
Arthur suddenly moved toward the document.
“Show me.””
Rene handed it over.
Arthur studied the bottom of the page.
His expression changed.
There was a handwritten note beneath the electronic signature.
He recognized the handwriting.
So did Rene.
It belonged to his mother.
Arthur's fingers began to shake.
“No.””
Rene leaned closer.
“What?””
Arthur whispered:
“She wrote this before she died.””
Claire nodded.
“Yes.””
Rene looked at the note.
There were only six words.
*If Buddy leaves, the truth follows.*
He stared at his father.
“Dad, what truth?””
Arthur looked toward Buddy.
Then toward Claire.
And finally toward the blue envelope.
“Rene,” he said quietly, “before you open that letter, you need to understand something.””
“What?””
Arthur's eyes filled with tears.
“Your mother didn't die believing I was innocent.””
The room went silent.
And somewhere outside, another car engine started.
Claire turned sharply toward the street.
“Everyone inside. Now.””
May you like
Because a black vehicle had just pulled up behind her car.
And the man stepping out was carrying a second copy of the same blue envelope.
