Chapter 4: The Woman in the Ambulance

“Your wife wasn't the only woman there.””

Dr. Martin Hayes's words rang through Daniel's ear while Vanessa stood motionless across the living room.

Daniel tightened his grip on the phone.

“What do you mean?””

“I mean exactly what I said, Mr. Carter. Another woman was present when the ambulance arrived. Your wife has given you an incomplete account of that night.””

“Who was she?””

“I can't explain everything over the phone. There are medical records involved, and I need to verify a few details before discussing them. But I believe you deserve to know what happened to your wife.””

Daniel looked at Vanessa.

She shook her head furiously.

“Tell him you're lying!”” she shouted.

The doctor heard her.

“Is Vanessa with you right now?””

“Yes.””

“Then please don't discuss the details in front of her. Can you come to my office tomorrow morning?””

“Tomorrow is too late. My children are frightened of their stepmother, and I just discovered that she lied about taking my daughter to your clinic.””

There was a pause.

Then Dr. Hayes said, “She never brought Sophie to my clinic.””

Daniel closed his eyes.

He had already suspected the records were false, but hearing it from the doctor made the deception undeniable.

“Can you send me copies of everything you have about Laura's accident?””

“I can arrange a meeting with the hospital's records department. I can't send confidential documents without following the proper procedures.””

“Fine. I'll be there at eight.””

“Mr. Carter, there's one more thing.””

Daniel waited.

“Before Laura died, she asked us to contact a particular person if anything happened to her children. We were unable to reach that person at the time. I've recently discovered that the contact information may have been deliberately changed.””

Daniel's stomach tightened.

“Who was the person?””

“I'd rather tell you in person.””

“Doctor, my wife is standing ten feet away from me, and she looks like she's about to collapse. I need something I can act on tonight.””

“Then please listen carefully. Keep your children somewhere safe. And whatever Vanessa tells you, don't destroy any documents you find.””

The call ended.

Daniel lowered his phone.

Vanessa was staring at him, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“You have to understand,” she said.

“I was trying to protect you.””

“From what?””

“From Laura.””

Daniel stared at her in disbelief.

“My wife is dead, Vanessa. You don't get to blame her for what you're doing now.””

“She wasn't who you think she was!””

“You've said that three times. Give me one fact. One piece of evidence. Something that isn't another accusation.””

Vanessa's eyes darted toward the staircase.

“I can't.””

“Can't or won't?””

She began to cry.

Not the delicate tears she used at charity dinners when someone mentioned a tragedy. These were ugly, desperate sobs that shook her shoulders.

“I had no choice,” she whispered.

Daniel felt no sympathy, only a growing sense of dread.

“You always have a choice.””

“Not when someone is threatening to take everything away from you.””

“Who was threatening you?””

She pressed her palms against her temples.

“You don't understand what Laura did.””

“Then tell me!””

Vanessa recoiled.

For a moment, Daniel thought she might finally confess. Instead, she wiped her cheeks, straightened her blouse, and looked at him with cold determination.

“You want the truth? Ask your mother.””

Daniel went still.

“My mother?””

“Evelyn knows everything.””

His mother lived forty minutes away. She had been the person who helped him care for Ethan after Laura died, and she had adored Sophie from the moment the baby came home from the hospital.

If Vanessa was attempting to drag Evelyn into this to distract him, she had chosen the wrong person.

“Don't involve my mother in your lies.””

“Call her.””

Daniel stared at Vanessa for another moment before pulling out his phone.

He dialed Evelyn's number.

She answered on the fourth ring.

“Daniel? Is everything all right?””

“No. I need you to tell me something about Laura.””

Silence.

His mother had always been quick to fill uncomfortable pauses. This time, she said nothing.

Daniel's blood ran cold.

“Mom?””

“What happened?””

“Did you know Vanessa before I met her?””

Another pause.

Then Evelyn whispered, “Where are the children?””

“Safe. Mom, answer my question.””

“Daniel, please. Not over the phone.””

“Did you know her?””

“Yes.””

The single word hit harder than any accusation Vanessa had made.

Daniel gripped the edge of the kitchen counter.

“How long?””

“I met her through Laura.””

“Before the accident?””

“Yes.””

He heard his own heartbeat.

“Why didn't you tell me?””

“Because Laura asked me not to.””

Daniel laughed once, a short, disbelieving sound.

“Everyone seems to have made promises to my dead wife except me.””

“Daniel, you need to calm down.””

“Don't tell me to calm down. My son is afraid of his stepmother. My daughter hides beneath furniture when she hears her footsteps. And now I find out my own mother knew Vanessa before Laura died.””

“I was trying to protect you.””

“From what?””

His mother began to cry.

“Laura was afraid she wouldn't be able to keep Sophie safe.””

“Safe from whom?””

Evelyn didn't answer.

Daniel's voice dropped.

“Mom, if you know something about my children, you tell me now.””

“I can't explain it over the phone.””

“Then come here.””

“I can't.””

“Why?””

A muffled sound came through the receiver, followed by a sharp intake of breath.

Evelyn whispered, “She's here.””

Daniel froze.

“Who's there?””

Before his mother could answer, the call disconnected.

He immediately called back.

The phone rang six times before going to voicemail.

He tried again.

Nothing.

“What's wrong?”” Vanessa asked.

Daniel turned toward her.

“Who is with my mother?””

Vanessa's expression changed.

“I don't know.””

“Stop lying!””

He slammed his palm against the counter. Vanessa flinched, and for one terrible second, Daniel saw the same reflex in her that he had seen in Ethan.

Fear.

But fear didn't make her innocent.

He called his mother a third time.

No answer.

Then a message appeared.

It was from Evelyn.

Daniel, please don't come here tonight. Someone has been asking questions about Sophie. I need you to listen to me. The woman who came to our house the night Laura died wasn't Vanessa.

A second message appeared.

It was Laura's sister.

Daniel stared at the screen.

Laura had no sister.

At least, that was what he had been told.

He looked up slowly.

Vanessa had gone completely pale.

“Who is Laura's sister?”” he demanded.

She backed away.

“Daniel—”

“Who?””

Vanessa shook her head.

“You need to understand that she isn't safe.””

“Who is she?””

“She was supposed to stay away!””

Daniel moved toward her.

“Give me her name.””

Vanessa's eyes filled with terror.

“Rebecca.””

The name meant nothing to him.

But the way Vanessa said it suggested that Rebecca meant everything to her.

Daniel grabbed his keys.

“Where is she?””

“I don't know!””

“You expect me to believe that?””

“Believe whatever you want, but don't go looking for her!””

“Why?””

Vanessa looked toward the staircase, where the children had disappeared.

“Because if Rebecca finds Sophie first, you'll never see your daughter again.””

Daniel stopped.

He studied his wife's face, searching for some sign that she was inventing another threat.

He found none.

“Why would Rebecca want my daughter?””

Vanessa swallowed.

“Because Sophie is the only person who can prove what happened to Laura.””

Before Daniel could respond, a small voice came from the hallway.

“Daddy?””

Ethan stood at the bottom of the stairs, clutching Sophie's stuffed rabbit.

His face was white.

“Sophie isn't upstairs.””

Daniel's keys slipped from his hand.

“What do you mean?””

Ethan pointed toward the kitchen.

“She was with Mrs. Brooks, but the back door is open.””

Daniel ran.

The kitchen was empty.

The back door stood wide open, curtains moving in the cold evening air. Mrs. Brooks's handbag lay on the floor, and Sophie's little pink shoes were beside the doorway.

Daniel rushed outside.

“Sophie!””

His voice disappeared into the darkness beyond the garden.

Then he heard a car engine starting somewhere down the driveway.

He sprinted toward the gate.

A black sedan was already turning onto the road.

For one second, its rear window caught the glow of the porch light.

A woman's face appeared behind the glass.

Daniel couldn't make out her features.

But he saw the small silver bracelet around her wrist.

The same bracelet he had seen in Laura's wedding photographs.

The car accelerated.

Daniel stood frozen in the driveway, listening to the engine fade into the night.

Behind him, Ethan began to scream.

“Daddy! She took Sophie!””

Daniel turned toward the house.

Vanessa stood in the doorway, one hand covering her mouth.

And for the first time since he had known her, she looked genuinely horrified.

“Rebecca,” she whispered.

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