Chapter 10 - The Photograph That Shouldn't Exist
I didn't sleep.
Neither did Rico.
At four in the morning, we sat across from each other at the safe house's kitchen table.
Between us lay the photograph.
Elena.
My mother.
A bright red awning behind them.
Both women looking directly at the camera.
The timestamp printed in the corner said August 12.
Two months ago.
I checked it again.
And again.
“It has to be altered.”
Rico nodded slowly.
“That's possible.”
“Or the date is wrong.”
“Also possible.”
I rubbed my forehead.
“But what if it isn't?”
Neither of us answered.
Rico turned the photograph over.
There was an address written on the back.
A street in Red Hook.
And underneath it, two words.
Ask Nora.
“Nora?” I repeated.
Rico frowned.
“Elena's older sister.”
I looked up.
“Where is she?”
“Philadelphia.”
“Have you spoken to her?”
“Not since the funeral.”
“Why?”
His face tightened.
“She blamed me for Elena's death.”
I studied him.
“Did you blame yourself?”
He stared at the photograph.
“Every single day.”
The honesty surprised me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he reached for his phone.
“I'll call her.”
It took three attempts.
On the fourth, a woman answered.
“What do you want, Rico?”
Her voice was sharp.
Tired.
He closed his eyes.
“Nora, I need to ask you something.”
“No.”
“It's about Elena.”
Silence.
Then, “You don't get to use my sister to make yourself feel better.”
“I found something.”
“Then give it to the police.”
“Nora, please.”
Something in his voice must have reached her.
She didn't hang up.
He continued.
“I found a photograph of Elena taken after the date on her death certificate.”
There was no sound on the other end.
Then Nora whispered, “Where did you get that?”
Rico straightened.
“You've seen it?”
“Rico.”
“Answer me.”
Her voice changed.
“Is Leo safe?”
My heart started pounding.
Rico's eyes met mine.
“Yes.”
“Are you alone?”
“No.”
“Who's with you?”
“A woman named Clara Vance.”
A sharp intake of breath.
Nora went silent.
Then she said, “Put Clara on the phone.”
I took it.
“Hello?”
“Is your mother Rose Vance?”
“Yes.”
“Has she told you everything?”
I looked at Rico.
“I don't think so.”
Nora exhaled shakily.
“Then listen carefully. My sister made arrangements in case someone came after her.”
“What arrangements?”
“She trusted your mother.”
“Why?”
“Because Rose once helped her escape.”
I froze.
“Escape from whom?”
Nora's voice became very quiet.
“From Vincent.”
I glanced at Rico.
“Vincent was threatening Elena?”
“For months.”
“Why didn't she tell her husband?”
“She tried. But Rico was drowning in business problems, and every time she brought up Vincent, they argued.”
Rico looked down.
I felt an ache in my chest.
Not because he was innocent of every mistake.
But because I could see exactly how heavily he carried them.
Nora continued.
“Elena learned that Vincent had diverted millions from Leo's inheritance. She gathered proof.”
“And then?”
“She discovered something worse.”
I gripped the phone.
“What?”
Nora hesitated.
“Vincent was arranging for a judge to declare Rico unfit to manage his son's trust.”
Rico looked up sharply.
“Why?”
“Because if something happened to Rico, Vincent would become the temporary trustee.”
Rico stood.
The chair scraped backward.
“And he could take the money.”
Nora's voice shook.
“The money was only part of it.”
A long pause.
“He wanted control of Leo.”
I looked toward the stairs.
My skin prickled.
“Why would he want a three-year-old?”
Nora began crying.
“Because Elena had started documenting the things Vincent was doing.”
“Like what?”
“Threats. Bribes. Violence. She had names.”
Rico leaned toward the phone.
“Nora, where's Elena?”
Silence.
“Nora?”
When she spoke again, she sounded frightened.
“I don't know whether she's alive.”
Rico closed his eyes.
“But she might be?”
“Yes.”
I covered my mouth.
Nora continued.
“There was no open-casket funeral for a reason.”
Rico's face twisted.
“I was told the injuries were too severe.”
“I know.”
He stared at the phone.
“Who identified her?”
Nora whispered, “Vincent arranged everything.”
The kitchen went silent.
Then Nora said something that changed the entire investigation.
“Rico, if you want to know what happened to my sister, go to the address on that photograph.”
I looked at the writing.
Red Hook.
“What's there?” I asked.
Nora took a shaky breath.
“A women's medical clinic.”
I frowned.
“And?”
“Elena was treated there after the shooting.”
Rico gripped the table.
May you like
Nora's next words came out barely above a whisper.
“Three weeks ago, someone used her name to request a new prescription.”
