Chapter 4: The Woman in the Photograph
By noon, my entire childhood had become evidence.
Detective Shaw arranged for an officer to escort us to a secure interview room while investigators attempted to locate Aunt Rosa.
My mother sat beside me.
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, I turned toward her.
"Did you know my father was meeting Rosa?""
"No.""
"Did you suspect?""
She shook her head.
"Your father told me she had moved away after our separation.""
I frowned.
"Our separation?""
My mother looked at me.
"Before the accident, I had considered divorcing him.""
I leaned back.
"Why?""
"Because of the money. And because I found messages between him and another woman.""
I stared at her.
"Was he having an affair?""
"I don't know if it was an affair. I know he was paying her.""
"Who?""
My mother hesitated.
"Someone named Victoria.""
I searched my memory.
The name sounded familiar.
Then I remembered a woman who used to visit our house when I was younger.
She had long blonde hair and wore expensive perfume.
My father introduced her as a business associate.
She always brought gifts.
A dollhouse for my tenth birthday.
A silver bracelet for my twelfth.
I remembered my mother quietly removing those gifts from my bedroom.
"She used to come to our house.""
My mother nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because you were a child.""
I looked away.
There were so many things I hadn't known.
So many conversations that had happened behind closed doors.
A knock interrupted us.
Detective Shaw entered with another officer.
"We located Rosa Alvarez.""
My mother stood.
"Where?""
"She's at the station.""
"Is she cooperating?""
The detective hesitated.
"Not exactly.""
A few minutes later, Aunt Rosa was brought into the room.
She looked older than I remembered.
Her hair was almost completely white, and her face seemed thinner. She wore a beige cardigan and carried a large leather handbag.
When she saw me, she stopped.
"Lena.""
I didn't move.
"Hello, Aunt Rosa.""
She approached slowly.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
She opened her arms.
I remained seated.
Her arms fell to her sides.
"I see," she whispered.
I looked at her.
"Did you help Dad bury my mother?""
She glanced at Detective Shaw.
"That's not how it happened.""
"Then tell me how it happened.""
Rosa sat down.
"Your mother was in a terrible accident. Your father was devastated.""
"Was she dead?""
Rosa looked at my mother.
Then back at me.
"I believed she was.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her handbag.
My mother leaned forward.
"Rosa, you knew I was alive.""
Rosa's eyes filled.
"I knew you survived.""
"Then why didn't you tell Lena?""
"Because Marco threatened me.""
My mother gave a bitter laugh.
"Marco threatened you?""
"He said he would destroy everything. My home. My business. My children.""
"You helped him.""
"I was trying to protect my family!""
I stood.
"What about mine?""
Rosa looked at me.
"What?""
"What about my family? What about my mother? What about me?""
She began crying.
"I was afraid.""
I felt something harden inside me.
"That's what everyone keeps saying. You were afraid. Dad was afraid.
Uncle Daniel was afraid. Apparently, everyone was so afraid that nobody cared whether I grew up believing my mother was dead.""
Rosa covered her mouth.
My mother reached for my hand.
I pulled it away.
Not because I wanted to hurt her.
Because I couldn't bear anyone touching me.
Detective Shaw placed a photograph on the table.
It showed a hospital corridor.
A woman in a wheelchair was visible near the end.
My mother.
"Do you recognize this?"" the detective asked Rosa.
Rosa nodded.
"Yes.""
"When was it taken?""
"Three days after the accident.""
"Who took it?""
Rosa stared at the photograph.
"I did.""
My mother closed her eyes.
I looked between them.
"You visited her?""
Rosa nodded.
"And you knew she was alive?""
"Yes.""
My voice cracked.
"Then you helped Dad tell me she was dead.""
Rosa began sobbing.
"I didn't know what else to do.""
My mother spoke quietly.
"You could have told the truth.""
Rosa looked at her.
"You don't understand what Marco was capable of.""
"Then explain it.""
Rosa swallowed.
"He came to my house the night after your accident. He had blood on his shirt.""
My mother went rigid.
"What?""
"He said the crash hadn't gone according to plan.""
My stomach dropped.
"Plan?""
Rosa looked at me.
Then she nodded.
"He told me someone had been hired to make sure you never reached home.""
My mother gripped the table.
"Who hired them?""
Rosa's eyes moved toward the door.
"Daniel.""
The room fell silent.
My mother stared at her sister-in-law.
"You knew?""
"I found out afterward.""
"You knew my own brother arranged it?""
Rosa nodded.
"Daniel said you had discovered the accounts. He said you were going to destroy the family.""
I could barely hear my own breathing.
"And Dad?""
Rosa wiped her cheeks.
"Marco knew about the plan.""
My mother stood so quickly that her chair fell backward.
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
"Marco would never—"
Rosa looked at her.
"He gave Daniel the money.""
My mother stumbled back.
I reached for her.
This time, she let me hold her.
Detective Shaw quietly gathered the photographs.
"Mrs. Alvarez, we're going to need a formal statement.""
Rosa nodded.
Then she looked directly at me.
"There's something else you need to know.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
She opened her handbag and removed a small envelope.
It was sealed with an old strip of tape.
"I kept this because I couldn't bring myself to destroy it.""
My mother stared at the envelope.
"Where did you get that?""
Rosa placed it on the table.
"From Marco's office. The night he told me Elena was dead.""
Detective Shaw put on gloves.
She opened the envelope.
Inside was a printed photograph.
It showed my mother sitting in a hospital bed.
Her eyes were closed.
A man stood beside her.
I recognized him immediately.
Daniel.
But there was something written on the back of the photograph.
A short sentence.
If she wakes up, finish what we started.
And beneath it were two signatures.
Daniel Brooks.
May you like
Marco Alvarez.
My father's handwriting was unmistakable.
