Nobody moved.<\/p>\n
The kitchen seemed to shrink around us.<\/p>\n
The doorbell rang again.<\/p>\n
Three short chimes.<\/p>\n
Then Janice spoke through the glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cMarguerite, I know you\u2019re home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her voice was exactly as I remembered.<\/p>\n
Warm.<\/p>\n
Patient.<\/p>\n
The kind of voice people trusted before they realized they shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Dale stood so abruptly his chair tipped backward.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t answer it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou seem awfully frightened of a woman you haven\u2019t seen in twenty-eight years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I said quietly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s exactly why I\u2019m opening the door.\u201d<\/p>\n
I reached for the handle.<\/p>\n
Dale grabbed my wrist.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was the first time he had ever said that word to me.<\/p>\n
Please.<\/p>\n
Not because he was worried about me.<\/p>\n
Because he was terrified of her.<\/p>\n
Linda stepped between us.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake your hand off Mrs. Ellis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dale let go immediately.<\/p>\n
I unlocked the door.<\/p>\n
Janice Holloway smiled as if she had been invited for coffee.<\/p>\n
She wore a cream-colored jacket despite the summer heat.<\/p>\n
Her silver hair was neatly styled.<\/p>\n
In one hand she carried a thick manila envelope.<\/p>\n
In the other, a box of lemon cookies.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor lunch,\u201d she said pleasantly.<\/p>\n
No one accepted them.<\/p>\n
Her eyes moved slowly around the kitchen.<\/p>\n
She recognized Colleen first.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goodness.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colleen didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n
Then Janice looked at Dale.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you not to panic.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stared at the floor.<\/p>\n
Finally, her eyes settled on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be Marguerite.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve wanted to meet you properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish I could say the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI imagine you have questions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have plenty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
She set the envelope on the table without asking permission.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I brought answers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paula finally found her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Janice looked at her kindly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the woman your husband should have told you about twenty years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paula turned toward Dale.<\/p>\n
He still hadn\u2019t looked up.<\/p>\n
Linda crossed her arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve admitted to participating in fraudulent filings.\u201d<\/p>\n
Janice laughed softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI admitted nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI simply came to correct a misunderstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat misunderstanding?\u201d Linda asked.<\/p>\n
Janice tapped the envelope.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe misunderstanding that Dale is the villain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Every person in the room stared at her.<\/p>\n
She opened the envelope and removed several documents.<\/p>\n
Some were old.<\/p>\n
Some looked brand new.<\/p>\n
She slid one across to me.<\/p>\n
It was a photocopy of a handwritten letter.<\/p>\n
At the bottom\u2026<\/p>\n
I recognized my late husband\u2019s signature.<\/p>\n
My heart stopped.<\/p>\n
Harold\u2019s handwriting.<\/p>\n
The same looping letters I\u2019d seen on birthday cards for forty-eight years.<\/p>\n
My hands began to shake.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Janice\u2019s expression softened.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Linda picked up the letter.<\/p>\n
Her eyes narrowed as she read.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis can\u2019t be right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
She looked from the letter to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Ellis\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis letter was written six months before your husband died.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt says he asked someone to protect you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cProtect me from what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Linda swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt only says\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked back at the page.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018If anything happens to me before Marguerite learns the truth, promise me she never signs another property document without knowing everything.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The room fell silent.<\/p>\n
My husband had never mentioned such a letter.<\/p>\n
Not once.<\/p>\n
Janice folded her hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI kept my promise.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her in disbelief.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou expect me to believe you\u2019ve been protecting me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI expect you not to believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward Dale.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause that\u2019s exactly what Harold said would happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she reached into the envelope one last time.<\/p>\n
This time she removed a faded photograph.<\/p>\n
It showed my husband.<\/p>\n
Harold.<\/p>\n
Janice.<\/p>\n
And one more man.<\/p>\n
The moment Dale saw that fourth face\u2026<\/p>\n
he stumbled backward until he hit the refrigerator.<\/p>\n
His lips trembled.<\/p>\n
He whispered just one name.<\/p>\n
\u201cRichard\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Janice slowly nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe man who started all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
And according to Harold\u2019s letter\u2026<\/p>\n
he was never caught.<\/p>\n
Nobody in the kitchen spoke.<\/p>\n
The name lingered in the air.<\/p>\n
Richard.<\/strong><\/p>\n It meant nothing to me.<\/p>\n But to Dale\u2026<\/p>\n It looked as though someone had reached inside his chest and squeezed the breath out of him.<\/p>\n Linda laid the photograph flat on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is he?\u201d<\/p>\n Dale didn\u2019t answer.<\/p>\n Janice did.<\/p>\n \u201cRichard Vaughn.\u201d<\/p>\n She tapped the man standing beside my late husband.<\/p>\n \u201cHe never signed the paperwork.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe never met the widows.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe never appeared on television.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe never testified.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo who was he?\u201d Paula asked.<\/p>\n Janice looked directly at her.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was the man who chose the victims.\u201d<\/p>\n A chill ran through me.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe collected names.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRecently widowed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo children nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPeople who trusted easily.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe built lists.\u201d<\/p>\n Colleen slowly sat down.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, dear God\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI remember hearing that name.\u201d<\/p>\n Linda frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom where?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour father.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at me.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout a year before Harold died.\u201d<\/p>\n My heart skipped.<\/p>\n \u201cHe never told me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe told me.\u201d<\/p>\n The room fell silent.<\/p>\n Colleen looked ashamed.<\/p>\n \u201cHe made me promise not to frighten you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe said if anything ever happened to him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026I was to make sure nobody convinced you to sell the Ridgeway house.\u201d<\/p>\n I stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou never told me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he\u2019d been worrying too much.\u201d<\/p>\n She wiped a tear from her cheek.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve regretted that for twenty-eight years.\u201d<\/p>\n Janice quietly slid another document across the table.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is why.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t a legal paper.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t a deed.<\/p>\n It was a handwritten notebook page.<\/p>\n Across the top, in bold black ink, were the words:<\/p>\n RIDGEWAY PROPERTIES<\/strong><\/p>\n Below it\u2026<\/p>\n a numbered list.<\/p>\n House after house.<\/p>\n Family after family.<\/p>\n Every address had a date beside it.<\/p>\n Some names were crossed out.<\/p>\n Some had circles.<\/p>\n Then I found mine.<\/p>\n 18. Harold & Marguerite Ellis<\/strong><\/p>\n Beside it, someone had written:<\/p>\n Delay. Husband suspicious.<\/strong><\/p>\n My hands began to tremble.<\/p>\n Harold hadn\u2019t imagined any of it.<\/p>\n Someone had really been watching us.<\/p>\n For years.<\/p>\n Paula looked horrified.<\/p>\n \u201cMom\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDad knew?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think he did.\u201d<\/p>\n Linda studied the page carefully.<\/p>\n \u201cThis handwriting isn\u2019t Janice\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Janice replied.<\/p>\n \u201cIt belongs to Richard.\u201d<\/p>\n Dale finally spoke.<\/p>\n Barely above a whisper.<\/p>\n \u201cHe always kept lists.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone turned toward him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve seen this notebook before?\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn Harold\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n Janice\u2019s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou never told me that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know it mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n Linda looked from Dale to Janice.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Richard made these lists\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026where is he now?\u201d<\/p>\n Nobody answered.<\/p>\n Not even Janice.<\/p>\n Then the kitchen phone rang.<\/p>\n It startled every one of us.<\/p>\n I almost let it go to voicemail.<\/p>\n Almost.<\/p>\n Something told me to answer.<\/p>\n I picked up the receiver.<\/p>\n \u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n There was no greeting.<\/p>\n Only a man\u2019s calm voice.<\/p>\n \u201cMrs. Ellis?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re still alive.\u201d<\/p>\n Every hair on my arms stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is this?\u201d<\/p>\n A soft chuckle came through the line.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been waiting a very long time for this family to start asking the right questions.\u201d<\/p>\n My grip tightened on the phone.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n The man ignored the question.<\/p>\n Instead, he said something that made my blood run cold.<\/p>\n \u201cTell Janice\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026she kept her promise.\u201d<\/p>\n The line went dead.<\/p>\n I lowered the receiver slowly.<\/p>\n Janice\u2019s face had gone completely white.<\/p>\n Linda stood up so quickly her chair fell backward.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n I looked around the room.<\/p>\n Then I repeated every word.<\/p>\n No one spoke.<\/p>\n Finally\u2026<\/p>\n Janice closed her eyes and whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cRichard knows where I am.\u201d<\/p>\n And for the first time since she walked through my front door\u2026<\/p>\n she looked truly afraid.<\/p>\n PART 9: JANICE\u2019S FIRST WORDS Nobody moved. The kitchen seemed to shrink around us. The doorbell rang again. Three short chimes. Then Janice spoke through the glass. \u201cMarguerite, I know … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-drama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6325"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6330,"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6325\/revisions\/6330"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readviralstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}CLICK HERE TO READ CONTINUE PART 11>>12<\/a><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"