Chapter 7 - The Photograph After the Disappearance
Daniel turned toward his mother.
"You knew she was alive?"
Margaret looked at Mrs. Lewis with betrayal.
"You promised."
"I promised Richard."
"Then keep his promise."
Mrs. Lewis shook her head.
"Richard is dead."
Daniel held up the photograph.
"Where was this taken?"
Mrs. Lewis answered.
"New Jersey."
"Who sent it?"
"Thomas."
Margaret closed her eyes.
Daniel stared at her.
"You received proof Claire was alive."
"Yes."
"When?"
"Two days after she disappeared."
"And you didn't tell police?"
"No."
Daniel backed away as though physically struck.
Emily moved beside him.
"Why?"
Margaret's voice broke.
"Thomas said if police continued searching, he would disappear permanently with her."
"He already had."
"He promised to return her."
"You believed him?"
"I wanted to."
"Did Dad know?"
"Yes."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"Of course."
Margaret stood.
"He demanded money."
"How much?"
"Two million dollars."
"In 1999?"
"Yes."
"And Dad paid."
"Half."
"What happened?"
"Thomas sent another message."
Margaret looked at the old washing machine.
"He wanted more."
Daniel whispered, "Did he ever return Claire?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"We lost contact."
"How?"
"Thomas disappeared."
"And you let the investigation go cold."
"We tried privately."
"Privately."
Daniel said the word with disgust.
Margaret flinched.
"Richard hired investigators."
"Who?"
"Several."
"Names?"
"I don't remember all of them."
Mrs. Lewis spoke.
"One was Harold Price."
Margaret stared at her.
Daniel asked, "Who is Harold Price?"
Mrs. Lewis answered.
"A former detective."
"Is he alive?"
"I think so."
They found him by evening.
Harold Price was seventy-six and living in Pennsylvania.
Daniel called.
The moment Harold heard the Carter name, he tried to end the conversation.
Daniel refused.
"My sister disappeared twenty-seven years ago."
"I know."
"My mother says my father hired you."
Silence.
"Mr. Price."
"Your father paid me to find Thomas Carter."
"Did you?"
Another silence.
"Yes."
Daniel gripped the phone.
"Where?"
"North Carolina."
"When?"
"2003."
Four years after Claire disappeared.
"Was Claire with him?"
Harold breathed out.
"No."
"Did Thomas tell you where she was?"
"He claimed she was dead."
Margaret cried out.
Daniel closed his eyes.
"How?"
"He wouldn't say."
"Did you believe him?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I searched his motel room."
"What did you find?"
"A photograph of Claire taken less than six months earlier."
Daniel opened his eyes.
She had been alive in 2003.
Eight years old.
"Where was the photo taken?"
"I couldn't identify it."
"Do you still have it?"
"No."
"Who does?"
"Your father."
Daniel looked at Margaret.
She shook her head.
"I never saw it."
Harold continued.
"Richard ordered me to stop."
"Why?"
"He said Thomas had contacted him directly."
"What did Thomas want?"
"Something that had nothing to do with money."
"What?"
Harold hesitated.
"A recording."
Daniel looked toward the laundry room.
"What recording?"
"I don't know."
"Then why stop looking for Claire?"
"Richard said Thomas threatened you."
Daniel stopped.
"Me?"
"He knew where you went to school."
Emily felt Noah move closer to her.
History was repeating itself.
Harold continued.
"Your father believed pursuing Claire would put you in danger."
Daniel whispered, "So he chose me."
No one answered.
Daniel ended the call.
He sat alone for several minutes.
Then Noah entered.
Emily had tried keeping him away from the investigation.
But children understood more than adults thought.
He climbed beside his father.
"Was Claire your sister?"
Daniel nodded.
"Did Grandma lose her?"
Daniel looked toward Margaret.
"No."
Margaret began crying.
Daniel continued.
"Somebody took her."
Noah considered this.
"Did they hide something?"
Emily looked at him.
"Why would you ask that?"
Noah shrugged.
"Because Grandma hides stuff."
Margaret stiffened.
"What stuff?"
Noah looked nervous.
Emily crouched.
"It's okay."
He whispered, "There's a little black thing in the broken wall."
Margaret stood suddenly.
"What black thing?"
May you like
Noah pointed toward the service wing.
"The USB."
