Chapter 6: The Photograph That Changed Everything
I drove home so fast that I barely remembered the journey.
Vanessa was waiting in the living room with the photograph inside a transparent plastic sleeve.
She had placed it on the coffee table.
I approached slowly.
There was Danielle.
Her hair was tied back, and she wore the blue cardigan she'd loved so much.
Beside her stood Tasha.
They were outside the hospital entrance.
Both women were smiling.
I picked up the photograph.
On the back was a date.
Three weeks before Danielle died.
I read it twice.
“Where did you find this?””
“In the music box,” Vanessa answered.
“It was tucked underneath the velvet lining.””
I turned the photograph over again.
Tasha was wearing a necklace I recognized.
It was a silver chain with a small star pendant.
I had bought it for her during our first Christmas together.
That meant the photograph had been taken before I ever met her.
“Vanessa, this is impossible.””
She shook her head.
“I know what you're thinking.””
“Tasha told me she had never met Danielle.””
“I remember.””
“She said the first time she heard Danielle's name was when I told her about the children.””
Vanessa sat down.
“Then she lied.””
I stared at the photograph.
Why would my wife lie about knowing my first wife?
And why had she kept the picture hidden?
My phone rang.
It was Tasha.
I answered.
“Hello?””
“Where are you?””
“Home.””
“Good. I need you to come upstairs.””
“Why?””
“Because I want to talk to you.””
“I'm busy.””
“Marcus, stop playing games. We need to discuss what happened yesterday.””
I glanced at Vanessa.
“I'm coming.””
I ended the call.
Vanessa stood.
“Do you want me to stay?””
“Yes.””
Tasha was sitting on the bed when I entered the bedroom.
She looked calm.
Too calm.
“Close the door.””
I didn't.
“What do you want?””
She glanced toward Vanessa.
“Can we speak privately?””
“No.””
Tasha sighed.
“Fine.””
I held up the photograph.
“Explain this.””
Her eyes moved to the picture.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then she looked away.
“Where did you get that?””
“From Danielle's music box.””
She stood.
“You had no right to go through my things.””
“It's not yours.””
“Marcus, you're becoming obsessed with this.””
I stepped closer.
“Were you friends with Danielle?””
Tasha didn't answer.
“Did you know her before we met?””
She rubbed her forehead.
“It's complicated.””
“No. It's a simple question.””
She looked at me.
“Yes.””
The answer was so quiet I almost didn't hear it.
I felt my stomach drop.
“How long?””
“A few months.””
“Why did you lie?””
“Because I knew you would react exactly like this.””
“Like what?””
“Like a man who can't accept that his dead wife wasn't perfect.””
I stared at her.
“Don't use Danielle's memory to avoid answering me.””
Tasha walked toward the window.
“She contacted me because she wanted help.””
“With what?””
“Her children.””
I frowned.
“What about them?””
“She was struggling.””
“Struggling with what?””
Tasha looked back at me.
“Everything. Work, parenting, money. She was exhausted.””
I felt anger rising.
“Danielle was a wonderful mother.””
“I never said she wasn't.””
“You implied it.””
Tasha crossed her arms.
“She told me she was worried about Imani's eating habits.””
My entire body went still.
“What?””
“She said Imani was becoming difficult around food.””
I stared at her.
“Danielle said that?””
“Yes.””
“Do you expect me to believe that?””
Tasha shrugged.
“Believe whatever you want.””
I turned toward Vanessa.
My sister's face had become pale.
“Tasha,” she said quietly, “you're telling us Danielle asked you to restrict her daughter's food?””
Tasha snapped.
“I never said that!””
“Then what are you saying?””
“I'm saying Danielle wanted help. She was worried about how the children would be raised if something happened to her.””
I looked at my wife.
“Why would she ask you?””
Tasha hesitated.
Then she said:
“Because she knew I could help.””
I laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
“You didn't even know me back then.””
“I knew Danielle.””
“Apparently.””
Tasha walked toward the dresser.
“I'm done with this conversation.””
I stepped in front of her.
“No. Not until you tell me what happened at that hospital.””
She looked at the photograph.
Then she sat down.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Finally, she spoke.
“Danielle was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Someone had been contacting her. She thought somebody was trying to get access to the children's savings.””
I felt a chill.
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
She looked up.
“I didn't take the money, Marcus.””
I froze.
“I never said you did.””
Tasha's eyes widened.
She had revealed something I hadn't accused her of.
Vanessa noticed it too.
“Why did you mention the money?””
Tasha immediately looked away.
“I know how this sounds.””
I pulled out the notebook photograph on my phone.
“Then explain these withdrawals.””
She stared at the screen.
“Those were legitimate expenses.””
“Four thousand eight hundred dollars for Danielle's jewelry?””
Her face tightened.
“Some of those items were sold.””
I felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath me.
“You sold Danielle's jewelry?””
“Marcus, listen—”
“Where is the money?””
She didn't answer.
I raised my voice.
“Where is the money, Tasha?””
She finally snapped.
“I needed it!””
The room fell silent.
I stared at her.
“For what?””
She covered her face.
“Things were difficult.””
“What things?””
“My business.””
I frowned.
“What business?””
She looked at me.
“The boutique.””
I had known Tasha once owned a small online clothing business. She had told me it closed before we married.
“Your boutique closed three years ago.””
“Not completely.””
“What does that mean?””
She swallowed.
“I still had debts.””
I looked at Vanessa.
Then back at Tasha.
“So you sold my dead wife's jewelry to pay your debts?””
“I was going to replace it!””
“When?””
“When things improved!””
I stepped back.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Then Tasha said something that made me even angrier.
“You should be grateful I kept those things safe. Your children would have lost everything if I hadn't stepped in.””
I stared at her.
“Don't pretend this was generosity.””
She stood abruptly.
“You have no idea what I've sacrificed for this family!””
“What sacrifice?””
“Everything! I gave up my freedom. I gave up my time. I raised children who weren't even mine!””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“They are your stepchildren, Tasha. You chose to marry their father.””
Tasha pointed at her.
“You have no idea what it's like!””
I looked at my wife.
“Then why did you marry me?””
She opened her mouth.
But no words came out.
I waited.
Finally, she whispered:
“Because I loved you.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“Then why did you lie about knowing Danielle?””
Tasha's face changed.
She walked toward the bedroom door.
“Because Danielle told me something before she died.””
I turned.
“What?””
Tasha looked directly at me.
“She said if anything happened to her, I should make sure you never found out what was inside that envelope.””
My heart started pounding.
“What envelope?””
She said nothing.
I stepped toward her.
“What envelope, Tasha?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“The one Danielle gave me at the hospital.””
Vanessa gasped.
I felt the room spin.
“You had a letter from Danielle?””
Tasha nodded.
“Where is it?””
“I don't have it anymore.””
“Where did you put it?””
“I threw it away.””
“When?””
“Years ago.””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
“Because I didn't want you to read it.””
“Why not?””
She looked at me for a long time.
Then she whispered:
“Because Danielle knew something about me.””
I felt my blood turn cold.
“What?””
Tasha's lips trembled.
“She knew who I really was.””
Before I could ask another question, my phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
“Is this Marcus Reed?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Daniel Foster. I'm a solicitor handling an estate matter connected to your late wife, Danielle.””
I straightened.
“What estate matter?””
There was a brief pause.
“Your wife left instructions that were supposed to be delivered to you after her death.””
I looked at Tasha.
Her face had turned completely white.
The solicitor continued.
“We recently discovered that the original documents were never delivered.””
“What documents?””
“A trust agreement and a sealed letter.””
I tightened my grip on the phone.
“What trust agreement?””
“Mr. Reed, your wife established a financial trust for Imani and Caleb. It contains a substantial amount of money.””
I looked at Tasha.
She had begun shaking her head.
The solicitor continued.
“However, there's a problem. Someone attempted to access the trust using forged authorization documents.””
My heart pounded.
“When?””
“Three years ago.””
The exact year Tasha and I married.
I looked directly at my wife.
“Who attempted to access it?””
The solicitor took a breath.
“We have reason to believe the documents were submitted by someone named Tasha Reed.””
The phone nearly slipped from my hand.
Tasha covered her mouth.
Vanessa whispered:
“Oh, my God.””
Then the solicitor added:
“There's one more thing, Mr. Reed. Danielle specifically instructed us that if anyone attempted to access that trust, we were to reveal the identity of the person she had named as an emergency guardian for her children.””
I swallowed.
“Who?””
The solicitor paused.
Then he answered.
“Your sister, Vanessa Reed.””
I turned toward Vanessa.
She stared at me in disbelief.
And before either of us could speak, Tasha whispered:
“That wasn't supposed to happen.””
I looked at her.
“What wasn't supposed to happen?””
She backed away.
May you like
Then she said:
“Because if Vanessa gets custody of those children, she'll find out what I did before Danielle died.””
