Chapter 5: The Woman Who Helped Hide My Wife
I didn't remember leaving the facility.
One moment, I was sitting across from Dr. Hayes, staring at him as he accused my mother of being involved in my wife's disappearance.
The next, I was standing beside Marcus's SUV, trying to breathe.
My mother.
Margaret Cole.
The woman who had held me while I cried at Elena's funeral.
The woman who had helped choose the flowers.
The woman who had promised to love Ava when I couldn't find the strength to get out of bed.
I had trusted her with everything.
“Darius,” Evelyn said carefully.
“We need to be certain before making any accusations.””
I looked at her.
“He said my mother was involved.””
“I heard him. But we need evidence.””
Marcus opened the passenger door.
“Let's get home first.””
I didn't move.
“What if my mother knows where Elena is?””
“Then we'll ask her,” he replied.
“What if she's been lying to me for three years?””
Marcus looked away.
That was answer enough.
On the drive home, I called my mother.
She answered on the second ring.
“Darius! Darling, how was the wedding?””
I closed my eyes.
“Mom, I need to see you.””
“Of course. Is everything okay?””
“No.””
A pause.
“What's happened?””
“It's about Elena.””
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then she said quietly:
“Come over.””
We arrived at her house shortly before four.
She was waiting in the living room, wearing a pale blue blouse and holding a cup of tea.
At sixty-eight, Margaret still had the elegant appearance she had maintained throughout her life. Her silver hair was perfectly arranged, and her jewelry matched.
But when she saw the photograph in my hand, the teacup trembled.
“Where did you get that?””
I placed it on the table.
“Room 317.””
Her face went white.
Marcus closed the front door.
Evelyn sat beside me.
I looked at my mother.
“Tell me what happened.””
She put the cup down.
“Darius, this isn't something we should discuss in front of other people.””
“Then start talking.””
She glanced at Evelyn.
“I don't know who you are.””
“Evelyn Brooks. I'm representing your son.””
My mother gave a short, bitter laugh.
“Representing him against his own family?””
I leaned forward.
“Did you know Elena was alive after the accident?””
She didn't answer.
“Mom.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.””
The word was barely audible.
My chest tightened.
“You knew?””
She nodded.
“And you let me bury an empty casket?””
Her face crumpled.
“I thought I was protecting you.””
I stood.
“Protecting me from what?””
“From losing everything.””
I stared at her.
“I had already lost my wife!””
My voice echoed through the room.
My mother began crying.
“Darius, please.””
“Tell me what you did.””
She pressed a tissue against her lips.
“Simone came to me two weeks before the accident. She told me Elena had become dangerous.””
“Dangerous how?””
“She said Elena was planning to leave you. She said she was going to take Ava and disappear.””
I shook my head.
“Elena would never do that.””
“I know that now.””
“You knew her for eight years!””
My mother looked down.
“Simone showed me messages.””
“What messages?””
“Texts. Emails. Photographs.””
“Were they real?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
I stared at her.
“Did you help her?””
Margaret nodded.
“I gave her copies of some of Elena's documents. I told her about the medication Elena had been taking. I thought Simone was trying to help.””
“What documents?””
“Insurance information. Medical forms. Your work schedule.””
I felt sick.
“You gave a stranger my family's private information?””
“She said she was trying to protect Ava!””
“By doing what?””
My mother began sobbing.
“I didn't know about the death certificate. I swear I didn't know.””
I sat down slowly.
“Then what did you know?””
She wiped her cheeks.
“After the accident, Simone called me. She said Elena had survived, but she wasn't expected to recover. She said you had been informed.””
“I was never informed!””
“I know.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
My mother looked at the floor.
“Because Simone told me Elena had asked not to see you.””
I stared at her.
“Did you believe that?””
“I wanted to.””
The admission was worse than any excuse.
Evelyn spoke for the first time.
“Mrs. Cole, did you personally see Elena after the accident?””
My mother hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Once.””
I felt the room spinning.
“When?””
“Friday.””
The day before the funeral.
I stared at her.
“You saw my wife alive the day before I buried her?””
She covered her mouth.
“I was told she was dying.””
“What did she say?””
My mother began shaking.
“She asked me to bring you.””
“And?””
“I said I would.””
“But you didn't.””
She shook her head.
“Simone stopped me.””
I leaned forward.
“How?””
My mother looked at me with terrified eyes.
“She showed me a photograph.””
“What photograph?””
“Of Ava.””
I went still.
“What about Ava?””
“Simone said she could make sure I never saw my granddaughter again.””
My blood ran cold.
“She threatened you with Ava?””
My mother nodded.
“She said she had connections. She said she could prove I was unfit to care for a child. She said she would make sure Ava ended up in a place where nobody would find her.””
Marcus stood.
“That's enough.””
But I raised my hand.
“No. I need to hear everything.””
My mother took a deep breath.
“Simone told me Elena had left something in the hospital. Something that could destroy her.””
“The blue box?””
Margaret nodded.
“She said Elena had evidence of a financial scheme involving Daniel. She wanted me to find it.””
“Why?””
“Because she believed I knew where Elena kept her important documents.””
I remembered the insurance papers.
The beneficiary changes.
The forged signature.
“Did you find anything?””
My mother shook her head.
“No. I only found the box after Elena was gone. Simone took it from me.””
I stared at her.
“Then how did the key end up in Elena's box?””
Margaret looked confused.
“I don't know.””
Evelyn leaned forward.
“Mrs. Cole, who arranged the funeral?””
My mother looked at me.
“Simone handled most of it.””
I felt a cold weight settle in my stomach.
“Did you see the body?””
My mother began crying again.
“No.””
“Did anyone?””
She shook her head.
The room went silent.
Three years.
Three years of grief.
Three years of believing my wife was six feet underground.
And not one person in my family could tell me whether the woman in the casket had been Elena.
I stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, children were riding bicycles along the pavement.
Ordinary life.
The world had continued while mine had been built on a lie.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through.
Weak.
Shaky.
But familiar.
“Darius?””
My heart stopped.
“Who is this?””
A long silence.
Then she whispered:
“It's Elena.””
I couldn't move.
I gripped the phone with both hands.
“No…”
“Darius, listen to me. I don't have much time.””
My knees weakened.
“Where are you?””
“Please don't tell Simone I called.””
“Where are you, Elena?””
I heard a door close on her end.
Then she spoke again.
“I'm alive.””
I began crying.
“Where have you been? What happened? Why didn't you come home?””
She took a shaky breath.
“Because they told me you had chosen Simone.””
“What?””
“They showed me photographs. They told me you had married her. They said Ava had forgotten me.””
I shook my head violently.
“No. No, Elena. I never married her. I was supposed to marry her today.””
A small, broken laugh came through the phone.
“Then Ava saved you.””
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
“Where are you? I'm coming to get you.””
“Not yet.””
“Why?””
“Because there's something you need to know first.””
Her voice dropped.
“Darius, Simone isn't the only person who knows I'm alive.””
I looked toward my mother.
She was staring at me, trembling.
“Who else knows?””
Elena went quiet.
Then she whispered:
“Your mother knows where they kept me. And she knows why they couldn't let me come home.””
I turned toward Margaret.
“Mom?””
My mother slowly stood.
Her face had become completely expressionless.
Then she said something that made the blood drain from my body.
“Darius, hang up.””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Because if Elena is calling you now, it means Simone has already found her.””
And suddenly, from the phone, I heard Elena scream.
“DARIUS, DON'T LET HER—”
The call disconnected.
I stood frozen.
Then another message appeared on my screen.
An unknown number.
It contained a photograph.
Elena was sitting in a small room, her face thinner than I remembered, her hair cut short.
Behind her stood Simone.
And beside Simone was my mother.
The message underneath contained just eight words:
May you like
You have one hour to bring us the recorder.
Or your wife disappears again.
