Chapter 18 - A Mother's Last Promise|
Norah returned to her mother's apartment that evening.
Margaret was sitting at the kitchen table, sorting through old photographs.
She looked up when Norah entered.
"You found the letter."
Norah closed the door.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Margaret sighed.
"Because I wanted you to have a normal life."
"You let me believe Evelyn was dead."
"I believed she was."
"Then why did you contact Isabelle?"
Margaret lowered her eyes.
"Because Evelyn asked me to."
Norah sat opposite her.
"Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"Mom."
Margaret reached for her hand.
"I swear."
Norah wanted to believe her.
But she had spent too much of her life discovering that love and secrecy could exist in the same sentence.
Margaret opened a drawer and removed another envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a woman standing outside a small house.
She wore a scarf.
Her hair was shorter.
But Norah recognized her immediately.
Evelyn.
On the back was a handwritten message.
I am alive. Do not tell Marcus until I know Lily is safe.
Norah began crying.
Margaret continued.
"She contacted me two months after the accident. She was recovering from her injuries and hiding from Voss. She said he had people watching Marcus."
"Why didn't she come home?"
"Because she believed your family was compromised. She didn't know who she could trust."
"Did she ever ask about Lily?"
"Every time."
Norah covered her mouth.
Margaret took another paper from the envelope.
It contained a telephone number.
"She called me last week."
Norah looked up.
"What?"
"She said she was ready to see Lily."
Norah immediately called Marcus.
He arrived within forty minutes.
When Margaret told him everything, he sat down heavily.
"Where is she?"
"She didn't give me an address."
"Then how do we find her?"
Margaret handed him the telephone number.
"She said to call after sunset."
Marcus dialed.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then a woman answered.
"Margaret?"
Marcus couldn't speak.
Norah gently took the phone.
"Evelyn?"
Silence.
Then a breath.
"Who is this?"
"It's Norah. Margaret's daughter."
Another silence.
"How is Lily?"
Norah began crying.
"She's speaking again."
A sob came through the line.
"Oh, my baby."
"She misses you."
Evelyn's voice broke.
"I miss her every day."
Marcus finally spoke.
"Evelyn."
The woman stopped breathing.
"Marcus?"
He closed his eyes.
"Come home."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because Voss still has people watching."
Marcus looked at Daniel.
"We can protect you."
Evelyn was quiet.
Then she said:
"There's something you need to know. The man who arranged the accident wasn't Peter."
Marcus felt his blood run cold.
"Who?"
Evelyn whispered:
"Someone you still trust."
The call ended.
A second later, Norah received a text.
It contained one photograph.
May you like
A man standing beside Marcus at a charity event.
Raymond Cole.
