Chapter 11 - The Photograph Nobody RecognizedSix months after the garden reopened, I thought the worst was finally behind us.
I was wrong.
The morning began normally.
Lily was sitting at the kitchen table, swinging her little legs beneath the chair while Marcus read through foundation reports.
She had Mr. Bun beside her.
A bowl of strawberries sat untouched in front of her.
"Mommy."
"Yes?"
"Can I go see Grandma?"
"After breakfast."
She frowned.
"I'm not hungry."
Marcus looked over his papers.
"You said that yesterday."
"I was busy."
"Doing what?"
"Looking."
Marcus smiled.
"Looking for what?"
Lily didn't answer.
She slid from her chair.
Then walked toward the hallway.
I followed her.
She stopped beside an old framed photograph.
It showed Marcus at twelve years old, standing beside his parents.
Lily pointed at it.
"Who is that?"
"Marcus's father."
She shook her head.
"Not him."
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
She pointed again.
"That man."
There was another figure reflected faintly in the glass.
Someone standing behind the photographer.
I had never noticed him before.
Marcus came over.
"What are you looking at?"
Lily pointed.
Marcus stared.
His face changed.
"That's impossible."
I remembered hearing those words before.
They never meant anything good.
He removed the photograph from the wall.
Behind it was an envelope.
No name.
No stamp.
Only one sentence written across the front.
FOR THE CHILD WHO NOTICED THE REFLECTION.
Marcus opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Lily.
Taken three days earlier.
She was playing in the garden.
The photograph had been taken from inside the house.
Marcus went completely still.
"Who took this?"
Nobody answered.
Then another photograph fell from the envelope.
It showed Marcus's father.
Richard.
Standing beside a woman I didn't recognize.
On the back were four words.
SHE KNOWS WHERE IT IS.
Marcus looked at me.
"Who is she?"
Before I could answer, Lily whispered:
"That's the lady from Grandma's room."
Marcus turned sharply.
"What lady?"
May you like
Lily pointed toward the stairs.
"The one who doesn't have a face."
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