Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Sarah arrived the next morning with two investigators.
She photographed every page.
Emma sat beside Margaret at the dining table.
Neither woman had slept.
Sarah finally spoke.
"There's something you need to see."
She placed a photograph on the table.
It was the same woman Emma had seen with Daniel outside the hotel.
"Her name is Victoria Hale."
Emma stared.
"Who is she?"
"Daniel's financial consultant."
Margaret frowned.
"Why would a financial consultant meet him privately?"
Sarah answered.
"Because she isn't just his consultant."
She placed another document beside the photograph.
Victoria's company had received millions from businesses connected to Daniel.
Emma felt sick.
"He's laundering money."
"That's what it looks like."
Margaret suddenly whispered.
"Then the papers my husband found..."
Sarah nodded.
"They may prove it."
Emma remembered the notebook.
"There's more."
She opened it.
A hidden page contained a series of numbers.
Sarah examined them.
"These are account references."
"Can you trace them?"
"Possibly."
Emma's phone rang.
Daniel.
She answered.
"What do you want?"
His voice was quiet.
"I need to see you."
"No."
"Emma, please."
"You lied to me."
"I was protecting you."
"From what?"
Silence.
"From my father."
Emma closed her eyes.
"Why did you know about the storage unit?"
"Because your father told me."
She froze.
"What?"
"He contacted me before he died."
"Why?"
"He wanted me to help expose my father."
Emma stared at Margaret.
Daniel continued.
"I was young, Emma. I was scared."
"Then why did you become like him?"
"I didn't."
"You lied."
"I made mistakes."
"You hurt my mother."
"I swear I didn't mean to."
Emma's voice hardened.
"Did you hit her?"
"No."
"Did you push her?"
A long silence followed.
Emma's heart sank.
"I lost control."
She closed her eyes.
"You did."
"Emma..."
"Don't call me again."
She ended the call.
Sarah watched her carefully.
"You still love him."
Emma wiped her eyes.
"I loved the man I thought he was."
Sarah nodded.
"Then don't let that love stop you from surviving the man he became."
Outside the window, the same black SUV appeared.
This time it stopped.
A man stepped out.
May you like
He looked directly toward Emma's apartment.
And smiled.
