Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Julian stared at the photograph until the edges blurred.
His mother had died in a car fire on Lake Shore Drive.
He had identified her bracelet at the morgue.
He had buried an empty casket because the remains were too damaged to view.
But the photograph was dated three weeks earlier.
Ortiz examined it.
“It could be altered.”
“It isn’t,” Pike said. “I saw her myself.”
Julian grabbed the front of Pike’s shirt.
“Where?”
“A private rehabilitation center outside Milwaukee. Vale Holdings pays the bills through a shell company.”
Serena looked at Pike.
“My brother kept his mother alive?”
“Not his mother,” Pike said. “Julian’s.”
Julian released him.
The betrayal no longer fit inside one night.
It reached back more than a decade.
Detective Ortiz received a call from the hospital.
Rachel was awake.
At her bedside, Julian found his sister pale and furious.
“I didn’t transfer the money,” she said.
“I know.”
“They copied my authorization token.”
“Who?”
Rachel glanced toward the door.
“Mom.”
Julian’s throat tightened.
“You knew she was alive?”
“I found out six weeks ago. Graham sent me proof and said he would let us see her if I gave him access to the company.”
“You should have told me.”
“I was afraid you’d destroy everything before I could reach her.”
Julian turned away.
Rachel began crying.
“She didn’t die in that crash, Julian. Dad staged it after he discovered she’d been selling company information to the Vales. He put her in treatment because she was addicted, paranoid, and dangerous.”
“Dad died two months later.”
Rachel nodded.
“And Mom inherited control of the family trust in secret.”
Serena entered quietly.
Rachel stared at her.
“That’s Graham’s sister.”
“She’s cooperating.”
Rachel laughed without humor.
“For tonight?”
Before Serena could answer, Julian’s phone rang.
A woman’s voice came through.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
Julian stopped breathing.
He knew that voice.
May you like
His mother continued calmly.
“Bring Serena to the old Cross estate by midnight, or Rachel’s confession becomes the least of your problems.”
