Chapter 7 - The Man in the ReflectionLily stepped away from Richard.
“No.”
Richard stared at the screen.
“That isn’t me.”
“It looks like you,” Victoria whispered.
“It isn’t.”
Eleanor’s face hardened.
“Then who?”
Richard moved closer to the screen.
The image was blurred.
The man had Richard’s height.
Richard’s build.
Same jawline.
Same dark overcoat.
Lily’s eyes filled.
“You lied to us.”
“I didn’t.”
“You knew where we lived.”
“Because Father’s files had your address.”
“You knew about Mom.”
“Not until after Father died.”
Victoria watched her brother.
“Richard.”
He turned.
She whispered, “Where were you the night Rose died?”
His face changed.
That was enough to frighten everyone.
“Richard.”
“I was in Boston.”
Eleanor gripped the wheelchair arm.
“Where?”
“At a hotel.”
“Can you prove it?”
“I don’t know. It was three years ago.”
Lily’s voice shook.
“You said you were family.”
“I am.”
“You came into our house.”
“I came because I was trying to help.”
Richard looked toward the screen again.
“That man is not me.”
Then the church office door opened.
A detective entered.
“Everyone needs to step away from the computer.”
Behind him were two federal agents.
Richard raised his hands.
“What’s going on?”
“We received information connecting you to the Bennett crash.”
“From who?”
The detective did not answer.
Richard was taken for questioning.
Lily watched him leave.
She felt betrayed.
Again.
Eleanor reached for her.
Lily moved into her arms.
“I’m tired.”
“I know.”
“Why does everyone lie?”
Eleanor kissed her forehead.
“Sometimes because they’re bad.”
“And sometimes?”
“Because they’re scared.”
“Which one is Richard?”
“I don’t know.”
That night, Eleanor’s condition worsened.
The stress and chemotherapy left her dangerously dehydrated.
Lily slept beside her hospital bed.
At two in the morning, she woke to Eleanor whispering.
“Lily.”
“I’m here.”
“Come closer.”
Lily sat beside her.
Eleanor touched her cheek.
“If I don’t—”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“No.”
“Sweetheart.”
“You promised.”
“I am fighting.”
“Then don’t talk like that.”
Eleanor smiled sadly.
“You are exactly like your mother.”
“Good.”
“She argued with me too.”
“Then she was smart.”
Eleanor laughed weakly.
“I need you to know something.”
Lily’s eyes filled.
“What?”
“If I ever leave before you’re ready—”
“No.”
“Love does not leave when people do.”
Lily shook her head violently.
“I don’t want a lesson.”
“I know.”
“I want you.”
“I know.”
“You said you’d stay.”
Eleanor pulled her closer.
“I’m trying harder than I have ever tried at anything.”
Lily rested her forehead against her grandmother’s.
“Then try harder.”
“I will.”
Christmas morning arrived with snow.
Richard was released.
The image had been enhanced.
It was not him.
It was Gerald Knox’s younger brother, Thomas.
Thomas Knox had worked briefly as Richard’s driver and resembled him enough in poor lighting to create confusion.
The timing of the anonymous evidence implicating Richard suggested Gerald was still manipulating the investigation.
Richard came directly to the hospital.
Lily did not hug him.
But she let him enter.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“I thought you killed my parents.”
“So did the police for several hours.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.”
“It shouldn’t.”
Eleanor smiled faintly.
“She gets her forgiveness skills from me.”
Richard pulled a chair closer.
“They found Gerald.”
“Where?”
“Airport in Montreal.”
Victoria stood.
“He crossed the border?”
“Yes.”
“Did they arrest him?”
“Canadian authorities detained him.”
Lily stared.
“Did he kill Mom?”
Richard’s face became serious.
“He confessed to arranging what he called an intimidation.”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
“He hired Thomas to force your parents off the road.”
Lily’s lips parted.
“The drunk driver?”
“Was unrelated.”
“What?”
“The drunk driver entered the accident seconds afterward.”
Richard explained.
Thomas Knox drove the black SUV.
He forced Daniel’s car toward the shoulder.
Daniel lost control.
Another vehicle, driven by a drunk motorist, struck them.
The official investigation focused on the intoxicated driver.
Thomas disappeared.
Gerald paid for the driver’s legal defense indirectly so investigators would continue treating the crash as a simple DUI fatality.
Lily began crying.
“So Mom and Dad died because she found stolen money?”
Richard nodded.
“I’m sorry.”
Eleanor’s voice became sharp.
“Don’t apologize for monsters.”
Richard looked down.
Victoria sat beside Lily.
“I should have listened to Rose.”
Lily looked at her.
“You thought she was dangerous to your money.”
Victoria cried silently.
“Yes.”
“Were you?”
“Was I what?”
“Scared she would take it?”
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.”
“That’s terrible.”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t kill her.”
“No.”
Lily wiped her eyes.
“That doesn’t make what you did okay.”
“I know.”
Lily turned toward the window.
Snow covered Boston.
Families were opening gifts.
Children were laughing.
And somehow Lily’s Christmas contained confessions, cancer, murder investigations, and a family she had never known existed.
Eleanor touched her hand.
“Hey.”
Lily looked at her.
“Merry Christmas.”
Lily tried to smile.
“This is the weirdest Christmas ever.”
Richard laughed.
Victoria did too.
Even Eleanor smiled.
Then a nurse entered with an envelope.
“This was delivered for Lily.”
No return address.
Inside was a Christmas card.
On the front was a painted angel.
Inside, a handwritten message:
Lily,
Your mother found the truth.
Henry tried to protect it.
There is one final thing Gerald never found.
Ask Eleanor what happened to the baby bracelet.
Lily stared.
Then turned toward her grandmother.
Eleanor had gone completely white.
“What baby bracelet?”
Eleanor closed her eyes.
May you like
And whispered:
“I prayed nobody would ever ask me that.”
