Chapter 11 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
The photograph was hidden inside the USB drive.
A woman stood beside a black car.
Dark hair.
Gray eyes.
A familiar expression.
I stared at her for almost a minute.
"Mom."
My father closed his eyes.
"Her name is Evelyn Vale."
"When was this taken?"
"Six months ago."
I stood so quickly the chair fell behind me.
"You knew?"
"I suspected."
"You suspected my mother was alive?"
"I had evidence."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I was protecting you."
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
My father looked wounded.
"I was afraid."
That stopped me.
"My father?"
He nodded.
"I was afraid that if Victor knew Evelyn was alive, he'd use you to find her."
I looked again at the photograph.
"Where is she?"
"We don't know."
Then the screen changed.
A message appeared.
YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.
My heart stopped.
Another message appeared.
COME TO NEW YORK.
ALONE.
My father read it.
"No."
I looked at him.
"I have to go."
"Absolutely not."
"She's my mother."
"We don't know if it's her."
"I'll know."
He stared at me.
Then he sighed.
May you like
"You really are your mother's daughter."
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