Chapter 13 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Margaret had always been invisible.
Evelyn’s older sister.
Quiet.
Responsible.
Helpful.
She attended Evelyn’s funeral.
Comforted Walter.
Joined searches for Rebecca.
Then moved to Florida.
Or so everyone believed.
Federal investigators discovered Margaret had managed the financial side of Voss’s illegal adoption network.
Daniel supplied victims.
Voss falsified medical documents.
Margaret moved money and identities.
“She knew Rebecca was alive?”
Walter asked.
Evelyn nodded.
“For years.”
Rebecca stared at the floor.
“My aunt knew?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Money.”
Sarah shook her head.
“All of this for money?”
Evelyn looked at Walter.
“Not all of it.”
Margaret hated her younger sister.
Evelyn had married Walter.
Had a child.
Built a life Margaret envied.
When Daniel became obsessed with Evelyn, Margaret encouraged it.
She connected Daniel to Voss.
A family grudge became a criminal enterprise.
Marcus located Margaret in Arizona.
Federal agents surrounded her home.
She surrendered without resistance.
Then they found her basement.
Hundreds of files.
Dozens of identities.
Photographs covering forty years.
Margaret had documented everything.
At trial, Daniel saw her for the first time in years.
He screamed across the courtroom.
“You used me!”
Margaret smiled.
“You were easy to use.”
Daniel lunged.
Bailiffs restrained him.
Walter watched without satisfaction.
There was nothing satisfying about seeing monsters turn on each other.
The prosecution presented overwhelming evidence.
Kidnapping.
Murder.
Conspiracy.
Fraud.
Child trafficking.
Identity theft.
Daniel Bennett received multiple life sentences without parole.
Dr. Voss received forty-eight years.
Harold Price received twenty-two.
Margaret received life.
When the judge finished, Daniel turned toward Walter.
“You think you got her back?”
Walter said nothing.
“She’ll never be six again.”
Walter’s jaw tightened.
“You missed everything.”
Daniel smiled.
“Birthdays.”
“Graduation.”
“Her first love.”
“Her baby.”
Walter stood.
Rebecca grabbed his arm.
“Dad.”
Daniel continued.
“I won.”
Walter looked at him.
Then something changed.
He smiled.
“No.”
Daniel’s expression faltered.
Walter pointed toward Rebecca.
“She survived you.”
Toward Sarah.
“So did she.”
Toward Emily.
“And she’ll grow up knowing exactly who she is.”
Walter looked at Evelyn.
“You spent thirty-one years trying to erase my family.”
Then back at Daniel.
“But here we are.”
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
Walter sat down.
For the first time, Daniel looked powerless.
Outside the courthouse, reporters surrounded them.
Rebecca refused interviews.
Sarah held Emily’s hand.
Walter walked beside Evelyn.
They reached the car.
Then Rebecca stopped.
“Dad?”
Walter turned.
“I want to see the store.”
Walter smiled.
Bennett Jewelry looked almost exactly as Rebecca remembered.
She walked behind the counter.
Touched the old wooden workbench.
Then noticed the velvet pad.
“This is where Sarah sold the locket?”
Walter nodded.
Rebecca looked at him.
“For fifty dollars?”
Walter groaned.
Sarah crossed her arms.
“Yes.”
Rebecca stared at her father.
“She needed fifty-eight.”
“I know.”
“You couldn’t give her eight dollars?”
Walter looked ashamed.
Emily started laughing.
Then Sarah laughed.
Rebecca joined her.
Eventually Walter did too.
He opened the register.
Removed eight dollars.
Placed it on the counter.
“What’s that?”
Sarah asked.
“Interest.”
Sarah laughed harder.
Then Walter noticed an envelope beneath the door.
No stamp.
No name.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph taken that morning.
All of them outside the courthouse.
On the back were five words.
May you like
YOU DIDN’T FIND US ALL.
Walter stopped smiling.
