Chapter 10: The Man Who K## Chapter 10: The Man Who Knew Reneenew Renee
The photograph stayed on the coffee table long after Denise
The photograph stayed on the coffee table long after Denise finished explaining where she had found finished explaining where she had found it.
Marcus must know what really happened.
Those six words had become an accusation I could neither answer it.
Marcus must know what really happened.
Those six words had become an accusation I could neither answer nor escape. I had spent eight years telling people that Renee's death was nor escape. I had spent eight years telling people that Renee's death was a tragedy, that the doctors had done everything they could, and that there were a tragedy, that the doctors had done everything they could, and that there were no unanswered questions worth reopening.
Now my dead wife's handwriting was telling no unanswered questions worth reopening.
Now my dead wife's handwriting was telling me otherwise.
I looked at Sarah.
“Who is David?””
She sat rigidly in the armchair, her hands clasped so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
me otherwise.
I looked at Sarah.
“Who is David?””
She sat rigidly in the armchair, her hands clasped so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
“I told you what I know.””
“No. You told me what you wanted me to believe.””
“I told you what I know.””
“No. You told me what you wanted me to believe.””
Her eyes filled, but I refused to let her tears endHer eyes filled, but I refused to let her tears end the conversation.
“Did David contact you, or did you contact him?””
“He contacted me.””
the conversation.
“Did David contact you, or did you contact him?””
“He contacted me.””
“How?””
“Through social media. He sent me“How?””
“Through social media. He sent me a message about Renee.””
“What did the message say?””
Sarah swallowed.
“He said he had information about her final days. He said he had a message about Renee.””
“What did the message say?””
Sarah swallowed.
“He said he had information about her final days. He said he had tried to contact your mother before she died, but she refused to speak with him.””
Den tried to contact your mother before she died, but she refused to speak with him.””
Denise leaned forward.
“Did he tell you who he was?””
“He said he had known Renee.””
“Thatise leaned forward.
“Did he tell you who he was?””
“He said he had known Renee.””
“That could mean anything,” I said.
“A coworker, a neighbor, somebody could mean anything,” I said.
“A coworker, a neighbor, somebody she met at the hospital. Why would you let a man you barely knew into our house?””
“ she met at the hospital. Why would you let a man you barely knew into our house?””
“Because he knew things.””
“What things?””
Sarah looked at Michael.
He was sitting beside Denise, holdingBecause he knew things.””
“What things?””
Sarah looked at Michael.
He was sitting beside Denise, holding the photograph in both hands. His expression was distant, but I could see that he was listening.
Sarah the photograph in both hands. His expression was distant, but I could see that he was listening.
Sarah lowered her voice.
“He knew Renee had been admitted to the hospital earlier than we told people. He knew about the complications lowered her voice.
“He knew Renee had been admitted to the hospital earlier than we told people. He knew about the complications. He knew that your mother had visited her privately the day before she died.””
Denise went. He knew that your mother had visited her privately the day before she died.””
Denise went still.
“What did you say?””
Sarah looked at her.
“Your mother visited Renee alone. David still.
“What did you say?””
Sarah looked at her.
“Your mother visited Renee alone. David said she had gone to discuss something with her.””
“That isn't possible,” Denise said.
“ said she had gone to discuss something with her.””
“That isn't possible,” Denise said.
“Why not?””
“Because I was with Mom that afternoon.””
“You weren't inWhy not?””
“Because I was with Mom that afternoon.””
“You weren't in the hospital room the entire time.””
Denise opened her mouth, then stopped.
I turned toward my sister.
“Did Mom the hospital room the entire time.””
Denise opened her mouth, then stopped.
I turned toward my sister.
“Did Mom tell you she spoke with Renee?””
“No. She told me she was going to visit her tell you she spoke with Renee?””
“No. She told me she was going to visit her. I waited in the cafeteria because Renee was tired and didn't want too many people in the room.””
. I waited in the cafeteria because Renee was tired and didn't want too many people in the room.””
I felt a pressure building behind my eyes.
My mother had visited Renee during the final hours of her life.I felt a pressure building behind my eyes.
My mother had visited Renee during the final hours of her life. I had known that. What I hadn't known was that she might have been carrying a secret between them.
“Sarah, what did David want from I had known that. What I hadn't known was that she might have been carrying a secret between them.
“Sarah, what did David want from you?””
She shook her head.
“He said he wanted to find a letter.””
“The letter you you?””
She shook her head.
“He said he wanted to find a letter.””
“The letter you took from Michael's box?””
“Yes.””
“Why couldn't he find it himself?””
“He didn't know where Renee had left it. He said she took from Michael's box?””
“Yes.””
“Why couldn't he find it himself?””
“He didn't know where Renee had left it. He said she had written something that could prove she had been telling the truth.””
“ had written something that could prove she had been telling the truth.””
“About what?””
Sarah began to cry again.
“He wouldn't tell me.””
I leaned forward.
“You keep saying that.About what?””
Sarah began to cry again.
“He wouldn't tell me.””
I leaned forward.
“You keep saying that. You invited a man into our house, allowed him to search through family belongings, and stole something from my You invited a man into our house, allowed him to search through family belongings, and stole something from my son because a stranger promised you answers. Did it son because a stranger promised you answers. Did it ever occur to you that he might be using you?””
Her face crumpled.
“Yes.””
The answer surprised me.
She wiped her cheeks with ever occur to you that he might be using you?””
Her face crumpled.
“Yes.””
The answer surprised me.
She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
“I thought about it after he left. That's why the back of her hand.
“I thought about it after he left. That's why I moved the letter. I didn't want him to come back and take it.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I I moved the letter. I didn't want him to come back and take it.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of David?””
She shook her head.
“Of what the letter might say about you.””
The words settled between us was afraid.””
“Of David?””
She shook her head.
“Of what the letter might say about you.””
The words settled between us.
I stared at her, struggling to understand how my own wife had allowed suspicion to grow in.
I stared at her, struggling to understand how my own wife had allowed suspicion to grow in the space where trust should have been.
“You thought Renee had written something that could the space where trust should have been.
“You thought Renee had written something that could destroy me?””
“I thought she might have been trying to protect you from something.””
“ destroy me?””
“I thought she might have been trying to protect you from something.””
“By leaving a letter addressed to me?””
“I don't know!””
Her voice brokeBy leaving a letter addressed to me?””
“I don't know!””
Her voice broke.
Michael rose from his chair.
“Stop shouting.””
Sarah immediately fell.
Michael rose from his chair.
“Stop shouting.””
Sarah immediately fell silent.
My son looked at her with an exhaustion that seemed far too old for sixteen silent.
My son looked at her with an exhaustion that seemed far too old for sixteen.
“Every time somebody asks you a question, you start yelling. Then everybody gets scared,.
“Every time somebody asks you a question, you start yelling. Then everybody gets scared, and you don't have to answer.””
Sarah stared at him.
For once, she had no and you don't have to answer.””
Sarah stared at him.
For once, she had no defense.
Michael turned to me.
“Dad, can I talk to Aunt Denise upstairs defense.
Michael turned to me.
“Dad, can I talk to Aunt Denise upstairs?””
“Of course.””
He handed Denise the photograph and walked toward the stairs. My sister followed him, leaving me alone with?””
“Of course.””
He handed Denise the photograph and walked toward the stairs. My sister followed him, leaving me alone with Sarah.
I waited until their footsteps disappeared.
“Did David threaten you?””
Sarah stared at her hands.
“ Sarah.
I waited until their footsteps disappeared.
“Did David threaten you?””
Sarah stared at her hands.
“Not directly.””
“What does that mean?””
“He told me that if I found the letter, I shouldNot directly.””
“What does that mean?””
“He told me that if I found the letter, I should read it before I showed it to you. He said you might destroy it.””
“Why would read it before I showed it to you. He said you might destroy it.””
“Why would he say that?””
“Because he believed you were involved in what happened to Renee.””
I stood so abruptly that the coffee table rattled.
“What he say that?””
“Because he believed you were involved in what happened to Renee.””
I stood so abruptly that the coffee table rattled.
“What?””
Sarah flinched.
I forced myself to remain where I was.
“What exactly did he accuse me of?””
“He never made a direct accusation.?””
Sarah flinched.
I forced myself to remain where I was.
“What exactly did he accuse me of?””
“He never made a direct accusation. He asked questions. He wanted to know whether you had argued with Renee that week, whether you had been He asked questions. He wanted to know whether you had argued with Renee that week, whether you had been with her when she signed certain papers, whether you knew about a conversation she had with your with her when she signed certain papers, whether you knew about a conversation she had with your mother.””
“What papers?””
“I don't know.””
“Sarah, if you have been keeping information from me mother.””
“What papers?””
“I don't know.””
“Sarah, if you have been keeping information from me because a stranger convinced you that I might have caused my wife's death, you need to tell me because a stranger convinced you that I might have caused my wife's death, you need to tell me everything.””
She covered her face.
“I never believed you killed her.””
“But you believed there was something to everything.””
She covered her face.
“I never believed you killed her.””
“But you believed there was something to hide.””
She lowered her hands.
“Yes.””
I felt the truth of that admission more hide.””
She lowered her hands.
“Yes.””
I felt the truth of that admission more sharply than I expected.
For months, she had been searching through the remains of my first sharply than I expected.
For months, she had been searching through the remains of my first marriage, looking for evidence of something she could not even name. And instead of coming to me, she marriage, looking for evidence of something she could not even name. And instead of coming to me, she had decided that the best way to protect herself was to take a grieving boy had decided that the best way to protect herself was to take a grieving boy's most precious possession.
“Where can I find David?””
Sarah shook's most precious possession.
“Where can I find David?””
Sarah shook her head.
“I only have his messages.””
“Show me.””
She her head.
“I only have his messages.””
“Show me.””
She retrieved her phone from her purse and unlocked it with trembling fingers. She scrolled through several conversations retrieved her phone from her purse and unlocked it with trembling fingers. She scrolled through several conversations before handing it to me.
The account used a photograph of a man standing before handing it to me.
The account used a photograph of a man standing beside a car. His face was partially obscured by sunglasses.
The messages were short.
* beside a car. His face was partially obscured by sunglasses.
The messages were short.
Did you find the box?
You need to look again.
Renee didn't leave thatDid you find the box?
You need to look again.
Renee didn't leave that letter for nobody to read.
And, from three days earlier:
letter for nobody to read.
And, from three days earlier:
If Marcus sees it first, you may never learn what happened.
If Marcus sees it first, you may never learn what happened.*
I read the final message twice.
Then I opened the account details.
There was no full name, no workplace, and no publicI read the final message twice.
Then I opened the account details.
There was no full name, no workplace, and no public profile beyond a handful of photographs.
“Have you met him anywhere besides our house?””
“No.””
“Did he tell you how he knew Renee?””
“He said they had profile beyond a handful of photographs.
“Have you met him anywhere besides our house?””
“No.””
“Did he tell you how he knew Renee?””
“He said they had worked together.””
“Where?””
“He wouldn't say.””
I handed the phone back.
“This man could worked together.””
“Where?””
“He wouldn't say.””
I handed the phone back.
“This man could be anybody.””
“I know.””
“And you let him into our home.””
Sarah bowed be anybody.””
“I know.””
“And you let him into our home.””
Sarah bowed her head.
“I know.””
I walked to the window, needing distance from her.
Outside, the morning sun sh her head.
“I know.””
I walked to the window, needing distance from her.
Outside, the morning sun shone over the neighboring houses. A delivery truck rolled past.one over the neighboring houses. A delivery truck rolled past. Somewhere down the street, a child laughed.
Ordinary life continued while mine seemed to be unraveling one Somewhere down the street, a child laughed.
Ordinary life continued while mine seemed to be unraveling one concealed truth at a time.
Then Sarah spoke again.
“Marcus, there's something I didn't concealed truth at a time.
Then Sarah spoke again.
“Marcus, there's something I didn't tell you about the hospital.””
I turned.
“What?””
“The day Renee died, your mother gave tell you about the hospital.””
I turned.
“What?””
“The day Renee died, your mother gave me something.””
I felt my heartbeat slow into a heavy, deliberate me something.””
I felt my heartbeat slow into a heavy, deliberate rhythm.
“What did she give you?””
“A folded rhythm.
“What did she give you?””
“A folded piece of paper.””
“What was on it?””
“I never read the whole thing.””
I stared at her.
“Why not?””
“Because she told me it wasn't piece of paper.””
“What was on it?””
“I never read the whole thing.””
I stared at her.
“Why not?””
“Because she told me it wasn't mine to read.””
“Then why do you have it?””
Sarah's eyes widened.
She looked toward the hallway, mine to read.””
“Then why do you have it?””
Sarah's eyes widened.
She looked toward the hallway, then back at me.
“I thought I'd lost it.””
“Where did you last see it?””
“In the walnut then back at me.
“I thought I'd lost it.””
“Where did you last see it?””
“In the walnut box.””
I closed my eyes.
Another missing piece. Another thing that had been taken from Michael without his permission.
box.””
I closed my eyes.
Another missing piece. Another thing that had been taken from Michael without his permission.
When I opened them, Sarah was watching me with a terrible realization spreading across her face.
“The letter wasn't the only thing Renee left,” sheWhen I opened them, Sarah was watching me with a terrible realization spreading across her face.
“The letter wasn't the only thing Renee left,” she whispered.
“No,” I said.
“Apparently, it wasn't.””
And somewhere beyond our walls, a whispered.
“No,” I said.
“Apparently, it wasn't.””
And somewhere beyond our walls, a man named David was waiting for us to discover what my first wife had tried to preserve.
May you like
This time, I man named David was waiting for us to discover what my first wife had tried to preserve.
This time, I would not let anybody decide that my son wasn't entitled to the would not let anybody decide that my son wasn't entitled to the truth.
