Chapter 11 - THE WOMAN IN THE HIDDEN HOUSE
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Camden's name appeared on the Harborlight registration documents, but the company itself had been dissolved years earlier.
Its final payment had gone to a residential property in western Massachusetts.
The property was registered under a trust controlled by Gideon Rourke.
Marcus found the address before midnight.
Nora wanted to leave immediately.
Holly refused.
“You are eight months pregnant. You're not driving into an unfamiliar property in the middle of the night.”
“My mother is there.”
“We don't know that.”
“We know Camden paid for her care. We know Gideon controlled the facility. We know they moved her without telling anyone. How much more do we need?”
“Enough to make sure you don't walk into a trap.”
Nora hated that Holly was right.
They contacted the district attorney's investigator, who agreed to request an emergency welfare check. The property was isolated, and the investigators wanted to approach it with officers rather than risk alerting anyone.
At six the next morning, Nora sat in the back of Marcus's car as they drove toward the address.
The house appeared at the end of a narrow road.
It was a modest white building with dark shutters and a detached garage. No visible security cameras. No cars in the driveway.
A police vehicle pulled in behind them.
Two officers approached the front door.
They knocked.
No answer.
They knocked again.
A woman appeared in an upstairs window.
Nora stopped breathing.
The woman looked older than the photograph. Her hair was silver, her face thin, and one hand rested against the glass.
But Nora recognized her.
“Mom.”
The woman disappeared from the window.
The officers continued knocking.
Finally, the door opened.
A caretaker stood in the doorway.
“Can I help you?”
The officer showed his badge.
“We're conducting a welfare check.”
The caretaker's eyes moved toward Nora.
Then his face changed.
“She's not supposed to be here.”
Nora stepped forward.
“Where is my mother?”
The caretaker tried to close the door.
The officer stopped him.
Within minutes, they were inside.
Nora found Eleanor sitting in a small upstairs bedroom. A television played quietly in the corner. A tray of untouched food sat on the table.
Her mother looked up.
For a moment, she seemed unable to understand what she was seeing.
Then she whispered, “Nora?”
Nora crossed the room.
“It's me.”
Eleanor reached for her.
Nora dropped to her knees beside the bed and held her mother's hands.
“You're alive.”
Eleanor began to cry.
“I thought they would never let you find me.”
Nora pressed her forehead against their joined hands.
“I found you.”
The caretaker was detained for questioning. He claimed he had been paid to provide Eleanor with food and medication, and that he had been instructed not to allow visitors.
“Who gave you the instructions?” Marcus asked.
The man hesitated.
“Mr. Rourke.”
“Which one?”
The caretaker looked toward the window.
“Gideon.”
Eleanor began shaking.
Nora held her tighter.
“It's okay. He's not here.”
But Eleanor looked at her daughter with terrified eyes.
“Gideon isn't the one you should be afraid of.”
Nora frowned.
“Who, then?”
Eleanor swallowed.
“Camden.”
Nora went still.
“He was here?”
“Last week.”
“What did he want?”
May you like
Eleanor's fingers tightened around Nora's.
“He said he would take the baby when it was born.”
