Chapter 8 - The Daughter No One Knew About
Julian stared at his father.
Mara sat down.
“What?”
Charles looked at the floor.
“Elena was pregnant when she left.”
Julian felt the airport noise disappear.
“My sister?”
“Half-sister.”
“Where is she?”
Charles closed his eyes.
“I don’t know.”
“That is not an answer.”
“I knew once.”
Mara whispered, “What was her name?”
“Anna.”
The name hit Mara.
“My mother used to say Elena loved the name Anna.”
Charles nodded.
“Elena moved west. Changed names. Married once.”
“And you sent money.”
“Yes.”
“Did Mom know?”
“No.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“Of course not.”
Charles looked at him.
“When?”
Silence.
“Before she died?”
Julian’s mother had died eight years earlier.
Charles looked away.
“No.”
Julian stood.
“You lied to everyone.”
“I was protecting—”
Charles stopped.
Mara asked, “Why did the payments stop in 2018?”
Charles hesitated.
“Elena disappeared again.”
“What?”
“Yes.”
“Did you find her?”
“No.”
“And Anna?”
“Gone too.”
Julian looked at the plane ticket.
“You were going to Arizona because?”
“I got a letter.”
No return address.
Inside:
Charles,
If you want the truth about Anna, come alone.
Phoenix. Tuesday.
Bring the portrait.
Julian stared.
“The portrait?”
Charles nodded.
Mara whispered, “Why?”
No one knew.
Then Julian remembered the crack.
The painted doorway.
Maybe the portrait contained more than symbolism.
They returned to the mansion instead of boarding the flight.
He sounded nervous when Julian mentioned the crack.
“What photograph?”
Charles froze.
“I never gave you an old photograph.”
Marcel went silent.
May you like
Then said:
“Then someone else did.”
