Chapter 3 - THE SECRET INSIDE MATTHEW'S DRAWING
The following afternoon, Hannah arrived at Romano's twenty minutes early.
She was exhausted.
Her morning shift had been brutal.
Her mother's doctor had also called with another list of tests.
More expenses.
More uncertainty.
More numbers Hannah didn't know how she would pay.
She changed into her uniform in the tiny employee room and checked her phone.
There were three missed calls from her mother.
Hannah immediately called back.
“Mom?”
“I'm okay.”
“You called me three times.”
“I wanted to ask if you're working tonight.”
“Yes.”
“You need to sleep.”
“I know.”
Her mother sighed.
“You always say that.”
Hannah smiled.
“So do you.”
They talked for another minute before hanging up.
Hannah slipped the phone into her pocket.
Then she noticed someone standing in the doorway.
Matthew.
She froze.
He was wearing his school uniform.
Victor stood behind him.
“I thought we weren't open yet,” Hannah said.
“We're early,” Victor replied.
Matthew walked straight toward her.
He held something in his hand.
A folded piece of paper.
“I made this for you.”
Hannah crouched.
“For me?”
He nodded.
She accepted it.
When she opened the paper, she saw a drawing.
It showed three people standing beneath a large yellow sun.
One was clearly Matthew.
One was a woman with dark hair.
The third figure was a tall man in a black suit.
Hannah smiled.
“Who's this?”
She pointed to the woman.
“You.”
“And this?”
“Dad.”
Hannah looked at the drawing again.
Something about it disturbed her.
Not the people.
The background.
Behind them was a large gray building.
And beside the building was a red door.
“What is this?”
Matthew suddenly became quiet.
Victor stepped closer.
“Matthew.”
The boy folded the drawing quickly.
“I don't want to talk about it.”
Victor's face changed.
“Who told you to draw that?”
“No one.”
“Matthew.”
The boy looked frightened.
Hannah intervened.
“Maybe he doesn't want to talk about it.”
Victor looked at her.
Then at his son.
For a moment, Hannah expected him to insist.
Instead, he simply nodded.
“Okay.”
Matthew relaxed.
Hannah smiled at him.
“You can tell me when you're ready.”
He nodded.
Then he whispered something.
“What?”
“I saw the red door again.”
Victor went completely still.
Hannah looked between them.
“What does that mean?”
Victor's voice was quiet.
“Nothing.”
But Hannah knew immediately that he was lying.
That evening, Matthew barely touched his food.
Victor kept checking his phone.
Finally, he excused himself and walked outside.
Hannah was carrying dishes toward the kitchen when she noticed Matthew staring at the restaurant entrance.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded.
Then he whispered.
“There's a man outside.”
Hannah looked through the window.
Across the street stood a tall man beneath a black umbrella.
He was watching the restaurant.
Hannah's stomach tightened.
She looked back at Matthew.
“How do you know?”
“I remember him.”
“From where?”
Matthew's lips trembled.
“From before.”
Before what?
Hannah never got the chance to ask.
Victor returned.
The moment he saw his son's face, his expression hardened.
“Who?”
Matthew pointed toward the window.
Victor turned.
The man across the street was already gone.
Victor immediately pulled out his phone.
“Michael.”
He spoke quietly.
“Check the east entrance.”
Then he turned to Hannah.
“You need to stay inside.”
Hannah frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
She crossed her arms.
“That isn't an explanation.”
Victor stared at her.
For several seconds neither moved.
Then he lowered his voice.
“Someone has been following my son.”
Hannah's expression changed.
“Who?”
“I don't know yet.”
“Does this happen often?”
Victor didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Later that night, after the restaurant closed, Victor remained in the dining room.
Matthew was asleep in one of the private booths.
Hannah was finishing her cleaning duties when Victor approached her.
“You should go home.”
“I will.”
He hesitated.
“My son trusts you.”
Hannah looked at him.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
Victor glanced toward Matthew.
“He hasn't trusted anyone outside our family in a long time.”
Hannah didn't know what to say.
Victor reached into his coat and removed a business card.
“If anything strange happens, call me.”
Hannah accepted it.
“What exactly counts as strange?”
Victor looked directly into her eyes.
“Someone asking questions about you.”
The next morning, Hannah woke to find an envelope beneath the door of her apartment.
There was no name.
No return address.
Inside was a single photograph.
It showed Matthew sitting at Romano's.
The picture had been taken through the window.
On the back were five handwritten words.
STAY AWAY FROM THE DAVIS FAMILY.
Hannah's hands began to shake.
Then her phone rang.
It was Victor.
“How did you get my number?” she asked.
“Your number was on the employment emergency contact form.”
Hannah stared at the photograph.
“Victor.”
“What happened?”
“I think someone is watching me.”
Silence.
Then Victor's voice changed.
“Lock your door.”
“I already did.”
“Don't leave your apartment.”
“Why?”
“Because I think I know who sent the photograph.”
Hannah swallowed.
“Who?”
Victor paused.
Then he said a name she had never heard before.
“Eleanor Davis.”
Hannah frowned.
“Who is Eleanor?”
Victor's answer came quietly.
“My wife.”
Hannah's blood ran cold.
May you like
“Your wife?”
“She died three years ago.”
