Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
By noon, the investigators had traced the hospital records.
Daniel Vale had not died.
He had spent years living under another name.
And he had been searching for the daughter Claire believed was lost.
His location was unknown.
But one witness was willing to talk.
Her name was Evelyn Grant.
She had been a nurse at the clinic eighteen years ago.
Ethan found her in a small retirement community outside the city.
Evelyn opened the door and immediately recognized Claire.
“You survived.”
Claire froze.
“You remember me?”
“I remember everything.”
Evelyn invited them inside.
She told them the baby had been born healthy.
A little girl.
Claire had been sedated after complications.
While she slept, a man arrived with documents claiming custody.
Samuel Vale.
“He said the baby was being transferred for specialized care,” Evelyn said.
“Was that true?”
“No.”
Claire covered her face.
Evelyn continued.
“I tried to stop him.”
“What happened?”
“He threatened my family.”
Then Evelyn revealed something worse.
The baby had not been taken by Samuel.
She had been handed to Victor Hale.
“Why?”
“Because Victor financed the clinic.”
Ethan's fists tightened.
“What happened after that?”
Evelyn looked at Claire.
“The baby was placed with another family.”
“Which family?”
“I don't know.”
“But you know the agency.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Starbridge.”
The same name appeared in the ledgers.
Ethan asked, “Why did you keep silent?”
Evelyn looked ashamed.
“Because I was afraid.”
She went into another room and returned with a cassette tape.
“I recorded the conversation.”
They played it.
Samuel's voice filled the room.
“Daniel will never find her.”
Victor replied.
“He doesn't need to.”
“What about the mother?”
“She'll be told the child died.”
Claire began crying.
Then a third voice spoke.
Margaret.
“I'll make sure she never asks questions.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
His mother had been involved from the beginning.
But the recording continued.
Victor said, “And what about Ethan?”
Samuel replied, “He knows nothing.”
Victor laughed.
“He will.”
The tape ended.
Ethan turned to Margaret.
“You helped them steal Claire's daughter.”
Margaret looked at Claire.
“I was told the baby would be safe.”
“You never checked.”
“No.”
“You believed them.”
“Yes.”
Claire's voice was quiet.
“That baby was mine.”
Margaret nodded.
“I know.”
“And you let me mourn her.”
Margaret began sobbing.
Then Ethan's phone rang.
A text appeared.
I CAN GIVE YOU YOUR DAUGHTER BACK.
A location followed.
And beneath it:
COME ALONE.
Claire grabbed his hand.
“No.”
Ethan looked at the message.
The sender's name was hidden.
But one photograph was attached.
A teenage girl with Claire's eyes.
On the back of the image was a handwritten sentence.
May you like
SHE HAS BEEN WATCHING YOU FOR YEARS.
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