Chapter 7: The Person in the Photograph
Richard didn’t answer the phone immediately.
He just stared at the screen.
The name flashing across it was enough to change his expression.
“Detective Harris.””
My heart started beating faster.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Three years of unanswered questions.
Three years of wondering what happened to Lily.
And now, somehow, everything had led us back to this dusty room.
Richard finally answered.
“Detective.””
He listened.
His face became more serious with every second.
“Yes.””
A pause.
“No, I understand.””
Another pause.
Then he looked at the photograph in my hand.
“Are you sure?””
I couldn’t hear what the detective said.
But I saw Richard’s hand tighten around the phone.
Finally, he ended the call.
Daniel looked at him.
“What happened?””
Richard didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he looked at the photograph again.
“The police found the person in this picture.””
Nobody spoke.
I looked down at the photo.
The person standing in the doorway was blurred slightly, but there was no denying someone had been there.
Someone who wasn’t supposed to exist in Lily’s story.
“Who is it?”” I asked.
Richard swallowed.
“Her name is Clara Whitmore.””
I frowned.
“Whitmore?””
He nodded.
“My older sister.””
The room went silent.
I looked at Daniel.
His expression was just as confused as mine.
“But you said Lily lived with you after her mother died.””
“She did.””
“And your sister?””
Richard looked away.
“She was supposed to be gone.””
The way he said it made my stomach tighten.
“Gone?””
Richard placed the photograph on the bed.
“My sister Clara disappeared years before Lily came to live with me.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“What do you mean disappeared?””
Richard took a deep breath.
“She left the family after a disagreement. Nobody knew where she went. We thought she moved away.””
“And now she’s in the picture?””
Richard nodded slowly.
“That means she was here.””
I looked at the photo again.
A thousand questions rushed through my mind.
Why would Richard’s missing sister be in Lily’s room?
Why had nobody mentioned her?
And why did Vanessa look terrified when May started talking?
May suddenly spoke.
“That's not the lady.””
Everyone turned toward her.
Richard crouched down.
“What do you mean?””
May pointed at the picture.
“The lady who was there.””
My skin prickled.
“What lady?””
“The one who made Lily cry.””
Richard froze.
Daniel looked at me.
I knelt beside May.
“May, can you tell us what she looked like?””
May thought carefully.
“She had shiny hair.””
“Long hair?””
May nodded.
“And she wore a necklace.””
Richard stared at her.
“What necklace?””
May touched her own neck.
“A blue one.””
I looked at Richard.
He slowly turned toward the small purple box.
Inside was the necklace we had found.
A blue stone hanging from a silver chain.
The room became completely silent.
Richard picked up the necklace.
His hands trembled.
“This belonged to Clara.””
My eyes widened.
“Then why was it here?””
Richard didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
Or maybe because he was afraid of the answer.
A few minutes later, Detective Harris arrived with another officer.
He was older, with tired eyes and a serious expression.
He looked around the room.
“Richard.””
They shook hands.
Then his eyes moved toward us.
“I assume these are the people you mentioned.””
Richard nodded.
“My daughter’s parents.””
Detective Harris looked at May.
“Your daughter?””
I explained.
Not everything.
Just enough.
The detective listened carefully.
Then he looked at the photo.
“We need to take this as evidence.””
Richard handed it over.
The detective examined it.
“Interesting.””
“What?”” Richard asked.
He pointed toward the corner of the photograph.
“Look here.””
We all moved closer.
There was a small reflection in the mirror across the room.
At first, I saw nothing.
Then I noticed it.
Another figure.
Standing outside the doorway.
Not Clara.
Someone else.
The detective looked at Richard.
“There were more people here that night.””
Richard’s face went pale.
“What?””
Detective Harris nodded.
“We always assumed Lily disappeared alone.””
He looked at the photograph.
“But this tells a different story.””
My voice came out quietly.
“Who else was there?””
Nobody answered.
Then Detective Harris looked toward the hallway.
“Richard, there’s something else.””
“What?””
“The person who sent us the original missing-person report.””
Richard frowned.
“What about them?””
The detective hesitated.
“They weren’t a stranger.””
The room felt colder.
“Who was it?””
Detective Harris looked directly at Richard.
“Your wife.””
Richard stepped back.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“That’s impossible.””
Detective Harris’s expression didn’t change.
“Vanessa was the person who told police Lily had run away.””
My heart dropped.
Daniel whispered:
“Why would she do that?””
Nobody answered.
Because the answer was terrifying.
Richard walked out of the room without saying anything.
I followed him.
“Richard.””
He stopped.
For a moment, he looked like a broken man.
“I trusted her.””
His voice cracked.
“I trusted her with Lily.””
Behind us, Detective Harris continued searching the room.
Then suddenly, the officer called out.
“Detective!””
Everyone turned.
The officer was standing beside the closet.
He held something in his hand.
A small piece of fabric.
Purple.
Richard walked closer.
“What is that?””
The officer looked uncomfortable.
“It was hidden behind the wall panel.””
My heart started racing.
“What does it mean?””
The officer looked at Richard.
“We found something else.””
He held up another item.
A small child’s bracelet.
Richard stared at it.
Then whispered:
“That was Lily’s.””
And beneath the bracelet was a message carved into the wood.
May you like
Three words.
“Don’t trust Vanessa.””
