Chapter 16 - The Mother Who Wasn't DeadMy mother had died when I was six.
At least, that was what I had been told.
A car accident.
No body.
No funeral I remembered.
Only a photograph.
For years, I believed the story.
Now Daniel was telling me it had all been a lie.
Marcus asked:
"Where is she?"
Daniel looked at me.
"That's the question."
We searched the old records.
Nothing.
No death certificate.
No hospital record.
No burial.
Nothing.
Then Lily spoke.
"Mommy."
I turned.
"What?"
She pointed at an old photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside Eleanor.
I had never seen it before.
Behind them was a building.
A small white house.
Lily pointed.
"That's where Grandma goes."
Marcus stared.
"How would she know?"
I looked at the photograph.
Then recognized the building.
It was the old caretaker's cottage.
On the edge of the estate.
We had never used it.
Marcus unlocked the door.
Inside was dust.
A table.
A bed.
A small kitchen.
Nothing else.
Then Lily walked toward the wall.
She touched a painting.
"Here."
Marcus removed it.
Behind it was a small compartment.
Inside sat a tape recorder.
And a cassette.
The label said:
FOR ELENA'S DAUGHTER.
My hands shook.
I pressed play.
A woman's voice filled the room.
My mother's voice.
"If you're hearing this, then I'm sorry."
I stopped breathing.
"I couldn't tell you the truth because they would have killed you."
A pause.
"The money belongs to the Carter family."
Another pause.
"But it was never meant to make you rich."
My mother continued.
"It was meant to protect you."
Then she said the sentence that changed everything.
"Marcus Cole will eventually find this recording."
Marcus stared at the machine.
My mother's voice continued.
"When he does, trust him."
The tape clicked.
Then one final sentence.
"But don't trust his mother."
Eleanor.
Marcus looked at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Then Lily whispered:
"Mommy."
I turned.
She was looking through the window.
Someone was standing outside.
A woman.
Watching us.
May you like
My daughter smiled.
"That's Grandma's sister."
