Chapter 5 - The Child Who Never Died
Emily could hear the old grandfather clock ticking in the hallway.
Each second seemed unbearably loud.
“Claire’s baby survived?”
Rosa nodded.
“That is what Charles believed.”
“Then where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
Emily turned the photograph over again.
She survived.
Find my granddaughter.
“Did Nathan know?”
Rosa’s face tightened.
“I think Nathan knew more than anyone.”
Before Emily could ask another question, footsteps sounded outside the office.
Both women froze.
Rosa turned off the desk lamp.
Someone stopped on the other side of the door.
Emily held her breath.
The handle moved.
Locked.
A woman’s voice came from the hallway.
“Rosa?”
Margaret.
Emily exchanged a glance with the maid.
“Open this door.”
Rosa did not move.
Margaret knocked harder.
“I know you’re in there.”
Emily walked over and opened it.
Her mother-in-law stood outside in a silk robe.
Her face changed when she saw the photographs.
“You had no right.”
Emily held up the newborn picture.
“Who is this?”
Margaret’s expression collapsed for half a second.
Then the old control returned.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
“Emily, this does not concern you.”
“My husband tried to drop a chandelier on me while I’m seven months pregnant.”
“I think I’m involved.”
Margaret closed the door behind her.
“Nathan was under enormous pressure.”
Emily stared at her.
“You’re defending him?”
“I am explaining him.”
“He pulled a knife.”
“He panicked.”
“He tried to kill me.”
Margaret’s eyes hardened.
“You don’t know that.”
Emily stepped closer.
“Did Claire’s baby survive?”
Silence.
Margaret looked toward Rosa.
“You should have burned these files years ago.”
Rosa’s voice was quiet.
“Charles told me to protect them.”
“Charles was losing his mind.”
“He was afraid of your son.”
Margaret slapped Rosa.
The sound cracked through the room.
Emily caught Margaret’s wrist before she could strike again.
“Don’t touch her.”
Margaret looked shocked.
Emily released her.
“Tell me where Claire’s daughter is.”
Margaret’s lips trembled.
Then she smiled.
It was the saddest smile Emily had ever seen.
“If I knew that, none of this would be happening.”
Emily stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
Margaret looked at Emily’s stomach.
“It means your baby was never Nathan’s greatest problem.”
She glanced toward the photograph.
“Claire’s child was.”
A phone rang downstairs.
Then another.
Police lights appeared through the windows.
Emily frowned.
“He’s already been arrested.”
Rosa hurried to the window.
Two patrol cars were racing back toward the estate.
Seconds later, the front door opened downstairs.
An officer shouted.
“Mrs. Harrington.”
Emily stepped into the corridor.
“What happened?”
May you like
The officer looked up.
“Nathan Harrington escaped custody during transport.”
