Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN FELICITY SAW
I didn't accuse Rachael.
Not yet.
I had spent too many years learning that the first explanation was often the one someone wanted you to believe.
But I also knew something else.
Felicity had been hurt.
And she had named her mother.
We returned to the hospital immediately.
Rachael sat beside me in the car without speaking.
Finally she whispered,
“I didn't hurt her.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
I looked out the window.
“I know what I know.”
She nodded slowly.
That was all.
When we reached Felicity's room, she was awake.
Her face was still swollen.
Her voice was weak.
But her eyes were clear.
“Dad?”
“I'm here.”
She looked at Rachael.
“Mom.”
Rachael took her hand.
“I'm sorry.”
Felicity swallowed.
“You didn't do it.”
Rachael began crying.
“I know.”
“No.”
Felicity shook her head.
“I mean I saw someone who looked like you.”
That changed everything.
“Tell me.”
“He had your coat.”
Rachael touched her mouth.
“What coat?”
“The brown one.”
Rachael looked at me.
Her old brown coat was missing from the house.
It had disappeared months earlier.
She had assumed she'd left it at work.
Felicity continued.
“He was wearing it.”
“Could you see his face?”
“Not clearly.”
“Did he say anything?”
“He said Mom would understand.”
Rachael closed her eyes.
Felicity looked at me.
“Dad, there was something else.”
“What?”
“He had Grandpa's watch.”
“But you grabbed it.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“He had another one.”
My stomach tightened.
Two watches.
One in Felicity's hand.
One worn by the attacker.
“Why would he need two?”
“I don't know.”
She closed her eyes.
“He said one watch showed the truth.”
“And the other?”
“Showed where the truth was buried.”
I exchanged a look with Hale.
Felicity suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Dad.”
“Yeah?”
“Don't trust Uncle Evan.”
Rachael stiffened.
“Why?”
“He wasn't the one who hit me.”
“Then why not trust him?”
Felicity looked at her mother.
“Because he was there.”
Rachael went pale.
“What?”
“He came before them.”
“What did he do?”
“He told me to give him the watch.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Grandpa told me never to.”
Rachael began shaking.
Hale asked,
“Did Evan threaten you?”
“No.”
“Then what did he do?”
Felicity looked down.
“He cried.”
That surprised all of us.
“He cried?”
She nodded.
“He said he was sorry.”
“For what?”
“He said he had spent half his life believing the wrong person.”
Hale leaned closer.
“What person?”
Felicity closed her eyes.
“He said Dad was the villain.”
Rachael whispered,
“My father?”
Felicity nodded.
Then she looked at me.
“But then he said he was wrong.”
The room fell silent.
Hale's phone rang.
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“We found Evan.”
“Where?”
“Outside Philadelphia.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Arrested?”
“Not yet.”
Rachael stood.
“I need to talk to him.”
Hale blocked her.
“Not alone.”
We found Evan at a roadside motel.
He didn't run.
He opened the door before we knocked.
He looked older than Rachael remembered.
His face was exhausted.
His hands were shaking.
When he saw me, he didn't defend himself.
He simply said,
“I didn't hurt her.”
I believed him.
But belief wasn't evidence.
“You were in my house.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To get the watch.”
“You knew Felicity had it.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because Robert left it to her.”
Rachael stepped forward.
“Dad never mentioned you.”
“He hated me.”
“No.”
Evan laughed bitterly.
“He hated what I knew.”
“What did you know?”
He looked at me.
“Your wife knows.”
Rachael shook her head.
“I don't.”
“You do.”
“No.”
Evan reached into his pocket.
He removed a small photograph.
It showed Robert Mercer standing beside a younger man.
The younger man was holding a briefcase.
I recognized him.
It was Daniel Bennett.
Me.
My blood ran cold.
I stared at the photograph.
“That isn't me.”
Evan shook his head.
“It is.”
The photograph was dated eighteen years ago.
Before I had ever met Rachael.
Before Felicity was born.
I looked at the man again.
Same jaw.
Same eyes.
But impossible.
Hale took the photograph.
“This isn't Daniel.”
Evan nodded.
“I know.”
“Then who is he?”
Evan looked at Rachael.
“Your father called him Daniel.”
Rachael's face drained of color.
“That's impossible.”
“No.”
Evan turned to me.
“Your wife knew him.”
I looked at Rachael.
She was crying now.
“I don't know that man.”
Evan whispered,
“You should.”
Then he handed me the photograph.
On the back were four words.
THE FIRST HUSBAND.
I stared at Rachael.
She shook her head violently.
“No.”
But Evan was already backing away.
“Ask her about the year before you met.”
I stepped toward him.
“What are you saying?”
He looked at me.
“Your wife was married before you.”
Rachael's face crumpled.
“I wasn't.”
Evan opened the door wider.
“Then ask her why her father paid a man to disappear.”
He closed the door.
I turned toward Rachael.
May you like
She couldn't look at me.
And for the first time since we met, I wondered whether the woman I had married had a life I knew nothing about.
